"My family didn't know anything about events or deejaying; they were sceptical of me doing anything different," said the large-framed commerce graduate who took up the job of an administrative executive at a large telecom major. It lasted all of one day. "I'm too much of a people person to last in a corporate set-up," said Sheldon.

Finding his niche

That was in 2001. He then opted for a freelance career in event management, and a year later, decided to start his own firm with two friends. "Manoj, Aditya and I pooled in Rs 1 lakh and decided to go for it," said the boy from Malad. "It was easier because we were young and had fewer responsibilities."

All they had to show for their company was one computer, a lone printer and a little money left over for rent. But six months later, when they had grown to 13 employees, the trio realised they were "here to stay".

"In hindsight, I've realised the importance of following your dreams," asserted Sheldon, whose old clients remember him showing up for meetings in shorts and spiked hair. "Forget what the world has to say."

Today, Seventy Seven generates a ninefigure annual turnover (he refused to say how much he takes home), and works with biggies like JP Morgan, Deutsche Bank and Sony Entertainment Telvision.

The work he is most proud of is the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry awards his company organised for Sony television. "It was only in our second year of operation. It was our first televised show and we had only four days to put it together," he recalled.

This year, Seventy Seven will start two of its own shows, film awards and a reality show. Sheldon also plans to shift the firm out of the Andheri office to a place three times its current size.

According to his colleagues, Sheldon's personality is perfectly suited for the event industry. "He is great with people. Managing an event requires immense co-ordination – between vendors, clients, your own team – and Daryl does it seamlessly," said Manoj Gopalani, one of the directors of Seventy Seven.

Ups and downs

It's not all rosy, though. The fast-paced industry forces you to compromise on your personal life, said Sheldon. The fact that he was working long hours two days before his wedding (which was the day we interviewed him), is testament to that fact. "You don't have a friend circle and you rarely see your family," he warned people wanting to enter this industry. "It's not as glamorous as it looks."

Still, the foosball table at the Seventy Seven office, the flexible work hours and the casual camaraderie between colleagues prove that event management is a rare profession where fun goes hand in hand with work.

When he's not working, Sheldon catches up with his close-knit family and tries to make time for his passion - music.

He also travels often with his co-directors, flying to expositions and fairs across the world, because "keeping up with international developments is the key in this field".

According to Sheldon, finding his way up the career ladder has given him much more than material wealth. "There has been a huge transformation in my attitude as well. I'm more committed to the company and its growth than I ever thought I would be."

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CHATROOM: DARYL SHELDON MEANS SERIOUS BUSINESS Event management courses are all right, but it's important to start with a company that will give you access to all aspects of the business.

What's your advice to someone thinking of joining the industry?

Young people always think of it as a glamorous field. It's not. It's serious business. Event courses are all right, but it's important to start with a company that will give you access to all aspects of the business, and then identify what you're best at, like production, conceptualisation, et cetera. Once you know that, you'll move up faster.

What do you like best about the job?

 I love taking care of the technical aspect of an event: innovation in lights, sound and special effects plays a big role in a successful event. Even now, I love going to technology fairs abroad to learn what's new.

Your first professional disaster?

It was at the beginning. We were doing multiple events on the same day, and I'd gone for a whole week with no sleep. I got to the event and promptly blacked out. I had to be rushed to the hospital and put on glucose. In two hours, I pulled out the drip and went back to my event.

Your future plans?

I'd like to study some more. I would like to do a post-graduation in management. But I'm happy to do an MBA from an Indian institute because I believe that our education is as good as any other. It'll be hard to balance both the company and a full-time degree, but I'm ready for it.

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Case Study

rapidfire

Sun sign: Taurus

Pizza or pav bhaji: Pizza

If not an event manager? Sound engineer

Favourite actress: Angelina Jolie

Favourite movie: I Am Legend

Dream car: Hummer

Facebook or Orkut: Facebook

Favourite band/singer: Sting

If you could be one age for the rest of your life, it would be… 27

Dream job: To work on the event management team of the Oscars

Favourite food: Junk food

Favourite drink: Screwdriver

Favourite nightspot: Blue Frog

Favourite outdoor activity: Sleeping on the beach.

A good book or Bigg Boss? A good boss

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Case Study

a day in his life

9:00 am: I wake up.

10:30 am: I negotiate crazy traffic and make it to work.

Till 12:30 pm: I check mail, reconfirm appointments, go for a client meeting if need ed.

12:30 to 2:00 pm: I meet with the co-directors to take stock of the week's activi ties. We brainstorm with the teams planning events scheduled that week.

2:00 pm: Lunch, if time per mits.

3:00 pm to 7:00 pm: Meetings, meetings, meet ings! I navigate huge traffic driving around the city to meet various clients.

7:00 pm: I am back in office.

Till 10:00 pm: I relax with my colleagues, play a spot of chess or foosball.

10:30 pm: I get home.

GOSSIP COLUMNISTS prefer to imagine him as Sushmita Sen's boyfriend and as Dia Mirza's ex. But Bunty Sajdeh, 29, has much more than just famous girlfriends going for him. Having just started his own event and celebrity management company with a roster of clients that includes Yuvraj Singh and Sushmita Sen, Sajdeh's success story is pretty dizzying.

