Today we’d like to introduce you to Lauren MacQueen.
Lauren, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I hate to say how many years I’ve been doing events in Houston because it makes me feel old (17!) I started my career as a Wedding & Event Planner with my own company, but I found my real passion was on the venue side. I worked in boutique hotels–The Sam Houston Hotel & The Magnolia, both Downtown, and while I still love both of these properties, my passion for both events & music led me to House of Blues for 6 years.
When the idea of White Oak Music Hall was still in its infancy and it was finally announced that it would be built, I remember thinking “There… that’s going to be my home.”
Our Owner Team (there are 4–Will Garwood, Jagi Katial, Johnny So, and Will Thomas) worked hard for YEARS to get this grand idea off the ground. When it finally came to fruition, and as the building was starting to go up, I reached out to the guys, and the rest is history. I joined the WOMH Family when we were very much still under construction, and 2 years later, I can’t imagine anywhere else being my work home. I’m also the current President of ILEA (International Live Events Association) Houston, so between WOMH, ILEA, my husband, Jamie (of 10 years this week!) and 2 pugs, I tend to keep busy!
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
In events, nothing is ever easy, we just make it look that way! As large as Houston is, it’s a city that’s dependent on its surroundings. When Oil & Gas is down, small businesses suffer, and hospitality & entertainment are 2 industries that take a hit.
We’re also a really resilient city & industry, so being creative gets us through tough times. Building a venue from the ground up isn’t as easy as it sounds (I know, it doesn’t sound easy.) There are so many moving parts, especially with us having so many spaces on property with both WOMH & Raven Tower, and it’s an ongoing battle, but our team keeps it flowing.
White Oak Music Hall – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
The idea behind White Oak Music Hall is really simple–bring the best artists in live music and entertainment, both locally and nationally. Our team works extraordinarily hard to source acts who are on their way up, along with the ones who have already made it big. Being able to see artists in such an intimate setting is something we’re really proud of.
For me, creating events that people completely don’t expect is something I’ve always loved to do, and WOMH and Raven Tower both give that to guests time and time again. You might be coming to a show on The Lawn with 3000 people, or you might be coming to an intimate wedding in The Raven Tower for 30 people, but the views are killer, and we’re here to make sure that everyone has a great experience.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
I think that success is about always giving your best, and continuing to learn, grow, and adapt. Things aren’t always going to go your way, no matter how much you plan or how much time you dedicate to something (especially in events), but as long as you’ve learned from your experiences along the way, and can take that into the next event or show, you’ll continue to be more successful.
Contact Info:
- Address: 2915 N. Main St. Houston, TX 77009
- Website: www.whiteoakmusichall.com
- Phone: 713-438-3775
- Email: lauren@whiteoakmusichal.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whiteoakmh/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WhiteOakMH/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/WhiteOakMH
- Other: https://www.theknot.com/marketplace/white-oak-music-hall-houston-tx-975319
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