CEDRICK TODWELL: THE SMALL MAN BEHIND THE BIG EVENTS

Who is Cedrick Todwell?

Cedrick is Africa’s next top business man watch this space and I mean it. Currently I’m full time at my company, Twelve Agency. We are a small time marketing and event management  firm with some pretty big clients.
My childhood was full of ups, downs, and everything in between. I watched as some of the things I held close go away and I lacked all the privileges some of you had. It's funny how time and certain situations change things and people. I’ve learned new lessons and re-enforced old ones, trust, relationships and loyalty are extremely rare in the world. As the night falls and doors close to my past, I will reflect on the past, and plan for the future. My now and future is looking good, just gotta make it happen!!!!
 

What do you do?

I am a business development manager with Verge Media a sister company to level One Communication and part time MD at Twelve Agency. We major in advertising, creative and experiential  marketing with some great clients like Sony/Google among others. For more info check us out on our website.

What are your aspirations, passions with respect to your company?

I am a business gambler and an adventurer at heart, one who loves to take risks, to discover and explore new worlds, and to travel the untried path rather than the safe, reliable one. I am independent, freedom loving, and often very restless. I have a lifestyle that provides opportunities for travel, movement, change, and meeting new people.

An incurable optimist, I have big dreams, aspirations and hope for the future and I am usually engaged in pursuing a far-off goal. I have a great deal of faith and trust in life and failures do not crush my spirit. I always bounce back from disappointments due to God, often with another bright dream or scheme.

What motivated you to do what you do?

When I grew up my dad always told me I need to leave a legacy and you can leave a legacy either through planting a tree, having a child or writing a book but I want to leave a legacy that will change peoples lives for the better and that’s by doing international events and raising the bar of international gospel events.

Where do you see yourself two years from now?

I see myself going global  with Twelve Agency mostly in areas of advertising and events because already we have spread our tentacles in Africa…we are already building strong partnership with like minded partners in South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa and in 2012 we heading to West Africa.

How many events have you done?
I have done quite a number thanks be to God. There’s the Chevelle Franklyn Xtreeme weekend/ Recharge Concert with Marvin Winans Jr, Sherwin Gardner and Damita Haddon, Love At The Dome that featured Stitchie, The Cece Winans Kenya tour, The Big Picture event that was headlined by Da Truth, Rapper flame who headlined the Captured concert and most recently the Unashamed  Kenya concert featuring Lecrae and 116 crew.

Which was the best event ever?
I can say 116 was the best event cause we had lots of media support especially you Hot Secrets, got some great supportive sponsors (Standard Group, Naivas, Ghetto Radio, Mavuno, Spinrej DJ), and the attendance was amazing just over 4000 people.

What are some of the major challenges you go through in Kenya when organising and promoting your events?

Malice and negativity from guys in the industry! Something strange is that it is starting to get into the gospel industry. It is getting to a point where people form hate cliques and start mudsling. There is also the issue of high taxes.

What keeps you awake at night?

Positioning  myself as the #2 guy at everything I do. All my businesses; everything that I do. Being #2 gives me a challenge: whoever thinks they're #1 I'm giving you fair warning, stay on your toes cause I'm right at your back!!! Don't sleep, don't party, don't go trickin'.

What is your advice for a young events organiser?

Do not give up, the journey won’t be so smooth there are times you will burn your fingers but the passion is what will drive you.

What single thing would improve the quality of your life?

(Laughing) I won’t say that for now…..it keeps changing each month.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?

Setting up Twelve Agency and being able to hire 5 people. I am grateful for the team at Twelve they are so amazing.

What was the biggest gig that got away?

I think it was the Megafest Unplugged that plunged me to a valley as I was planning to bring to Kenya 7 international gospel acts but 2 weeks to the event, we realized that the artiste’s plane tickets had been booked using stolen credit cards. After that event I was branded a fraudster/conman especially with people in the church but during that time I managed to find new friends who embraced me and walked with me in the journey.

  
If I gave you an elephant where would you hide it?

How big will the elephant be? If I know the size I will know, so get me the size.