MEET OLUFUNMILAYO GOMBE – THE EVENT NANNY

Olufunmilayo Gombe is the proprietress of The Event Nanny. The Event Nanny is a family-oriented organisation that provides bespoke childcare/crèche services during events such as weddings, birthdays, corporate functions, private parties, sporting events and exhibitions.

In this interview with Pride Magazine Nigeria, Mrs Gombe outlines the inspiration behind the business, what the business entails, and the challenges she encounters in the Nigerian environment.

PRIDE MAGAZINE NIGERIA (PNG): Hello madam, can you introduce yourself to our readers?

Olufunmilayo Gombe (OG): I have a bachelor’s degree in Sociology, as well as an MBA from the prestigious Lagos Business School. I have about 16 years continuous professional working experience. I am married to the very handsome SU Gombe, and the mother of three adorable boys.

PNG: The concept of having a nanny for events is quite novel in Nigeria. What inspired you to set this up?

OG: The Event Nanny is a wholly-owned Nigerian company that discovered there is a need for helping mothers with childcare during events such as weddings, exhibitions & conferences, sporting events, special occasions, etc. The care for children is at the heart of what we do, and we have been consistently doing so for two years.

PNG: As event nannies, what do your services entail?

OG: Our services basically were borne out of the need to make life easier and more enjoyable for everyone at events especially if many of the guests have young children. It means that parents are more likely to attend if they know there’s childcare available. It allows them the freedom to enjoy the event without worrying about their children, and of course it does also remove the risks of interrupted speeches and spilt drinks! The children have a great time too, so everyone’s happy! Essentially, our concept is to care for and to engage children at events by deploying our experts in an ambient environment in a manner that assures peace.

PNG: Who are your clients?

OG: We regard the “little feet” as our clients even though they have been “handed” to us by their parents. Typically, our clients are of the age range 0 to 7 years.

PNG: How do you charge for your services? Is it per child or per event?

OG: We do not have a price list because no two events are the same. We initially listen to event requirements, and then advise on the best service to suit the event based on a firm understanding of the allocated budget and then tailor our services appropriately.

PNG: How do you pick your staff? Are there specific skills you look out for, and do new recruits undergo any kind of training?

OG: Our staff are at the heart of our business; without them there is no The Event Nanny, so we pride ourselves with the quality they bring to the table. Our staff are dedicated, dutiful and caring. And to continue to maintain the world-class standard which we are now reputed to have, we expose them to training periodically in order to continue to deliver to our clients at value premium.

PNG: What challenges have your company faced and how did you overcome them?

OG: Our major challenge is building design. Most event centres have not been designed with the intention of having a separate space for children at events. More so, we constantly have to educate event planners on the need to create a workable space for our use to ensure our clients have a memorable time.

PNG: Do you have competitors in the industry?

OG: We do understand that there are other companies in the space we play however we have set standards for ourselves so high that makes us believe that the only competitor to beat is ourselves.

PNG: What advice would you give to a newcomer in this type of business?

OG: One sentence – business is not like knife through butter.