Today we’d like to introduce you to Sultan Zeshan.
Zeshan, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
The journey from how I started and have been continuing to grow is a complex one. My parents, particularly my mom, wanted to be doctors. My mom got into Medical school in India but her father did not let her go. My dad studied to be a sea pilot/captain in Karachi Pakistan but also wanted to pursue a higher degree but was not able too due to lack of finances. My sisters are physicians. I, too, went to medical school but decided to leave it. It was never something I wanted to pursue. Since I was young, it was decided for me that I would also become a physician and attend medical school in Pakistan. After graduating from high school, I was sent to Karachi to medical school to become a physician.
During my time there, I studied did decently well, average, but I was very social and did work in event management and entertainment. I did my best job in the behavior and mental health wards and cases. I didn’t know what emotional intelligence was back then but I realize that is what I owe too for my success in the behavior and mental health cases. In Karachi, I stared in a commercial campaign for Telenor Nokia called DJUICE GURU. I do love to dance, and I was on billboards all over the country. My friend’s circle outside of medical school was in entertainment. Sheheryar and Danish Ali… Working with Yellow Butterfly Events, we hosted Dj’s Tamer Fouda, Faisal Baig, Bryan Adams concert, and other major events. I decided to leave medicine and pursue something else after receiving my bachelor’s in basic medical sciences.
I attended the beautiful campus of Louisiana State University in my birthplace and hometown of Baton Rouge and pursued a degree in arts. And oh how it helped me out in the real world today. I started an events venue with the building that my family owns and called it Atlanta Banquets, where we host weddings and special events. We have hosted over a hundred events in the first year and a half. I am honored and privileged that people choose me and my venue to celebrate such precious and special days. We have hosted weddings and events from so many different cultures, Korean, Indian, Nigerian, Cameroon, Russian, Romanian, Turkish, Greek, Cambodian, to name a few. We are now expanding to another location in Buckhead and calling it La Pavone Maison, meaning the peacock house. We have a reality show in development with some other business owners. It is called Sultans of the south.
I am currently working with Tamra Simmons (Producer) and my fellow castmates to redo and reshoot. We have been getting good feedback from the networks so we are definitely going to continue pursuing it.
Hopefully, it works out but I plan on also pursuing my MBA as well.
Has it been a smooth road?
No, it has not been a smooth road. From my side, all things are okay, but my parents are not okay. They are, till this day, disheartened and disappointed that I could not live their dream. But that is the problem, medicine is their dream and cultural pressure is also a challenge and doesn’t help. My parents put a weight on my confidence and self-esteem. Trying to please them and bring honor to them is very central to middle eastern and south Asian households. They are part of Confucius’s philosophy. I also struggle with ADHD and learning disabilities, which I did not discover until I was tested at LSU. I am very grateful for LSU for how much they helped support me. My professors, till this day, have my back.
Please tell us about Atlanta Banquets and La Pavone Maison.
About Atlanta Banquets & La Pavone Maison. Atlanta Banquets: Gwinnett County: We have created the perfect backdrop with our venue for you in our exquisite crystal ballroom. We opened in January 2019 and have successfully hosted over a hundred events.
A blank canvas for you to create your dream vision to celebrate with your guests in style. Located in Gwinnett County we host a wide variety of events, especially Weddings, both ceremony and reception, Anniversaries, Quincenera, Birthdays, graduation parties and religious events.
Our experienced event coordinators will assist in planning the details of your special event. We permit outside vendors and caterers at our venue to allow you the freedom to choose how you and your guests experience your event. Unlike other venues in the Atlanta area, we have the ability to customize every detail to meet the specific needs for any special event. Our service team will pamper your guests with the 5-star experience you would expect from the best venues in the world. With our tailored all-inclusive pricing, there are no surprises and no add-on fees. You know the costs of your venue when you book your event.
Located on Peachtree Industrial Boulevard in Suwanee and not far from I-85, our venue is accessible from Atlanta, Duluth, Lawrenceville, Buckhead, Sandy Springs, Dunwoody, Roswell, and Alpharetta.
Atlanta Banquets: Suwanee
Maximum Number of Guests: Reception – 400, Banquet – 400, 1 Ballroom, Ballroom sq ft – 7,000, Dance Floor – 10 by 10, Outside catering and beverages allowed, Parking – over 100 spaces – valet optional.
Our beautiful venue provides you and your guests with 7,000 sq. Ft. of opulence, luxury and elegance. Designed with the client in mind, we created the venue with you in mind. A customizable canvas is allowing you or your decor team to create whatever you envision for your event. Draped under thousands of Swarovski crystal chandeliers and leveled with high gloss Japanese bamboo flooring, which makes for an unforgettable experience that anyone in attendance will delight in. Whether you need our space for an upscale meeting space, a corporate event, a birthday party, or a wedding reception, we are open to hosting a wide variety of events. Come stop by for a quick tour or give us a call, we would love to assist you for your next event. La Pavone Maison Buckhead by Atlanta Banquets: Our current venue in progress.
What I do is I set up the venue, the business model and then I also run it as the C.E.O and C.O.O. I am pretty much behind everything from bookings, to tastings, to marketing… all of the above. I do have an amazingly talented team with very loyal clients who help spread the word and me. I am most proud that so many people from so many different cultures decide to choose me and my venue to host their memorable special day. All people are special in their own way and I love that I have something that gives people that it reminds them of how special they are on their birthday on their anniversary on their wedding on their baby shower. What sets us apart is that we provide and help provide a full functioning event for our clients. We are not after the money we are about creating that wonderful experience for that person who decided to choose us and honored us by using our event venue. We cater to the experience, not the sale or the booking. Also, what sets us apart is that we don’t have many restrictions and rules. We do have the basic ones but for example, people from Latin American and African cultures like to celebrate and party late sometimes till 3 or 4 am. We allow that at our venue. We don’t force our clients to do drink minimums. We don’t force them to use our preferred caterers.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
I see the weddings and special event industry as growing and rising over the next 5-10 years. It does not show any signs slowing down or becoming obsolete. More and more people are celebrating events outside of their homes. I do believe that people will start virtually attending events in some form or fashion. Corporations and other businesses see the power of events, employee relations and building events. The coming together of people in the celebration will never stop.
Pricing:
- Atlanta Banquets all inclusive packages for special events and weddings for 150 guests starts at $15,000 for 8 – 10 hours.
- La Pavone Maison Buckhead: all inclusive packages for special events and weddings for 150 guests starts at $20,000 for 8 – 10 hours.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.atlantabanquets.com
https://www.eventective.com/suwanee-ga/atlanta-banquets-687759.html
- Phone: 2253236066
- Email: info@atlantabanquets.com & lapavonemaison@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/atlantabanquets/?hl=enhttps://www.instagram.com/lapavonemaison/?hl=en,
https://www.instagram.com/zeshan_fa/?hl=en - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/atlantabanquet/
- Twitter: https://g.page/atlantabanquets?gm
- Yelp: https://www.weddingwire.com/biz/atlanta-banquets-suwanee/d0ea9209eedc3399.html
- Other: https://g.page/atlantabanquets?gm
Image Credit:
Photos taken by:
Todd Ashford, David Adler-Diaz, and Tony Ellis
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