MARC Laird started to rent tents for events while he was in university six years ago.

But last year, when he realised that his business, Strictly Events, was facing a stagnant market, he sought innovative ways to generate additional revenue.

That’s why he now builds furniture with LED lighting in them, to add to the tents that he rents.

The bistro table, which he started out with, has multiple settings for colourful lighting, which can be fixed on set to alternate between several hues.

“It is very popular in Europe and the US, but not common here,” Laird told the Business Observer. “Instead of importing it, I did my research, figured out how to build a kit myself, got the LED lights, batteries, a welder to make the table, a dressmaker to stitch the fabric together, and assembled it myself.”

After several tests, he figured out the right materials to use to make the furniture he now rents.

That’s not to say that he doesn’t plan to manufacture them for sale to the hospitality industry at some point in the future, but for now he says he focusing on designing more LED furniture and getting more clients.

“I hope to use the furniture as a way to branch out,” said Laird. “In three years I want to grow into an event planning company.” He also plans to co-ordinate and source the various elements needed for putting on an event.

He says that tent rental presently accounts for about 60 per cent of the business. But with his educational degree in computer science, he still teaches part-time at King’s Gate Preparatory, a school run by his family.

It was actually the school’s tents, which were used for sports days, that got him his start in 2007.

His focus now is to make the business sustain him within a year.

He targets mostly corporate events, doing on average at least one trade show, expo, or product launch each month.

However, cash flow for the business can be challenging.

“Sometimes to get a contract to do something you have to get additional supplies and you have to pay vendors up front,” said Laird. “But at times you have to wait up to three months before the customer pays you.”

That’s why he only takes a small salary from the company, using most of the income it generates to grow the business and cover operating costs.

Apart from selling the furniture to hotels and night clubs, Laird also thinks there might be a huge opportunity in branding them for companies.