When we started planning this event, we had one fear: Can we really pull off an event on January 11th? It was an understandable concern. January is painfully close to #DettyDecember when the average Lagosian empties her bank account exchanging gifts and having as much fun as possible. Would the women in our community buy our tickets, right smack in the middle of January, the “driest” month of the year? We were anxious. At some point, we even considered rescheduling the brunch but when we thought of how much work it took to secure a slot in our Icon’s calendar, we banished the idea.
We shouldn’t have worried. The tickets sold, we booked our meals and on January 11th, the women of Blazers & Baby sat down for brunch with the phenomenal Mrs. Audrey Joe-Ezigbo. It was everything we hoped it would be and more: vibrant, honest, inspiring. Mrs. Audrey is the type of woman who carries her power gently but with determination, the type that makes you sit up and lean in, soft-spoken but decisive and we found her attitude infectious. By the end of the event, we were brimming with new wisdom and chatting brightly with the other women who’d been strangers only a couple of hours before.
When I started reading out Mrs. Audrey’s citation and bio, she got a small smile on her face. When I was done, she said, “In the past, I would have stopped you from reading the entire thing, out of ‘humility’. Then I started going for events and realized that men who’ve done even less than I have, proudly own and accept their entire bios being read out. Since then, I’ve learnt to accept praises graciously.”
We asked participants what they loved the most about the event.
“I loved the easy flow of conversation between us and the Icon. It was so intimate.”
“I loved the seamless transition between the activities of the day. It was very well organized. I also loved the openness of the participants. I had a great time..”
“I really liked the quality of people who attended. Everyone was so intelligent and open to learning and being better at work and at home.”
“The venue was pretty nice and free headshots? Yes!”
“Our Icon was awesome!”
Attendees shared their most striking takeaways
“My children will only be dependent on me for a season. This phase with young children will pass. I have to prepare for what comes next when they grow up.”
“I should learn to embrace my season – take advantage of the opportunities that come my way, learn from my challenges, and get those big, hairy, audacious goals!”
“I have to find time for myself! Time goes by so fast!”
“One of the women who attended shared her experience “giving back” by mentoring young ladies in school to become the best version of themselves.. I realized that I don’t have to get to the pinnacle of my career before I give back. I can always give back at every stage of my life.”
“Visibility is key for getting recommended for opportunities.”
“Further your education sooner rather than later so you can avoid simple mistakes in your business.”
“Self-care includes investing in yourself by attending events like this.”
And on that note, we’re signing off on this Icon Brunch. If you’d like to be the first to know about our future events, sign up for the newsletter below. We’d love to hear from you. What sort of events would you like to see next?
