Show notes
In this episode of Konnected Minds, I sit down with Funke Bucknor Obruthe, the founder of Zapphaire Events, Africa's biggest events company, to unpack the real truth about what drives business success, how to build a reputation that speaks for itself, and why personality alone will never sustain a business for over 24 years.
We dive deep into the question everyone asks: is it the energy, the personality, the connections, or the actual work that builds a lasting business? Funke breaks down why her joyful, energetic personality seeps into the business but is not what propels it, why customer service and excellent work are the real reasons clients keep coming back for over 24 years, and how she's built a team so strong that clients now say don't bother coming, your team is excellent enough. She opens up about why not everyone on her team has her energy, how she recognizes different strengths and pushes people according to their capacity, and why the business must outlive her, which is why she's intentionally stepped back to let her team shine.
Funke walks me through the entire event planning process in two minutes, breaking down the three core stages: consultation where you distill the brief and understand the client's expectations, planning where you work on checklists, timelines, budgets, vendor coordination, and creative direction, and execution where everything you've envisioned for months or years must come alive on the day through production timelines, event flow managers, food flow managers, and guest accreditation systems. She explains why every client is different, why budgets are personal and unique, and how asking the right questions about what clients want to spend on, what they don't care about, and what their vision looks like is the foundation of creating accurate proposals and bringing dreams to life.
We also get into the origin story of Zapphaire Events, how Funke discovered her calling while helping friends plan weddings for free during law school, why she thought law would be easy because she loved talking but quickly realized it wasn't for her, and the exact moment she watched The Wedding Planner with Jennifer Lopez and everything clicked. She shares how she helped friends sell clothes, organize events, collect money for uniforms, and coordinate weddings without even knowing she was building the foundation for what would become Africa's biggest events company, and why sometimes your purpose finds you when you're just doing what comes naturally.
If you're building a service business, trying to turn a side hustle into a career, or wondering whether personality, connections, or excellent work matter most, this conversation will show you exactly how to build a reputation that lasts, a team that delivers without you in the room, and a business that outlives you.
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🎙️ ABOUT THE HOST
Derrick Abaitey is a Ghanaian entrepreneur, podcast host, and personal development advocate.
IG: https://www.instagram.com/derrick.abaitey