We were lucky to catch up with Grace Njuguna-kamara recently and have shared our conversation below.

Grace, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s talk legacy – what sort of legacy do you hope to build?

I come from a background where event planning and design is not a normal form of career path nor does my community fully understand the need for someone like me and why they should hire me. It isn’t until they see me at work and experience what the benefits of investing in an event manager are, that they fully appreciate it. This is how I have been able to grow in my business. Through word of mouth, testimonials from my past clients; they typically rave about how they did not know how one could have managed without hiring an event planner like myself.

This industry is not as diverse and there are a lot of resources that as a professional I have access to that my clientele may not have access to. There are certain opportunities that can only be provided if you have a professional event planner. My mission is to provide these spaces for my clients, and in the process educate them and give them the best possible experience.

Pastor Keon said it best, “Being rich does not make you successful. Doing what God created you to do is success. We have two jobs as humans to hold what God gave us and find somebody to pour it into.” That’s what I want my legacy to be. Rich in pouring into people’s lives one event at a time.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Kenyan born, and Washington bred, where I currently reside.

You4ADAY (Y4AD) was born of my passion for planning events; creatively directing projects from beginning to end with excellence, and seeing the joy that my hard work brings to the people who I do it for. When I see things falling into place and we are on schedule, the photographer gets the perfect shot, when I see the client having a special moment with a loved one, that makes it worthwhile.
Even though this started as a hobby, it has grown and evolved into a beautiful career. Me and my team’s multicultural background is our greatest asset. We are able to provide a culturally competent service with varied perspectives to all our clients. Having the opportunity to do what I do is not only self fulfilling but it allows me the opportunity to inspire others.

I come from a background where there are not a lot of successful entrepreneurs, but I saw my parents work hard to make sure we had the best future. My mother is my greatest inspiration, because in spite her limited access to resources she never quit and always had a solution to every problem. As an adult I learned to adapt like my mother, and in my 8 years of living in Houston TX, and being constantly surrounded by individuals who continuously conversed about how to scale in the industry and grow their businesses, I was inspired to start a business of my own. At the time, I had no desire to be a business woman but it wasn’t until I attended a business conference (ticket paid for) that I was exposed to individuals telling their stories of how their lives changed when they decided to pursue their God given talents that they felt fulfilled. I wanted to have that passion, I desired to be successful in doing what I love to do. They told their story and it stuck with me.

Today, my success and fulfillment is in knowing that my gift helps make others lives easier and, hopefully, more enjoyable. I cherish the moments I create with my clients that have the prospect of lasting a lifetime. I usually say, “weddings are like time capsules. Ten years from now you or the generations to come can look back at that very moment and remember how that day made you feel.”

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

There are specific principles that I follow that have helped shape my brand. Number one, my spiritual health. Understanding who I am and why I do what I do. My passion is derived from my pursuit for authenticity in all that I do. Every person that I come in contact with I want them to leave my presence having been inspired or vise versa.

Secondly, Every environment has a protocol. Learning the protocol and the expected behavior of my market has helped build my reputation in my market. Honoring those who have gone before me and giving them the honor they deserve. I strive to always learn from the ones who have been there before me. The intelligence to understand the space I am in, knowing when to speak and when to sit and listen. I have attended a lot of forums and networked with some amazing industry professionals, and I endeavor to keep in contact with them to keep learning from them.

Effective communication between my clients, my team and my constituency. I’ve come to value the power of what I say that has helped build my reputation. In this industry there are times when we are faced with very stressful situations, or faced with moments when we have to motivate or give advise. What I say sets me apart. When people remember me I want them to remember peace, inspiration, and excellence.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

My team is very result driven. We have grown and keep growing because Y4AD consistently strives to deliver on every client’s unique vision for their event. We take pride in being transparent, dignified, and never cutting corners. By helping our clients achieve their dreams and aspirations, they then reciprocate by sharing Y4AD’s involvement in making their day special. We work hard and let our reputation be our primary recipe for growth.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://WWW.YOU4ADAY.COM
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/you4aday/profilecard/?igsh=MThyNnJhYjFyb21r
• Facebook: You4ADay

Image Credits

Atta Junior Photograpy
Candace Conor