The short version
You’ll have a conference plan you can take to approvals without crossing your fingers: a confirmed venue path, a programme that fits the rooms and the day, and a budget that matches what Nairobi suppliers will actually quote and invoice.
I’ll turn the idea into a working plan: a programme grid, a venue comparison with site notes, and a line-by-line budget built from real supplier numbers. Next, I’ll send a kickoff pack with the first decisions and due dates.
I start with the decisions that can break a conference if they’re made on guesswork: venue capacity and flow, AV and catering lead times, and the full cost picture including payment dates. I build the programme shape early, then lock speakers, suppliers, and sponsor inventory in the order that keeps pricing and timelines stable.
About me
I’m Wanjiku Kamau, a conference planner. I do the work that sits between “we should host a conference” and “everyone has their badge and the plenary starts on time”: building the programme grid, pressure-testing venues, and turning quotes into a budget you can sign off. I work hands-on, and you’ll know what I’m doing each week.
People pick me when they need decisions they can defend. I don’t sell a venue on photos. I write down the constraints from the site visit, I note what’s included and what’s billed as an extra, and I pin every budget line to a quote, a lead time, and a payment date. That is what stops assumptions from becoming commitments.
Past events
Here are three recent conferences where I took the plan from “rough shape” to booked, costed, and ready to run on the day.
Portfolio
Two-day association conference. Built a three-track programme grid, confirmed room flow against venue capacities, and tightened the budget to match supplier payment schedules. The result was a run sheet that held up once AV and catering numbers came back.
Corporate leadership offsite. Shortlisted venues for plenary plus breakouts, wrote site visit notes with power, rigging, and noise constraints, and aligned the agenda to travel and meals. Final approvals moved faster because each option had clear trade-offs.
Sponsor-led industry forum. Created sponsor inventory and pricing, built a prospectus that matched what could be delivered onsite, and set up registration communications on a fixed schedule. Sponsors signed based on defined visibility and timelines.
“The budget finally matched reality, and approvals stopped stalling.”
Corporate communications manager, planning an annual conference
Leading up to the day
I work backwards from the conference date so each decision lands before its lead time. You’ll always have three things in front of you: the next decision, the cost impact, and who owns the action.
1. Kickoff and hold 12 weeks out I’ll take what you already know about the date, audience size, and format, then send a decision list for venue, programme shape, and sponsorship. Once you sign and the retainer is paid, I hold the date and start supplier outreach. 2. Programme and venue 8 weeks out I draft the programme grid and session tracks, build a shortlist of venues that can handle plenary plus breakouts, and collect comparable quotes. You’ll review the options with my site-visit notes, then choose the venue path to lock. 3. Lock costs and speakers 4 weeks out I convert the preferred quotes into a live budget with payment dates, then confirm what needs a deposit and by when. In parallel, I drive speaker outreach and confirmations, and I set a run-of-show structure that fits the rooms and AV plan. 4. Final numbers and run On the day In the final lead-up I issue the run-of-show, speaker briefing notes, and a registration comms schedule. On the day, I keep sessions moving to time, manage speaker flow, and track supplier touchpoints against the agreed schedule.
Programme run-of-show
A timed schedule for plenary and breakouts, with session owners, speaker call times, room moves, and hard stops so the day doesn’t drift.
SPEAKER BRIEFING NOTES
A one-page brief per session with arrival time, mic and slide expectations, and the exact handoff points, shared with speakers ahead of the conference.
REGISTRATION DESK SETUP
A registration flow with roles, queue plan, and badge collection method sized to your delegate count, plus the comms schedule for reminders and onsite info.
Room set oversight
Checks on plenary and breakout room sets against the agreed layout, including stage, lectern, screens, and seating counts before doors open.
SPONSOR VISIBILITY CHECKS
A placement check against the sponsor inventory so banners, slides, and tables land where they were sold, before delegates arrive.
ONSITE ISSUE LOG
A running list of supplier questions, changes, and decisions made during the day, with times and owners, so nothing relies on memory after the event.
What it costs
Pick the level that matches how soon you need firm venue and cost decisions. Each option covers conference planning across the same 12-week run-in.
Priced items
Getting started
If you want the venue, programme, and budget to stop being a set of assumptions, the next step is to lock the planning window.
1. Sign the agreement beside this proposal. 2. Pay the 40% retainer invoice to hold the date. 3. Send your current venue leads, speaker ideas, and any internal budget ceiling to start the first build.
Signature
Fee summary
Retainer and invoice terms
A 40% retainer is due when you sign, and it holds the date. The remaining 60% is due before the event, on final numbers, by a date I set. Invoices are payable within 14 days.
Scope changes. If you add sessions, rooms, days, or extra stakeholder review rounds after signing, I will update the plan and pricing before I do the added work, so approvals match what is being delivered.
Final numbers. You will confirm final delegate numbers and any key counts I’m using for orders and printing by a deadline I set. If numbers change after that, supplier change fees and rush costs sit outside my fee.
Venue and supplier decisions. I can shortlist, compare, and flag constraints, but you approve the venue and suppliers. Once a booking is confirmed, their terms apply, including deposit timing, minimum spends, and cancellation penalties.
Client inputs each week
To keep the timeline moving, I need one weekly check-in, one decision owner for sign-off, and feedback in a single place. When approvals slip, speaker, printing, and AV lead times slip with them.
Onsite hours and access. On the event day I’ll run room set oversight, sponsor visibility checks, the registration desk setup, and the onsite issue log. You’ll arrange passes, venue access, and a point person who can approve spend on the day.
Moving or cancelling. If you need to move the date or cancel, tell me as soon as you can. I apply a simple sliding scale based on how close it is to the event date, and I’ll confirm the amount I keep in writing.
