Today we’d like to introduce you to Porsha Pruitt.
Hi Porsha, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Travel has really always been in my DNA. Long before Xscape with P Travel LLC existed, I had an interest in the travel industry. Not long after high school, I attended System One Travel Academy in Houston, where I graduated and earned my certificate in travel. Although the school is no longer in operation, that experience gave me some of my earliest formal exposure to the travel industry.
Life took me in other professional directions for a while, but my love for travel never went anywhere. I continued traveling, and cruising especially became something I absolutely loved. So, when I decided to officially step back into the travel industry and start my own consistent business in February 2023 because I tried it several times before with other host agencies but it never really took off, cruises were naturally where I thought I would focus.
I love the entire cruise experience, the convenience, entertainment, different destinations, and the ability to unpack once and experience multiple places. I wanted other people to experience what I loved so much about cruising.
However, it didn’t take me long to realize that I didn’t want to limit myself to cruises. My clients wanted all kinds of experiences, and I discovered that I enjoyed creating those experiences just as much. I quickly pivoted from primarily focusing on cruises to becoming a full-service travel advisor, while also being very intentional about the areas of travel where I wanted to develop deeper expertise.
That led me to put a stronger focus on group travel, cruises, luxury experiences, destination celebrations, accessible travel, and faith-based travel. I also continued investing in my education and earned my Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC) and Verified Travel Advisor (VTA) designations, along with specialized training in several areas of the industry. For me, it was important to be more than someone who could simply make a reservation. I wanted the knowledge and experience to actually advise my clients.
Then my journey took an unexpected turn.
In 2025, I lost my full-time corporate position. Up until that point, Xscape with P Travel LLC had been something I was building alongside the security of a traditional career. Suddenly, I was thrust into a position where I had to look at my business differently. What had started as a part-time venture now required a full-time commitment.
It wasn’t necessarily the way I had planned to make that transition, but it forced me to bet on something I had already been building.
That season pushed me to become much more intentional about my business how I marketed myself, the clients I wanted to serve, the experiences I wanted to create, and what I wanted Xscape with P Travel LLC to become. I wasn’t simply booking vacations anymore; I was building a brand and a business.
Through that process, as my business grew, I realized that one of my favorite parts of what I do is creating the experience itself. I love taking someone’s idea and figuring out how to bring it to life. Group travel has especially become a big part of what I do because there are so many moving pieces, personalities, expectations, and details. Oddly enough, that’s where I thrive! Give me all the pieces, and I’ll figure out how to put the puzzle together.
That mindset has helped shape Xscape with P Travel, LLC and my brand as **The Bougie Travel Boss**. When I say “bougie,” I don’t necessarily mean spending the most money. To me, luxury is also about how you’re treated, having the details handled, experiencing those special touches, and being able to enjoy your vacation without feeling like you have to manage everything yourself.
Building the business has taught me that being a travel advisor involves much more than loving to travel. It’s customer service, sales, marketing, research, relationship building, problem-solving, continuing education, group management, and learning how to pivot when the unexpected happens because travel will definitely teach you how to pivot!
One thing that has remained consistent throughout my journey is how much I enjoy helping people experience something beyond their everyday lives. I jokingly say, “I make people go away,” but there is actually a lot of meaning behind it. Sometimes you need to go away to celebrate. Sometimes you need to reconnect with friends or family. Sometimes you need to experience a new culture, and sometimes you simply need to get away and enjoy life.
Today, my vision for Xscape with P Travel LLC is much bigger than what I imagined when I started. Cruises will always have a special place in my business because they brought me back to an industry that had actually been part of my story for years. Now, I’m creating group experiences, luxury getaways, destination trips, cruises, and other experiences that bring people together and create lasting memories.
When I look at my journey, it really feels full circle. I went to travel school not long after high school, life took me into the corporate world, I returned to travel by starting a part-time business, and then an unexpected career change pushed me to give that business my full-time attention.
I didn’t necessarily choose the timing of when my business became my full-time commitment, but I did choose what I was going to do with the opportunity. And I’m still building, growing, learning, and seeing just how far something that has always been in my DNA can go.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It definitely has not been a completely smooth road, but I don’t think entrepreneurship is supposed to be.
