Episode 102: Lillian Rafson

Episode 102: Lillian Rafson

Author: Mike Schibel, Travel With Meaning March 8, 2023 Duration: 44:03

In the latest episode of the Travel With Meaning podcast, host Mike Schibel speaks with Lillian Rafson, the CEO and founder of Pack Up + Go. Originally from Pittsburgh, Lillian shares how her passion for travel after a carefree Summer backpacking around a region she knew nothing about led her to start her own company that plans surprise trips for its customers. 

Pack Up + Go, encourages spontaneity, exploration, and adventure among American travelers. She launched the bootstrapped business at 23 years old and has grown it to 25+ team members and $7 million+ in annual revenue. Lillian has been honored as a member of the Pittsburgh 30 Under 30 and 40 Under 40, a Tory Burch Foundation Fellow, a Travel & Leisure A-List Travel Planner, and a Top Woman in Hospitality. Outside of Pack Up + Go, Lillian is a business coach, focusing on helping entrepreneurs launch and grow their businesses!

 

Show Notes:

15:22 This could be one of the most ambitious ideas for a passionate traveler about starting a new job. 

26:24: Where did the idea for surprise travel come from? Where was Lillian and who were where the other travelers that got Lillian thinking about the idea?

30:57: Who was the first guests to try Pack Up + Go and how did the brand go viral? 

 

As always thanks for listening.  If you like the episode, please leave a rating and share it with your friends. 

 

For more information on Pack Up+Go www.packupgo.com


Mike Schibel sits down with a fascinating array of guests on Travel With Meaning, but the destination is rarely the main point. Instead, this podcast explores the profound personal shifts that happen when we step outside our familiar surroundings. Each conversation delves into a specific journey-whether it’s a life-altering pilgrimage, a chaotic business trip that sparked a new idea, or a simple vacation that unexpectedly clarified a career path. You’ll hear from artists, athletes, entrepreneurs, and seasoned travel experts, but the focus remains on the transformative moment, the insight gained, or the connection made that reverberated long after the suitcase was put away. Schibel, founder of Travel With Meaning, guides these discussions with a genuine curiosity, allowing his guests to unpack not just their itineraries but the emotional and professional baggage they carried with them. The stories reveal how travel acts as a catalyst, reshaping identities, forging unexpected creative directions, and offering a new lens on one’s place in the world. Listening feels like being part of an intimate, thoughtful dialogue where the map of a life is redrawn by the roads taken. This isn't about recommendations or tips; it's about the lasting imprint of a place on a person. The podcast consistently uncovers how the world, in all its diverse complexity, has a way of teaching us exactly what we need to learn, often when we least expect it.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Travel With Meaning
Podcast Episodes
Ep 61: Jeannette Ceja [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:04
Jeannette Ceja is an award-winning bilingual travel journalist, television host, travel advisor, and global public speaker. Over the past ten years, she has interviewed countless celebrities, politicians, athletes, and t…
Ep 60: Checking In [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:28
A special solo episode, quickly checking in with all of you, dear listeners, after this crazy year we've had. As we can now see the light at the end of the tunnel of the pandemic, I reflect on what the meaning of travel…
Ep 59: Konrad Waliszewski [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:56
Konrad Waliszewski is the CEO & Co-Founder of Tripscout, a venture-backed travel company that has built one of the most popular travel entertainment and trip planning apps. He has visited approximately 100 countries and…
Ep 58: Khalil Kinsey [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:31
Khalil Kinsey showed an affinity for the arts and culture from a very young age. Having been exposed to the world early on through travel with his parents, he developed a deep appreciation for the similarities that bond…
Ep 57: Phil Rosenthal [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:01
Phil Rosenthal is the creator and host of "Somebody Feed Phil," an unscripted documentary series on Netflix, which combines his love of food and travel with his unique brand of humor. Rosenthal was born in Queens, New Yo…
Ep 56: Mark Tsigounis [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:00
Mark Tsigounis was born and raised in New Jersey. There he fell in love with the Kittatinny Mountains and the famous barrier islands that litter the coastline. This passion served as kindling which fuels his service of t…
Ep 55: Matt Wilson [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:58
Matt Wilson is Co-founder and CEO of the travel company for people ages 21-35 Under30Experiences, and author of "The Millennial Travel Guidebook". Under30Experiences has been named number 801 on the Inc. 5000 Fastest-Gro…
Ep 54: Carolyn Scott-Hamilton [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:00
The Healthy Voyager, aka Carolyn Scott-Hamilton, is the creator and host of The Healthy Voyager web series, site, and overall brand. An award-winning healthy, special diet and green living and travel expert, holistic nut…
Ep 53: Todd Glaser [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:07
Todd Glaser is a San Diego-born photographer, surfer, and waterman. A SURFER Staff Photographer for over a decade, Glaser is prolific for his young age, earning more than a dozen covers during his tenure at the magazine.…
Ep 52: Ravi Patel [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:26
On the acting front, Ravi's next appearance is in Gal Gadot and Chris Pine's WONDER WOMAN 1984. Ravi is also co-creator and co-lead in Netflix's upcoming half-hour comedy series MESSY, which follows an Indian woman pursu…