Today we’d like to introduce you to Adaobi Kanu.
Adaobi, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
It would be my pleasure—thanks so much for having me! I’m Adaobi, the founder of Events in a Crunch, an Austin-based event planning company that’s all about creating meaningful, fun-filled celebrations for people who don’t have the luxury of time.
I’ve always been drawn to performance, creativity, and bringing people together. I actually started my career as a dancer, putting on shows up and down the East Coast, which taught me a lot about storytelling and the magic of live moments. From there, I moved into the nonprofit and e-commerce startup world, where I kept finding ways to infuse my love for events and community-building into everything I did.
The real turning point came when I met my now-husband. We got engaged and knew right away that we didn’t want to wait a year to get married. We had six months, and we were excited. But when we reached out to wedding planners, most of them looked… panicked. No one seemed ready to take on the challenge. That’s when the lightbulb went off.
I never set out to plan my own wedding, but with my background in fast-paced events, I realized I could. And more importantly, I realized there were probably so many other people in the same position: excited to celebrate, but short on time, and needing someone who could step in and lead with confidence.
Today, we work with amazing clients who trust us to turn “crunch time” into celebration time—and I’m so proud of the team we’ve built and the stories we help bring to life.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Definitely not. One of our biggest challenges in the early days was figuring out how to talk about budgets in a way that felt empowering instead of limiting. In the events world, “budget” is often misunderstood as “cheap,” but that’s never been our mindset. Every event has a budget, and we believe it should be managed with strategy, creativity, and care.
What sets us apart is our ability to support events at every price point while staying laser-focused on how every dollar is spent. We’ve invested heavily in building streamlined tools and systems that allow us to bring a high level of professionalism and speed to everything we do. As a result, we help clients get the most out of their budget, often in ways they didn’t know were possible. But to do that well, we need to work with clients who are ready to release control and let us lead the planning process. Early on, it took time to find those people; clients who not only needed help but were ready to trust us fully.
Once we identified our sweet spot—clients in a time crunch who value a strong, budget-savvy partner—we leaned all the way in. Today, our ability to manage both money and time is one of the top reasons people come to us. We’ve reframed “budget planning” as a superpower, not a compromise.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Events in a Crunch?
Events in a Crunch is an Austin based event planning company serving all of Texas and beyond. We specialize in creating unique and memorable celebrations—no matter the timeline. Whether it’s a wedding, company event, graduation senior day, or just a much-needed reason to gather, we help clients plan meaningful events even when time is short and details feel overwhelming.
We’re best known for stepping in when others won’t or can’t. Many of our clients come to us with just a few weeks or months before their big day, and they need someone to take the lead. We’ve built a reputation for being calm, clear-headed, and solutions-focused even in the crunchiest of crunch times. If you’re feeling overwhelmed or behind, we’re the team you call.
More than anything, we’re proud to be a brand people trust to lead with both creativity and clarity. We don’t just plan events. We create space for joy, personality, and ease when our clients need it most.
Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
One of the qualities that’s been most important to my success is my deep-rooted commitment to service. My background as a community artist helped me learn how to listen, understand people’s stories, and find creative ways to bring those stories to life—skills that now directly translate into the way we plan events. I don’t just see our work as logistics. I see it as a chance to help people feel seen and celebrated.
I’ve also been lucky to work across a wide range of event types and industries, from nonprofit galas to startup launches to weddings and baby showers. That versatility helps me adapt quickly and stay calm under pressure, which is essential when planning on a tight timeline.
And finally, my experience building and leading customer success and sales teams gave me the tools to create seamless, thoughtful experiences for our clients. I’m constantly thinking about how to make things easier, clearer, and more enjoyable for the people we serve. That blend of creativity, hustle, and operational thinking is what’s helped Events in a Crunch become a trusted partner for celebrations of all kinds.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.eventsinacrunch.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eventsinacrunch
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eventsinacrunch
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/events-in-a-crunch
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@eventsinacrunch
Image Credits
Listed in image order
1. Katy Rox Photography
2. Indy Pop Photo
3. Kindred Weddings
4. Kindred Weddings
5. By Rebecca
6. Brio Photography
7. Indy Pop Photo
8. Manuel Ayala Photography