It all began when he was just 19. "I started working with my dad at his garment manufacturing business, but soon realised that it was just not for me. Measurements, cuffs and collars are not my idea of fun," said the commerce graduate. Soon, Sajdeh joined his brother-inlaw, film producer Sohail Khan, in the latter's event management company. "Sohail guaranteed that I would like it but at the time I had no idea that I even had the required skills. In those two years, I learnt so much about maintaining relationships, managing logistics and ground details," he said.

Next on the learning curve was a big event management firm, so he joined Percept D'Mark as a manager. "At that time, there were no training institutes, so I learnt everything on my own. I was a sponge, I would just quietly observe other people. I was willing to take it slow," said Sajdeh. After putting in a solid five years there, during which time he managed the Hero Indian sports awards and several Sahara events including the Sangeet Awards, Sajdeh joined Globosport, and diversified into celebrity management. "With celebrity management you have to supply celebrities at events and also sometimes, manage the event yourself," he explained. "In this field, you are the cushion. You have to manage both the client and the celebrity."

Despite his fil m a nd celebrity connections, Sajdeh insisted that he's had to work hard to get where he is. "I have to travel for weeks at a stretch. Plus this isn't a 9-to-5 job, where you can just switch off after office hours. You're al ways on your toes".

It's clear that Sajdeh leads a hectic life. He flies off to Kolkata with Saif Ali Khan on the day of our interview, returns two days later, and then flies to Australia the day after.

But he isn't complaining. The downsides to the job, said Sajdeh, are practically none. "I suppose unpredictability and the enormous amount of competition can be considered as drawbacks." And the money isn't too bad either. He can be seen driving around the city in his sleek Skoda Laura and while at Globosport, he earned a cool six-figure salary.

Sajdeh said that after 10 years in the industry, he was finally ready to start off on his own. "Being employed for someone else meant that I didn't always have the freedom to explore my full potential," he said.

With this new venture, he hopes to expand to international events and television properties as well.

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STEP 1: TRAINEE

This is the starting point. Here you should spend some time on each aspect of the business, from creative, to client servicing to operations.

Pay: Rs 7,500 a month

STEP 2: EXECUTIVE/SENIOR EXECUTIVE 

At this stage, you are likely to be working in a team of four or five people. You will do most of the running around, and will be expected to put in long hours.

Pay: Rs 15,000 to Rs 22,000 a month

STEP 3: JUNIOR MANAGER/ SENIOR MANAGER  

This is when you will start managing a team. The responsibility for executing an event will be yours, from making a client presentation to communicating with celebrities and vendors.

Pay: Rs 22,000 to Rs 40,000 a month

STEP 4: ACCOUNT MANAGER/ GROUP HEAD 

 You will have specific clients to take care of. This means you will have to formulate long-term plans and take care of all the clients' needs. Alternatively, as a group head, you will oversee around three separate teams.

Pay: Rs 75,000 to Rs 80,000 a month

STEP 5: GENERAL MANAGER

 You are at the top of the ladder. You will have to take care of all departments, and create a vision for the company's long-term growth.

Pay: Rs 1 lakh a month uspwards

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SKILLS

1 You need to be a people's person. Managing an event requires a lot of interaction with people, from vendors to clients.

2. You need to be a good communicator. You will need to make successful presentations. At the same time, you must be able to communicate effectively with delivery boys, furniture suppliers, technicians, etc.

3. Have a can-do attitude. Event management is about keeping a client happy, even if requests seem bizarre at times.

4. Be up-to-date with new developments: whether it is technical knowhow,company mergers (which may create a business opportunity for you), or knowing which actress is the flavour of the moment.

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TRAINING

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF EVENT MANAGEMENT, VILE PARLE (W)

Website: www.niemindia.com

Tel: 2671-6676, 2628-2928

Course details: a. Diploma in event management (part-time), 11 months;

Cost: Rs 31,480 (for undergrads); Rs 44,260 (for graduates). b. Postgraduate diploma in events, advertising and media (full-time), 11 months.

Cost: Rs 88,750

EMDI – INSTITUTE OF MEDIA AND COMMUNICATION, BANDRA RECLAMATION

Website: www.emdiworld.com

Tel: 2655-0808, 2642-7171, 2640-1863

Course details: a. Diploma in event management (part-time), 1 year;

Cost: Rs 36,000 (undergrads); Rs 45,000 (for graduates) b. Post-graduate diploma in events and public relations (full-time), 1 year; Cost: Rs 90,000

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GO GLOBAL

The event management industry is a great place to be in if you are looking for opportunities abroad. Most big Indian companies host events abroad every year – from the International Indian Film Academy awards, which are held anywhere from the UK to Malaysia, to corporate bonding events that can be organised anywhere between Macau and Malaga. As an organiser, you are expected to be present at the site dur ing the event, as well as a few days before and after.

Several global players have also begun making an entry into the Indian market and there have been takeovers and joint ventures. These are strong indicators of a global future.

If you have your own company, you might want to travel to international trade fairs to keep abreast of the latest technology being used in mega-events.

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PLUSES AND MINUSES

Variety: Every day is different, and each event will bring with it a new set of challenges and opportunities. There is little room to get bored.

Travel: The business requires both national and international travel.

Unlimited growth: The industry is just taking off. There is immense opportunity for expansion, growth and to branch out into allied fields.

Long hours: Events often go on into the wee hours of the night and it is important for you to be present.

Lack of a social life: Long hours mean that time with family and friends will be compromised.

Health issues: Irregular work hours mean that often you don't sleep for days or eat at odd hours. It can lead to health complications.

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