Today we’d like to introduce you to Halima Shittu.
Hi Halima, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
The beginning of TPC (Thee Planning Concierge) wasn’t a single moment , it was an accumulation of instincts, frustrations, and creativity I didn’t yet know had a name. I’ve never been one to follow trends. Even when it came to my own birthdays or events, I always wanted something unique and not what everyone else was doing. I didn’t know it at the time, but what I was really doing was curating experiences, not just throwing parties.
It all clicked around my 25th birthday. I had a lot going on in life, and even though I wanted to do something big and creative, I didn’t have the energy to plan it all myself. So I looked around for “event ideation” services, someone who could take my vision and elevate it but nothing like that existed. Sure, there were planners, but the end result was always the same: cookie-cutter events that lacked the innovation or intentionality I was craving. That’s when I realized there was a huge gap in the events industry not just in planning, but in ideation, in storytelling, in immersive design.
I decided to be the person who filled that gap. I launched TPC, not just as a planning company, but as a creative agency for people who wanted their events to be deeply personal, different, and unforgettable. And instead of just talking about it, I showed my work — I created Halima Island, a full-scale birthday production that was more than just a celebration; it was a world. It was my proof of concept, and it marked my beginning not just as a founder, but as a producer.
My journey hasn’t been linear at all, it’s been full of rediscovery. In just the past two years, I’ve realized I’m not just someone with good taste or creative ideas. I’m a creative, a producer, and someone whose brain sees possibilities that others miss. That’s how TPC was born ;out of the realization that my way of thinking wasn’t “extra,” it was purposeful.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Definitely not. I’ve dealt with self-doubt, imposter syndrome, and being underestimated especially before I even started TPC. Part of the reason it took me so long to even think I could start something like this was because I never saw myself as a producer or even as a creative. I wasn’t someone who was planning events on the side, so I didn’t think it made sense for me to go into this space. But I think that came from not really knowing myself. I didn’t know my talents, my capabilities, or even what I liked. Starting TPC was really a leap of faith. I was at a point where I felt like I had hit a low, and I just thought, what do I really have to lose? That’s how it started and honestly, it wasn’t until after I started that I began building real confidence in myself. I started learning what my skills actually were, seeing myself as a founder, and realizing that I’m not just an event planner, I’m a producer and a builder.
Even now, I still have moments of imposter syndrome. With the live show I’m producing this August, there are days I catch myself thinking, “Am I really doing this? Is this going to work?” But I also know that’s human. What’s been the hardest, honestly, is building something that doesn’t fit into a traditional lane. TPC is a production and ideation company but when you say that to people, they don’t always get it. When I tell people I’m a producer, the first thing they ask is if I do music. So much of the challenge has been trying to communicate something that isn’t common yet. For a long time, I was obsessed over trying to explain it. But eventually, I realized I had to stop telling people and start showing them. That shift changed everything for me.
Funding has also been a struggle. I’ve had to fund everything on my own. And being creative, especially a Black woman creative, it’s hard to be taken seriously, to access resources, and to get into the rooms you should be in. But I really believe I was chosen to create this path. And even though being the first to do something new comes with a lot of weight, I also see it as a responsibility — to lead, to inspire, and to make it possible for someone else coming after me.
Spiritually and emotionally, I think the biggest lesson has been learning to be comfortable in myself. When you’re grounded in who you are, no one can shake your vision; not the doubt, not the rejections, not the silence. And that’s what keeps me consistent. It’s not easy, but it’s worth it.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Thee Planning Concierge?
TPC is a full-scale production agency that also doubles as an event agency. On the event side, we offer ideation, which is still a rare service in the industry and honestly, that’s one of the main reasons TPC was founded. We help people conceptualize unique, personalized experiences that truly reflect who they are. We don’t just ask people what they want their event to look like — we ask how they want to feel, what they’ve never seen before, and how we can make it unforgettable. We also offer traditional event execution, so whether someone already has an idea or needs help from the ground up, we help bring it all together.
On the production side, we create immersive, high-concept experiences that go beyond what people typically expect from events. Every year, we plan to launch a signature annual production that showcases the creative and visionary side of TPC. This year marks our first one ; an original survival-style live show happening August 9 called The Hustle, which I’m producing right here in Houston. It’s the clearest reflection of what TPC is about: immersive storytelling, bold creativity, and experiences that feel out of this world. We also offer travel services : from curating itineraries to concierge-level planning. That’s why we’re called The Planning Concierge. We cover everything under planning: concept, execution, production, and even destination.
What I’m most known for is ideation. People come to me for crazy ideas; ideas that feel too ambitious or too big until they see them executed. I’m also starting to be known for production, especially after our Love Island inspired birthday rollout last year and now with The Hustle this year. But I think above all, people know me for being bold and original. I don’t follow trends; I build from scratch.
I’m most proud of what we’re building right now with The Hustle. It’s the biggest project I’ve done so far, and it’s the one where I feel I’m truly making my mark as a producer. It’s not just a live event ,it’s a launch. It’s a statement.
What sets me apart is the level of detail, care, and world-building I bring into every experience. I’m not just planning, I’m producing. I’m laying the foundation to eventually become a globally known creative force for immersive, visionary productions. I want people to hear The Planning Concierge and immediately think: something different is coming. Something they’ve never seen before. I’m not trying to sit at the table — I’m building one people didn’t even know existed.
What matters most to you? Why?
What matters most to me is living in my full power and helping others feel what that looks like. For so long, I walked around not knowing who I was, not realizing the creative force I had in me. I didn’t see myself as a producer, a creator, or even someone with visionary ideas. I didn’t nurture those parts of me because I didn’t understand them. Now that I do, what drives me more than anything is knowing I’ve only scratched the surface of what I’m capable of and knowing how different I am in the best way. That difference, the way I think and the way I see the world, is exactly why I’ll succeed.
I care deeply about building something that hasn’t existed before. It’s hard, and it’s not always understood, but there’s a deep joy in creating something rare, something new, and something needed. That’s what TPC is. Even if people didn’t fully see the vision at first, they’re starting to and I know they’ll continue to. We’re not even a year in, and we’ve done so much. That keeps me going.
When it comes to giving people unique experiences, I think it’s personal. I get bored easily. I like to create things that are different, immersive, memorable and anything with my name on it has to reflect that. I care deeply about detail, quality, and intentionality. I don’t settle. Whether it’s a birthday experience or a full-scale production, I want it to feel elevated, meaningful, and full of care. I want people to feel the passion behind every moment.
The legacy I want to leave is that no matter how misunderstood or underestimated you are, no matter how crazy your idea sounds to everyone else, you can still build something unforgettable. I want to be remembered as the girl who had nothing handed to her, who people didn’t get at first, but who worked through the pain, through the doubt, and created something lasting. Someone who didn’t cheat the work, who kept going and became a household name because of it.
The values that ground me are quality, alignment, and consistency. Everything I do and everyone I work with is intentional. Nothing is random. I don’t move unless it feels aligned with where TPC is going. And even on the hard days, I still take a step forward. Progress every day, even if it’s small. That’s what builds something real. That’s what keeps me anchored, and that’s something my dad had always instilled in me since I was a child.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.theeplanningconcierge.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theeplanningconcierge/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1Awoed5L4Z/?mibextid=LQQJ4d
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/halimashittu/
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@theeplanningconcierge?si=VEktqhlPvHEo6tKV
