Today we’d like to introduce you to Allison Lott.
Hi Allison, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My professional journey is fairly unique. I’ve been so blessed to have incredible experiences throughout my adult life and career that many cannot claim to have. It all started in college when I had to make a pivotal decision. I was studying at the University of Texas at Austin to be a stage performer. I studied opera, but my greatest love was musical theatre. I once had a voice teacher who said to me, “If you want to be on stage, then go. Now. Move to New York and start the life of a working artist.” But I had to admit to myself that I would never be a standout performer in musical theatre. It was a hard pill to swallow, but it led me to understand that there is still a way to participate in the thing I loved the most, and in a creative way, behind the scenes.
After school, in 2002, I entered the whirlwind world of performing arts as a marketer. Over the course of the first 15 years of my career, I promoted shows in every theater in downtown Houston. From the Alley Theatre, to the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts, to Jones Hall, to the Wortham Center, I marketed shows and the organizations that present them on those stages. On top of that, during my time at Broadway Across America, where I got my start, I was also able to oversee marketing for our shows in Nashville, Austin, and Omaha.
I left Broadway Across America after a restructure that left me the lone marketer in the office where we oversaw seven markets presenting touring Broadway. Sometimes having your dream job so early in your career can be a difficult thing when you have to let it go while you are still young. In 2009 I joined the Houston Symphony where I engaged more deeply in the nonprofit end of the performing arts. This was an eye-opener for me. Pivoting to wear a nonprofit hat was very new to me, as well as managing marketing for an organization that produced their own shows. Up until this point I’d worked only on touring shows. This new chapter was indeed pivotal for me in a lot of ways.
In 2012, I was given the opportunity to work with a presenting organization once again, and I jumped at it. It was there that the little bud of an idea started to form in my mind about starting not one business, but two.
My great friend and soon-to-be business partner, Kathryn Lott (no relation), and I began to dream a little bit. And then a lot. Our first dream was to start a nonprofit presenting organization that brought new performances and artists to Houston. The likes of which had not been seen on the Houston stage before. From that Lott Entertainment Presents was born.
Our mission was to find and present new theatrical productions in a small theater or cabaret setting. In our first seasons we presented off and off-off Broadway shows as well as presenting the Joe’s Pub Series in Houston. Joe’s Pub is a New York institution within the Public Theater, and we secured the first ever partnership to present their artists outside of the Joe’s Pub venue in New York. Our debut performance was with performer, and now movie star, Bridget Everett, which set the stage for the types of performances we would be bringing to Houston.
While operating Lott Entertainment Presents, we also were running the new event company, Lott Entertainment. Over the years, I had developed a deep love for the planning and logistical aspects of events both on and off stage. This service organization was made to step in for nonprofits and eventually corporate clients where they needed help with their fundraisers, public events, and private gatherings.
For several years, both organizations were operating simultaneously. In the end, both businesses needed full-time care, and after Hurricane Harvey flooded the theater where we were presenting our shows, we decided to focus on the event production company, Lott Entertainment.
Lott Entertainment persisted. After 10 years, a global pandemic that shut down all in person events, restructuring the organization to sole ownership, and many MANY twists and turns, I am still here. Lott Entertainment is still here. Every year of this business is different and terrifying and wonderful. I still consider everything I work on through the lens of “putting on a show,” which I believe sets Lott Entertainment apart from the rest. I live for a spectacle. I still thrive when I can put productions or people on stage. Paramount to this is turning the focus to the audience and their needs. What engages them? What brings them to your event and keeps them interested? How can we show them appreciation? How can we knock their socks off?!
In the midst of all of this, I also decided to go into business with my then fiance (now husband) to run his private optometry practice. This was another start-from-scratch moment where we built something out of nothing and five years later, we have carved out a place for ourselves in the outskirts of Houston where we take care of over 1000 patients each year and growing.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I’m not sure any road is smooth when it comes to running a small business. Each year creates its own unique challenges, and the biggest lesson I’ve learned is that you can’t count on anything. No contract is certain, no event is full proof, and the climate for contract event producers is volatile. With every client’s “changing of the guard” comes uncertainty about the longevity of the relationship.
Being a boutique firm, Lott Entertainment gives 100% to every client. We don’t bite off more than we can chew, which means we take on a handful of full service clients per year. But when the event is over, no matter the client’s enthusiasm for your work, in the end you are just a number to reconcile for the client’s organization. This business is filled with peaks and valleys.
I’ve been fortunate to maintain excellent relationships with every client, even after the budget no longer supports an outside event company.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Lott Entertainment?
Lott Entertainment was formed in 2015 to “fill the void between you and your next big idea.” Coming from a nonprofit arts background, we recognized that many organizations plan large scale events using existing staff, even if it is not part of their job description. As the years have progressed, we have determined that this also is true for many corporate partners. The Marketing or Development departments within these organizations are tasked with these events beyond their typical scope of work with their employers.
Lott Entertainment has worked with an incredible roster of clients both in the Houston area and internationally, as far away as Scandinavia. From intimate gatherings to large fundraisers, street festivals to conferences in various states in the US, we have worked on such unique projects over the last decade. And I am truly proud of each one.
Our focus is to partner with our client, turn up the wow factor, and produce events that are not only hitting the mark for the organization, but going above and beyond to create something memorable.
Lott Entertainment really works to achieve customizable project scopes for every client based on their event needs and budget. We “fit in” wherever there is a need, whether it be focusing specifically on one event element such as an auction, or producing the event in its entirety from concept to fruition.
One new service that we are excited about is hotel sourcing and contract negotiation for travel needs. This service works well for any company that has a group that is traveling and needs hotel accommodations-conferences, sports tournaments, staff retreats, artist touring, etc. The best part about this service is that its FREE to the client!
One thing that sets us apart is the level of service. Lott Entertainment only takes on a handful of clients each year in order to focus as much time as is needed on our clients’ events. We enjoy being part of the team and acting as a resource for this team. We tend to work with clients whose events are high-stakes within their organization to ensure the event shines with new light every time it happens.
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
I’d say quitting a solid full-time job and taking the leap into entrepreneurship was as big a risk as anyone can take. There is a lot I did not know when starting this venture, and even more I’m still learning 10 years later. When it comes to your livelihood, taking the entrepreneurial path is always a risk. We started with nothing. No funding, no staff other than the founders, no office space, and no idea what we were getting ourselves into…just an idea and our business relationships. But perseverance has rewarded Lott Entertainment, and it has also been one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had in my life.
Entrepreneurship has defined my life over the last years in a lot of ways. While managing my own small business, Lott Entertainment, I took another leap with my husband to start a private optometry practice on the outskirts of Houston, where I manage the business side of the practice. We make a great team, and he is an amazing business partner.
I believe working for yourself is a risk every day, and every day you have to wake up and be willing to wade into uncharted waters. But I love being able to cut my own path through my professional life.
Pricing:
- every bit of our pricing is customized to the client!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.lottentertainment.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lott_entertainment/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LottEntertainmentHouston/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allison-lott-csep-0831255/
- Other: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lott-entertainment/
Image Credits
Headshot: Jeff Gilmer Photography
John Reidy Photography
David Brown Photography
Synne Ekren, Kongsberg Digital
Hung L. Truong Photography LLC
Anthony Hooks, ABS Wavesight
Daniel Ortiz Photography
Dan Joyce, East end District
