We had the good fortune of connecting with Lisa Humphrey, Owner of Premier Concepts and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lisa, how did you come up with the idea for your business?
I took a slightly unconventional route when coming up with my business. It actually came very naturally, at first. As a teenager, it was the norm for me to plan parties for my friends and events such as Jr. High school dances, my Senior prom, field trips and took those skills into the Los Angeles Police Department where I started my law enforcement career at age 20. During my tenure at LAPD, in addition to my regular duties, I planned internal & outside divisions’ special events, holiday parties and was in charge of the divisions’ Birthday fund. Word of mouth grew throughout the departments that I planned parties so I started executing events for the Mayor’s office, sworn/civilian personnel, and celebrities! One day I realized I was no longer fulfilled there and I just quit. I decided to start a business and I had NO clue where to begin. So I pulled out all my Business books from college and pieced together ideas and came up with my business name while at a local bar – Premier Concepts. I wrote it on a napkin, decided I wanted to produce high-end celebrity events and the rest is history. Oh, I forgot to mention. When I quit on a whim, I had NO clients for 6 months and that’s when my FAITH kicked in.

My business has evolved over the past 20+ years from Event Director to Entertainment Publicist. I’ve been fortunate to produce TV & Film productions, Business Coaching and most recently I created a digital PR course to teach entrepreneurs in 7 steps how to build Publicity Success plus an e-book! Premier Concepts has had to pivot these last few years but we are still thriving!

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
As a boutique firm, we’ve been blessed to work with a diverse celebrity roster and high-profile non-profits. Our clients have been retained strictly by referrals and that’s one of the things that sets us apart from many. We’ve never advertised, made cold calls or aggressively approached potential clients. Premier Concepts has favor from GOD!

Business-wise we have grown as a company because of our integrity, work ethics, and confidentiality. We are efficient and definitely underpromise & overdeliver. This has not been so easy. There were lessons learned along the way that strengthen the team. The biggest lessons were staffing trustworthy personnel, managing budgets, knowing I cannot do it all, and client time management. Challenges were overcome by identifying them and becoming accountable. Ultimately, doing better on the next opportunity.

I am the first in my family to become an Entrepreneur. I’ve proudly owned Premier Concepts for over 20+ years. It’s Black & Women owned.

Premier Concepts (PC) is a full-service Southern California-based boutique firm specializing in Arts and Entertainment publicity for celebrities, athletes, special events, productions, lifestyle brands plus Event Management and Celebrity procurement. We offer Business Coaching for Women Entrepreneurs, PR Consulting and produce indie TV/Film productions. We also offer our clientele one-on-one attention and a tailored approach, designed to supersede expectations.
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Visit www.premierconceptspr.com to find out more about our services and how we can serve your needs!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Oh my, where do I begin. For Breakfast, we would hit up Dupar’s at the GROVE for their famous pancakes and walk it off with some shopping at the Farmer’s Market. Next, we would head to Santa Monica Pier, 3rd Street promenade, Lunch at BOA restaurant, and a little (window) shopping on Rodeo Dr. The night would probably end at La Lousianne’s for great Creole food and live entertainment.

Throughout the week, here are our next stops: PERCH, A Rooftop Bar, The Serving Spoon, California African American Museum, Roscoe’s Chicken & Waffles, Minature Golf, Eddie V’s Steakhouse, Long Beach Aquarium, a casino, Disneyland, 2-day trip to San Diego and Catalina Island. More drinks in Long Beach at Shoreline Village, Cigars at PIP’s, LA Lounge & Bo’s and a COSTCO pizza 🙂

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’d like to Shoutout my Parents. Although Entrepreneurship was unfamiliar to them, they always supported my business and efforts throughout the years. I also would like to Shoutout all my interns, staff, and volunteers who have worked tirelessly with Premier Concepts since 1997. Last but not least, all of our clients that repeatedly trust us with their campaigns, events and productions.

Website: www.premierconceptspr.com

Instagram: @premierconceptspr

Facebook: @PremierConcepts

Other: Instagram: @CoachLisaMonae (Certified Life/Business Coach)

Image Credits
Darren L. Hendon/LaJhon Photography Ramon C. Ward/Free Flight Photography Lisa Humphrey/Premier Concepts

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