Lillian Rafson

As the founder and CEO of Pack Up + Go — a surprise travel company she launched at 23 and grew to serve over 45,000 travelers across 300+ U.S. destinations — Lillian brings real-world business experience into every lesson. Her approach to teaching is grounded in the belief that entrepreneurship is best learned by doing, and that the path from idea to profitable business is one she can walk with her students step by step. Lillian earned her bachelor’s degree in consumer culture from New York University before building Pack Up + Go from the ground up as a bootstrapped company, without outside funding or a playbook to follow. That experience — navigating uncertainty, making resourceful decisions, learning what works and what doesn’t — is central to what she teaches. The company has grown into a nationally recognized brand that partners with thousands of small and minority-owned businesses across the country, spreading the economic benefits of tourism while encouraging spontaneity and exploration among travelers. Her work has earned recognition from Ernst & Young, the Tory Burch Foundation, and Travel + Leisure, which named her an A-List travel planner. She has been honored as a member of Pittsburgh’s 30 Under 30 and 40 Under 40 and recognized as a top woman in hospitality. Beyond Pack Up + Go, Lillian has helped hundreds of aspiring entrepreneurs launch and grow small businesses through her course, Concept to Launch. The course guides students through the full arc of starting a business — from early ideation through to building something profitable and sustainable. It’s a hands-on, practical approach that reflects Lillian’s own journey and her conviction that entrepreneurship isn’t reserved for people with MBAs or venture capital connections. At Cicero, Lillian teaches business, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy to students who are curious about how businesses actually work — and perhaps ready to start something of their own.