Mona is incredibly energetic, and she brings her passion into everything she does. Her fulfillment and success come from her connectivity, resourcefulness, and her can-do approach to achieving her goals. Mona’s reputation and trustworthiness along with her transparent and professional approach, attract the people she works with. The authenticity and creative spirit she brings make for fun and stress-free interactions. Born in Nigeria, the daughter of a diplomat, Mona has traveled around Africa, Europe, and Asia with most of her formative years spent in London, England. After over 25 years of living in NYC, she now calls it her home.
You worked New York Fashion Week as a stylist, tell us about that experience. What made you get into styling? You’re very stylish yourself, by the way!
I LOVE FASHION…. Beautiful, Provocative, Sexy, Cool…ALL OF IT!
Styling myself is expressive and creative.
I studied Fashion Merchandising and Design at F.I.T and worked as a freelance stylist designing and installing window and in-store displays of luxury retail brand items. That opened doors of opportunity for me to meet and work with designers as well as photographers. Such an exciting and memorable time in my career. It was amazing to work with super-models and handle high-end luxury goods. My role was to ensure that these items were accurately depicted during photo shoots as specified by the designer. I also worked on fashion shows and TV/film wardrobe styling, where I would shop and acquire clothing pieces as specified by the costume designer, maintain and organize fashion closets for on-set and on-location dressing of the models and actors.
And now you're an event planner...tell us more.
After working as a stylist on TV/Film sets, organizing and setting up for events, becoming an event planner was a natural progression for me. I got my start as an event planner at The Bubble Lounge in Tribeca, where I worked as their Special Events Manager.
What about your integration with real estate to event planning?
I am passionate about both real estate and event planning. I love the connectivity with my clients and team. I’m also a great proponent of having a dual career and merging both if possible. Finding someone a home or celebrating their milestone moment – it all starts with the space. It’s about space, and I’ve been fortunate enough to find myself in both real estate and event planning. When I walk into a space, I think about its architecture, its use, and whom it may best suit. Whether it’s staging a space for an event, a party, to lease or to sell, I love to work with spaces.
What was your strategy for keeping business during Covid when things were shut down?
Changing, adapting, and pivoting from the real estate industry into my events planning business was essential during COVID-19. There was a lot of uncertainty in the real estate market, so I decided to launch my events planning business. During this time, it was important for me to stay connected with my team and clients through social media. Without a physical store, my online presence was a great way to get noticed. I set up a company blog to address current issues and provoke questions from my audience. Being flexible with the ever-changing times was key to keeping my business afloat and building new relationships whilst working remotely. I coordinated several online meetings and events and kept the channels of communication open with my team.
What’s it like living in NYC where it’s so competitive … how do you stand out?
I must say after living and traveling around the world, New York is one of my favorite cities to live in. The energy and excitement can’t be beaten. From the vibrant to the serene, each neighborhood has its unique style and charm. New York is truly a hub for creativity and originality. With a multitude of individuals competing, to win attention, I find being genuine and consistently expressing my ideas and creativity in my work sets me apart from many of my competitors. Building relationships with my clients is important, and along with my passion and dedication to the work I do, I have a reputation for exceeding expectations and being fun and energetic.
Favorite event to put together and hardest?
We remember the events in life in moments, and I recognize the importance of making special moments memorable - that is why I do this. Designing, creating, and delivering on my client’s vision whether a small celebration, milestone event, or a large gala.
It always gives me great joy to see my clients light up when they walk into the event or party space that my team and I designed. No event is too hard or impossible with the right resources. Milestone events like weddings and mitzvahs are my favorite. They offer me any opportunity to connect and make a lasting impact on my client’s life.
646-318-0716
https://ekamonaproductions.com/
https://www.instagram.com/ekamona_productions/