Fresh Faces 2024: Cornelius Humphries

Cornelius Humphries is CEO, event stylist, and planner for The Shaunta Brand. He's based in Los Angeles. A quote from his nomination: "His approach to planning is different from a lot of others—it’s not by the book, and that’s what makes him unique."

How he spends his workdays: "I try to spend my workdays as stress free as I can possibly be. It’s difficult because I’m wearing so many hats. But typically, I like to spend the first couple of hours praying, eating breakfast, playing with my pups, and catching up on TV shows. I wake up super early so I’m able to cram it all in, but after the self-care, I call my team, and I let them excel in their gifts, and their gifts complement mine so well so it works."

Impact he hopes to have on the industry: "I’m not your typical event planner. At the core of it all, I am an artist. I don’t follow the rules! I love it when someone tells me, 'You can’t do that.' It drives me and really pushes me because I know at the end of the day, my team of five, six, seven people are going to show up and deliver and give you an experience you will never forget."

Career goals: "I definitely want to start producing 'The Shaunta Brand Presents' events. I’ve always done events for other people but never myself, so I would love to tap into that world. I have some day parties and other big things in the works. I want to build an empire. I want my own branded home goods. I want to open a school for other designers and planners who want to be in this industry but were never given the opportunity."

Advice for his peers: "Keep going and never stop. Don’t compete or compare yourself to the next event planner/stylist. There’s room for all of us at the table."

How he spends his free time: "I like to spend time with family and friends. I love movies and amusement parks. I’m a big kid at heart; it might be why I became an event planner/stylist—I’m able to bring my imagination to life! It’s one of the best feelings in the world."

Back to the full list