Your Story Blog Series: Annette Naif

Annette Naif has been an event producer for over thirty years, and has owned her own business, Naif Productions LLC, for the past seven. Armed with a BS in Business Management and Marketing, Annette started her career in events working at Sebastian International. Over the course of five years, Annette gained valuable hands-on experience helping the company produce hair shows and manage a team of seven people.

It was then Annette decided to make a change, “I moved into the film and television industry in Los Angeles as an event coordinator. I wanted to be a film and TV producer but it was hard for women to get those jobs back in the day.”

Leveraging her years of events expertise and experience managing a team, Annette decided to go out on her own. She shares, “I just kept going and pursued my passion. I eventually moved to NYC and started my own business so I could make my own path.”

Like any business owner, Annette faces the challenge of bringing in new clients. She says, “It’s challenging but you can never give up. The best thing I did was hire a coach, which has helped me stay focused on the things I need to do to be successful.”

Not only does Annette understand the value of having a coach for her own personal and professional development, she knows the importance of giving back and helping newcomers of the industry, “I also coach event planners on how to start an event planning business or to take their event business to the next level. I love helping others become successful in their own event business. I couldn’t get anyone to help me when I first started my business, so I wanted to help others so they didn’t have to struggle and make costly mistakes.”

Annette says, “I also teach an event operations and productions course at New York University. It’s rewarding to know I’m making a difference in the event industry and help others to fulfill their passion to become a successful event planner.”

Aside from helping to shape the next generation of event planners, Annette’s passion for the industry is what drives her forward, “Producing events is my passion. I can’t imagine doing anything else. Our motto at Naif Productions is Inspire, Educate, Motivate. Nothing makes me more happy than to produce an event that helps a client grow their business, to help a non-profit create an environment to raise funds for a worthy cause, the see the happiness on a bride and grooms face when we reveal their reception or a little boy’s face when he sees the décor of his bar mitzvah and so much more.”

With her years of experience, Annette has developed some hindsight about her career, which serves as a great piece of advice for budding event professionals wondering if they should take a leap of faith and open their dream business. Annette says, “I wish I had started my business 20 years ago, but I didn’t have the courage back then. I wish I knew that it would all work out no matter what happens and that hard work pays off. I didn’t come from an entrepreneurial background so working the “J O B” was all I knew. You’re only ready when you’re ready. It’s a touch business but I’m so happy I took the leap of faith.”