The Shift Conference is an annual leadership-centered event designed to challenge and inspire the next generation of leaders. Hosted by Dr. Sam Adeyemi, the conference provides actionable strategies to help individuals elevate their mindset, lead effectively, and create lasting impact—both personally and professionally.

At its core, The Shift Conference is about bridging the gap between generations. “The conference is really about bringing the youngest minds together with experienced leaders—all in one space,” David Ayodele, the Program Director shared. “The objective has always been to create a shift in leadership.”

On February 8th, 2025, over 2000 attendees in Lagos experienced this shift firsthand. But selling out a 2000-seat event is no small feat. Here’s how The Shift Conference pulled it off.

Running The Shift Conference in Nigeria vs. the U.S.

Before bringing The Shift Conference to Nigeria, the team had successfully hosted similar events in the United States, including in Maryland, Houston, Toronto, and other cities. However, the scale of the Lagos event was unlike anything they had done before. “In the U.S., we’re used to events with about 600 attendees, but in Nigeria, the event was much bigger. It was a completely different ballgame.” 

Planning the conference was a race against time. “We had only a few weeks to plan. We started rolling out in mid-December, leading up to the end of February. It was intense, but we had an amazing team on the ground making it work.”

Adapting The Shift Conference to a Nigerian audience 

One of the biggest surprises for The Shift Conference planning team was the cultural differences in how people approach events. “You’d think it would just be a matter of taking what works in the U.S. and scaling it up, but Nigerians have a completely different way of doing things,” Ayodele says.

For instance, payment habits are different. “In the U.S., most people pay with credit cards—Visa, MasterCard, Discovery. It’s all about ease. But in Nigeria, it’s about swiftness. People prefer bank transfers, and no one waits around for a complicated payment process.”

Last-minute purchases were another challenge. “In the West, people plan their purchases ahead of time, and payments are debited automatically. But in Nigeria, we saw a huge spike in ticket sales just three days before the event. People were calling our team members, messaging through church platforms, saying, ‘I know Dr. Sam is doing something—I need a ticket.’ We had no choice but to adapt.”

A key driver of its success was Dr. Sam Adeyemi’s 6-step SHIFTS framework, which was introduced through his book at the same time as event promotions. “The book was instrumental; it resonated with attendees and built momentum for the conference.”

How Selar was instrumental to The Shift Conference’s success 

Given the challenges, having the right ticketing system in place was important. “I have to give kudos to Selar. Managing ticket purchases was a huge part of the conference’s success, and Selar was the best platform for it.”

One of the biggest advantages was the tiered ticketing system. “Unlike our U.S. events, where we had a two ticket types, in Lagos, we introduced Founders, VIP, General Admission, and Standard tickets. This pricing strategy made the event accessible to different audience segments.”

Customer support was another game-changer. “The first time I had an issue and reached out, I was really impressed with how fast and helpful the Selar support team was. We would have Selar representatives walk us through issues and stay on standby to make sure nothing went wrong. The chat button on the website is super effective.”

READ: How To Sell Out An Event

Challenges faced on the D-day 

As with any large-scale event, things didn’t always go as planned. We asked David how he and his team dealt with this. “We faced a lot of challenges, especially on the day of the event. From lighting issues to vendors not pulling through at the last minute; it was stressful. But none of it was unmanageable. The key was having a solid team on the ground to handle anything that came up.”

Advice for large-scale event planners

“Be clear on your event’s goal and scope. If you’re planning for an event with 50 people, draft a document outlining exactly what needs to happen to engage those attendees during and after the event.”

One of the biggest advantages of The Shift Conference was the team behind it. “We were lucky to have an incredible team, both individually and collectively. Finding the right people is tough, but it’s worth the effort.”

Marketing and pricing also play a huge role in event success. “How you price your event determines how well it does, especially if it’s open to people across different industries, classes, and backgrounds. That’s why we used tiered pricing. This ensured accessibility without compromising value.”

Additionally, targeting the right audience is key. “Don’t just price your event well; make sure you’re marketing it to people who can afford to attend. Deeply understanding your audience will help with both pricing and promotion.”

Lastly, research is essential. “Talk to as many people as possible. Learn from those who have done similar events before and understand your audience inside out. The more information you have, the better your chances of pulling off a successful event.”

Bringing The Shift Conference to Lagos was an ambitious challenge, but it became a huge success with the right strategy, team, and tools like Selar. Whether you’re planning a conference, workshop, or seminar, Selar makes ticketing and sales seamless so you can focus on creating unforgettable experiences.

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Why Selar Tickets Should Power Your Next Event

The Shift Conference’s success wasn’t just about great planning. It was about having the right tools in place, and Tickets by Selar played a key role. If you’re an event organizer, hosting a 50-person workshop or a 2000+ attendee conference, Selar makes ticketing effortless, scalable, and perfect for your audience.

With tiered ticketing, you can create multiple price points for different attendee segments, just like The Shift Conference did with Founders, VIP, and General Admission. Plus, Selar’s seamless payment options cater to both local and international buyers, supporting everything from bank transfers to card payments, so no one gets left out.

And now, with our brand-new Tickets app, ticket management is smoother than ever. Track sales in real-time, send automated confirmations, and handle customer inquiries—all from your phone. No more scrambling to manage last-minute purchases or long email chains.

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