The Business of Surprise with Lillian Rafson

The Business of Surprise with Lillian Rafson

June 16, 2026 · 35 min · Episode 69

About this episode

Lillian Rafson discusses her journey of launching a surprise travel company and the challenges of entrepreneurship.

What happens when you quit your job, give up your apartment, and follow a spark of inspiration halfway around the world? In this episode of Serious Lady Business, Leslie Youngblood sits down with Lillian Rafson, Founder and CEO of Pack Up + Go, the surprise travel company she launched at just 23 years old after a chance conversation in a hostel in Latvia. What started as a lightbulb moment became a mission-driven business that has helped thousands of travelers discover overlooked destinations while supporting local communities and small businesses across the United States. Lillian shares the realities of building a company without outside funding, navigating rapid growth and post-pandemic challenges, learning to separate her identity from her business, and why entrepreneurship is often less about having all the answers and more about being willing to start before you feel ready. About Our Guest Lillian Rafson, Founder and CEO of Pack Up + Go Pack Up + Go Website Lillian's Coaching Website Connect with Lillian on LinkedIn Follow Pack Up + Go on LinkedIn , Facebook , Instagram , and TikTok Key Takeaways Your Next Big Idea Can Come From Anywhere Bootstrapping Creates Different…

People in this episode

Host: Leslie Youngblood

Guest: Lillian Rafson

Topics covered

Keywords

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Pack Up + Go

Places: Latvia, United States

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