Road Concierge: Entrepreneur Lisa Morris Shares Her Journey in Broadway, Film, TV, and Philanthropy
“I started out as a musical theater actress. I did the Broadway Touring and European Touring companies of a wide variety of musicals, including: Les Miserables, Cats, Evita, Beauty and the Beast, and more. While on tour, I thought our travel was handled poorly. I decided to start a company to help other touring artists. I thought it would just be a "side hustle", but I realized quickly I had tapped into a niche market.” Today’s woman dreamer, Lisa Morris, is the Founder and President of Road Concierge, an entertainment travel company specializing in broadway, film, tv, and corporate travel. Initially starting her career as a musical theatre actress, Lisa wanted to help other artists and pursue entrepreneurship. She is also an Entrepreneur In Residence for the NYSERDA/Columbia Technology Ventures program. In her Women Who Win interview for our “Women in Philanthropy” series with Akshaya Patra USA, Lisa shares her passion for leading with impact, and how she aspires to help people in need.
1. Tell us your story. You are an impact investor, philanthropist, and entrepreneur - certainly a multi-faceted woman. Tell us about how your journey and what does a day in the life look like for you?
After I founded, scaled, and sold my company in 2012, I started doing a lot of philanthropic work as well as Impact Investing and Theater Investing. I specifically focused investments on social impact (education, theater, cannabis, health/wellness) and began meeting and co-investing alongside family offices. I also have a preference for funding female or diverse founders. On the Philanthropy side, I started out just writing checks to wonderful organizations, but later started consulting for several, and now I also sit on the Boards of a few, including most recently, Vital Options International. My dog is also a "pawtron" of the Arts, we support theater and theater education.
My days are VERY busy. I still run my travel business, I am the Director of Philanthropic Services for FORCE Family Office network, I am an active investor and advisor in several startups, and I am Managing Director for AKS Family Partners LP (SFO) and VP of AKS Family Foundation. Basically....I never sleep!
2. You are the Founder and President of Road Concierge, an entertainment travel company specializing in broadway, film, tv, and corporate travel. This is such an interesting space. How did you identify the opportunity to build a Road Concierge?
I started out as a musical theater actress. I did the Broadway Touring and European Touring companies of a wide variety of musicals, including: Les Miserables, Cats, Evita, Beauty and the Beast, and more. While on tour, I thought our travel was handled poorly. I decided to start a company to help other touring artists. I thought it would just be a "side hustle", but I realized quickly I had tapped into a niche market. So I stopped acting, and started booking the travel for several Broadway shows. Through a random stroke of luck, one of the managers I had worked with on a Broadway production was working on a summer concert series out in the Hamptons, and hired me to help with the travel logistics. The first Artist I helped with was Prince! He had just fired his travel agent, and he loved me, so he hired me. Working for Prince opened up the doors to the music industry, and then film/tv quickly followed. Now, we have also added booking standup comics to our roster, which I personally love, as I'm a true fan of several of my current clients! I sold the company, so I no longer own it, but I still run my division.
3. You are also an Entrepreneur In Residence for the NYSERDA/Columbia Technology Ventures program, working with businesses addressing climate change. Tell us more about your role here and what inspired you to get involved?
I love this one. As a former actress, one of my top talents is public speaking and presentations. My work at NYSERDA is as a pitch coach. I help entrepreneurs improve their communication skills and get better at "pitching" for either investment or sales pitches. I wanted to get involved so that I could help brilliant founders find the funding and confidence they need to succeed.
4. Akshaya Patra USA has been actively building a young professionals community and educating our community on the importance of giving back and philanthropy. Tell us more about why Akshaya Patra's mission resonates with you and why you participate in philanthropy causes?
My life has basically revolved around one mantra- a quote by Winston Churchill (who I named my beloved dog and "pawlanthropist" Winston Jones after! It says, "We make a living by what we Get, we make a life by what we Give". I strongly believe this.
I am specifically drawn to charities who help those who cannot help themselves - this includes children, animals, and the sick.
I love the work of Akshaya Patra, because I think the best charities are those that can do the most good with the resources they have. They are able to feed a large number of children efficiently for a very low cost, and they make a massive difference in so many lives. When you give a child the nutrition they need, you are not just feeding their bodies. You are fueling their spirit, and making sure they have what they need to be able to continue getting an education and having the foundation they need to succeed.
5. Do you have a favorite travel destination? And what is your favorite NYC Show/Broadway show?
My favorite city in the world is Amsterdam, or as I call it, "the Land of Freedom and Cheese". I hope to live there someday.
My favorite Broadway show that I performed in was "Les Miserables". My favorite show that is currently running on Broadway is "Book of Mormon".
Thank you Lisa for sharing your story with us! We are excited to have you in our global women’s network!
Bio: Lisa began her professional career in theater at age 5 and has worked in numerous positions within the entertainment industry including: performer, talent agent, casting director, investor, teacher, and development associate. After personally touring for 14 years, Lisa realized there was a better way to handle travel and improve life for those out on the road. She actually "gets it" for what is needed out there. She combined her knowledge of travel and her show business expertise to create Road Concierge Inc. Having worked in nearly every facet of the entertainment industry, Lisa has developed a network of invaluable relationships. Her established industry connections, exceptional work ethic, and keen business acumen have resulted in substantial savings for clients, and a higher quality of life for all the road warriors out there.