Daily Inspiration: Meet Alicia Houston

Today we’d like to introduce you to Alicia Houston.

Hi Alicia, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I’ve always been drawn to creating experiences that bring people together, especially in ways that celebrate culture and community. Early in my career, I realized that most events were transactional—they provided a service or entertainment, but rarely left a lasting impact. I wanted to change that. That’s why I started So Fly Management in 2013, my own experiential events company, with a focus on designing events that are immersive, memorable, and culturally meaningful.

Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of producing large-scale events both in the U.S. and internationally. One of my proudest projects is the Laugh Out Loud (LOL) Comedy Experience, a multi-day comedy festival in Cancun, Mexico. It was named one of the “Top 5 Festivals” in Cancun by the Cancun Sun. I am currently producing The Ultimate Group Chat, a luxury travel experience in Jamaica that brings together members of the Divine Nine that combines entertainment, curated experiences, connection and an opportunity to help rebuild after Hurricane Melissa through various service projects. These events have taught me that the magic truly is in the details—from anticipating guest needs to building experiences that feel personal and intentional.

Along the way, I realized that my passion for creating transformative experiences extended far beyond producing events. That’s what inspired me to launch Experiential Consulting — a company where I help build brands and serve as a fractional Chief Experience Officer for startups and small businesses that want to deliver exceptional experiences to their clients and prospects.

Whether I’m refining a brand’s identity, shaping their customer journey, or designing touchpoints that spark engagement, I love helping businesses think bigger and operate more intentionally. Supporting founders in elevating how they show up in the world has become one of the most fulfilling extensions of my work.

Today, my focus continues to be on creating unforgettable experiences that celebrate culture, connection, and community, while also expanding opportunities for collaboration and mentorship in the events world. Through my travel agency, So Fly Travels, I specialize in solo travel, group experiences and destination weddings. Every project and client I take on is guided by the principle that experiences have the power to transform moments into memories—and communities into movements.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Today, my focus continues to be on creating unforgettable experiences that celebrate culture, connection, and community, while also expanding opportunities for collaboration and mentorship in the events world. Through my travel agency, So Fly Travels, I specialize in solo travel, group experiences and destination weddings. Every project and client I take on is guided by the principle that experiences have the power to transform moments into memories—and communities into movements.

Absolutely not—a smooth road would almost feel suspicious in this industry. My career has been incredibly rewarding, but it hasn’t been without challenges. Early on, I had to learn how to build credibility while still gaining experience. I didn’t always have the biggest budgets, the biggest teams, or the biggest brand names behind me, so I had to make resourcefulness my superpower.

One key struggle was managing growth—especially when I launched my own experiential company. I was learning how to be the visionary, the executor, the strategist, and sometimes even the entire operations team all at once. There were moments when I questioned whether I could scale while maintaining quality. But navigating that taught me how to build systems, delegate, and lead with intention.

Another challenge was overcoming setbacks that were out of my control—venue changes, shifting client expectations, last-minute talent pivots, the death of my mother, even major disruptions like hurricanes impacting marketing timelines. Those experiences taught me resilience, creative problem-solving under pressure, and the importance of clear communication with partners and clients.

Overall, the road hasn’t been smooth, but every challenge strengthened my ability to produce exceptional experiences, manage cross-functional teams, and show up as a strategic partner rather than just an executor. I wouldn’t trade any of those struggles because they built my adaptability and my confidence.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I design and produce experiences that move people—whether that’s for a global brand, a high-profile entertainment event, or a startup trying to make its mark. My work sits at the intersection of strategy, creativity, and operations. I specialize in experiential event production, brand experience development, and fractional Chief Experience Officer consulting for startups and small businesses that want to elevate how they show up for their clients and communities.

What I’m known for is my ability to bring clarity and structure to big, bold ideas. A lot of teams come to me when they have a vision but need someone who can not only elevate it creatively, but actually build the roadmap, the systems, and the team structure to bring it to life seamlessly. I’m also known for my calmness under pressure and my ability to manage complex logistics while keeping partners, vendors, and talent aligned.

I’m most proud of the communities and ecosystems I’ve helped build—whether that’s producing international destination experiences, shaping the experiential identity of emerging brands, or working with clients to create moments that feel thoughtful, intentional, and culturally resonant. I love when attendees walk away feeling like they were truly seen in the experience, not just invited to it.

What sets me apart is my dual lens: I’m both a strategic thinker and a hands-on executor. I can sit in a boardroom and build long-term experiential strategy, and I can also be onsite solving challenges in real time. That combination allows me to create experiences that are not just beautiful, but operationally sound, scalable, and tied to measurable outcomes.

On top of that, my consulting background allows me to think like a business owner—not just an event producer. I understand how experiences impact revenue, brand perception, client retention, and community loyalty. That’s why clients trust me not just to run an event, but to shape the overall experience strategy of their brand.

How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
People can work with me in a few different ways depending on what they need. On the experiential side, I partner with brands, agencies, and organizations to produce events from concept through execution—everything from large-scale conferences and destination experiences to intimate activations and VIP moments. I’m very hands-on, but also very strategic, so teams often bring me in when they need someone who can see the full picture and manage the details.

Through my experiential consulting work, I also support startups and small businesses as a fractional Chief Experience Officer. That means I help them build or refine their event strategy, design their brand experience, develop operational systems, or improve how they show up for clients and prospects. Some partners bring me in on a project basis, while others work with me ongoing as part of their leadership structure.

I also love collaborating with other creatives, producers, and agencies. Whether it’s co-producing an event, joining as a senior producer on a large production team, or helping elevate concepts during the ideation phase—I thrive in environments where collaboration creates something bigger than what any of us could do alone.

And for people who want to support my work, attending the events I produce, sharing my projects, recommending me for opportunities, or connecting me with brands looking to elevate their experiences all make a huge difference. My work is rooted in community, so every introduction, every share, and every person who shows up in the room helps me continue building experiences that feel meaningful and memorable.

Contact Info:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aliciahouston1/
• Other: Email: talent@soflymanagement.com

Image Credits
Photography Credits: Lsalm Photography (Montego Bay, Jamaica), Thaddeus McAdams (Cancun, Mexico), Smithalee (Greenville, SC) and Event Flyer: Ceasar Graphix