Mercy Tumuheirwe crafts success in event planning and decoration

After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Arts in Economics from Makerere University, Mercy Tumuheirwe was not about to sit around waiting for a job offer from the corporate world; instead, she transformed her academic achievements into a flourishing entrepreneurial venture in the event planning and decoration industry.

As the founder of Metric Events in Entebbe, Tumuheirwe’s journey took a creative turn when she orchestrated her own introduction and wedding ceremony, showcasing her talent and passion for creating unforgettable experiences. What began as a personal project for her became a thriving business to the extent of being the decorator of choice for Uganda’s tycoons such as John Ssebalamu, Godfrey Kirumira, Dr Hamis Kiggundu and many others.

Tumuheirwe has not only transformed countless celebrations into stunning visual experiences, but she has also empowered individuals to pursue their own dreams within the art of events decoration.

Her success story serves as a beacon of hope, showcasing how determination and creativity can lead to profound change in one’s life and the community. As she continues to flourish in her business, Tumuheirwe stands as a testament to the transformative power of education combined with a relentless pursuit of passion in the vibrant world of events planning.

The Observer was introduced to Tunuheirwe’s work at the end of last year, when city businessman John Sebalamu’s was receiving his daughter’s
fiancé at home in a customary marriage. The decorator was one of the major topics of the day, and we had to find her.

BACKGROUND AND INSIPIRATION

Born 28 years ago in Kisaasi, Kampala and raised by her single mother Ssanyu Kayemba, Tumuheirwe learned early on what it meant to fight for a better life. She says her mother is a dedicated and hardworking woman who took on the challenges of motherhood with grace and strength, ensuring that her children grew up well even without a father figure in their lives.

“I was raised by a single mother, loving and hardworking, which inspired me a lot because that woman worked tirelessly to provide a life for us,” she said.

Tumuheirwe added that growing up without a father was challenging, but her mother managed to somehow cover the gaps. When it comes to who influenced and inspired her in decoration, the decorator says that the Rabbanis outdo themselves in decoration and inspire her a lot.

“I draw my inspiration from the Rabbanis and I normally look up to their work because they always outdo themselves when it comes to events; so, I get some concepts from them and I rebuild for my clients. Though I also talk to my clients to understand what their dream functions look like to help me make them come true.”

Tumuheirwe adds that having successfully choreographed her introduction and wedding, that gave her motivation and led to pursue a career in events decoration and planning after testing her talent on herself.

“I loved the process of working with my service providers and planning my functions. It inspired me; so, I ventured into management and events planning right after that,” she says.

INFLUENCE AND EXPERIENCE

The event planner says her first experience working with a big client was amazing because she was super excited to showcase her work and sell her name in the world of event decorations.

“I got to work with Mr Martin Kizito, who basically introduced me and my work to others and I am glad he trusted and believed in me with all the support I needed; he did not put me on pressure, which made me love my job even more,” she remembers.

“I have been in this industry for over five years now and I call myself lucky to be where I am today because very many people are in this business with more experience, but have not reached where I am today; so, I thank God for that.”

Just like any other business, event management and decoration has its challenges. Tumuheirwe narrates that it is very hard and challenging to work with little or no payments at all before the event, because in this sector the service provider delivers full package at once as agreed with the client, which is why it is important to get paid to zero balance before the events are done.

But it is common for a client to expect the event planner to always have enough capital to start even without full payment.

“Chances are high in our line of work that when you decide to get the job done without being paid fully, clients may not pay you or toss you around until you give up,” she says.

And unlike the food guy or photographer who may refuse to deliver the final product unless payments are made, a decorator is easily short-changed because most times the work is one hundred percent done by D-day. Also, weather and travelling to different areas away from home and family can be challenging, but with her husband’s help, she manages to handle it.

“We travel for work for days but I am able to manage because my husband is supportive and he travels with me especially when it’s far from home. [It is important to have a] supportive team and partner to make your work easier.”

But it is not always tears for Tumuheirwe, otherwise she would have thrown in the towel by now.

“Satisfying my client is what I define as success in my line of work,” she says. “What matters most to me is creating and bringing to life my clients’ dream and once I succeed on that, the income that comes with it is just a bonus.”

Straight from university, instead of waiting to be employed, Tumuheirwe has created employment under Metric Events for at least 25 people and “being able to support and feed someone’s family is a blessing”.

“Because of my job, I have been blessed with clients who became close friends and family. Also having social capital is a blessing because many people are struggling with capital out there.”

Tumuheirwe does not have fixed prices, but charges according to what the client is asking for and how big the event is. Tumuheirwe credits social media for having helped sell service providers to wider audiences including the diaspora, saying it has revolutionalised how they do their work and market it.

“Social media has changed the landscape for event planning and decoration in a very positive way because it brings out healthy competition that when you look at most of the events that are moving around from different big companies, it motivates you to do better and bigger in order to sell and elevate your work.”

Tumuheirwe advises anyone looking to joining the decoration industry to take a leap of faith, believe in themselves and push hard. She notes that some people wait to have a lot of capital to start their dream business, “but it is not necessary in our line of work, because you can always start by hiring materials from fellow decorators”.

“In decoration, there’s nothing like ‘enough capital’; as along as you are honest, you can find people to work with in this industry. Also, make sure that you deliver more than expected to your clients, because they will recommend you to their friends and family,” she says.

Great advice there, considering the major universities have just passed out thousands of graduates, all looking at a shrinking formal employment market for their next step.

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