One of my biggest adjustments was going from building Xscape with P Travel LLC as a part-time venture to suddenly needing to treat it as a full-time business after losing my corporate position. There is a big difference between growing a business when you have the security of a full-time paycheck and looking at that same business and realizing, “Okay, now we really have to make this work.” That transition forced me to become more intentional, disciplined, and strategic.
Another challenge has been building a consistent client base. Travel is a very competitive industry. People can book directly with hotels, cruise lines, resorts, online travel agencies, or even piece together an entire vacation themselves. Part of my journey has been learning how to communicate why working with a travel advisor still has value. I’m not trying to compete with the internet on who can find the cheapest room. My value is in my knowledge, service, relationships, attention to detail, and the experience I create for my clients.
There is also a side of the travel business that people don’t always see. A beautiful vacation may be months or even years in the making. As a travel advisor, you can spend hours researching, preparing quotes, answering questions, managing payments, coordinating groups, making changes, and solving problems long before you ever receive a commission. Learning to manage the business financially while continuing to provide a high level of service has definitely been part of my growth.
Group travel has brought its own lessons. I absolutely love groups, but coordinating multiple people means managing different personalities, budgets, expectations, payment schedules, and sometimes last-minute changes. I’ve had experiences that taught me the importance of having clear policies, deadlines, communication, and boundaries. I naturally want to take care of people, but I’ve learned that being a great business owner also means protecting the business. You can be compassionate and still have policies.
And then there is the part nobody can control travel itself. Flights change. Weather happens. Suppliers make changes. People cancel. Life happens to clients between the day they book and the day they are supposed to travel. When someone trusts you with their vacation, they aren’t interested in hearing that something wasn’t technically your fault; they want to know what we’re going to do next. I’ve learned to focus less on the problem and more on finding the best solution available.
Probably one of my biggest personal lessons has been learning not to measure success only by what I see happening for someone else’s business. Social media can make entrepreneurship look like everybody is booked, busy, sold out, and making six figures before breakfast! The reality is that businesses grow at different speeds. I’ve had to learn to stay focused on building something sustainable instead of trying to make my journey look like someone else’s.
There have been disappointments, mistakes, unexpected changes, and moments when I’ve had to completely rethink the plan. But every challenge has taught me something about business, people, and myself.
I’m still growing. I’m still learning. And I think it’s important to say that because sometimes we only hear entrepreneurial stories once someone has “made it.” I’m proud of what I’ve built, but I’m also very much in the process of building it.
The road hasn’t always been smooth, but it has made me a better travel advisor and a stronger business owner. I’ve learned how to pivot, how to set boundaries, how to trust my expertise, and most importantly, how to keep going when the itinerary for my own life changes unexpectedly.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
At Xscape with P Travel, LLC, I help people do more than just go somewhere…I help them create an experience away from home.
I am a full-service travel advisor, but I have intentionally developed specialties in the areas of travel that I am most passionate about. Cruises will always be a major part of what I do because cruising is what brought me back to the travel industry. I am an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC) and Verified Travel Advisor (VTA), and I have continued my education with specialized training in group travel, accessible travel, faith-based travel, and other areas that allow me to better serve different types of travelers.
Group travel has become one of the biggest parts of my business and one of the things I am becoming most known for. I love bringing people together through travel whether it’s girlfriends getting away, Greek organizations, families, social groups, celebrations, cruises, or people who simply want to experience somewhere new without having to plan everything themselves.
I especially enjoy creating my own hosted group experiences because that’s where I really get to be creative. I don’t want to just put together a hotel, transportation, and excursions and call it a trip. I think about the entire experience: the theme, activities, special moments, group interaction, excursions, transportation, and those unexpected little touches that make someone say, “Okay, Porsha really thought about this!” I want my travelers to feel like they were part of something, not like they simply purchased a travel package.
Luxury is also an important part of my brand, but my definition of luxury isn’t necessarily about spending the most money. As “The Bougie Travel Boss”, I believe luxury can be a beautiful suite and first-class flight and if that’s in the budget, let’s absolutely talk! But luxury is also convenience, great service, personalization, attention to detail, special touches, and having someone else handle the things you don’t want to worry about. My goal is to help my clients get the best experience for the investment they are comfortable making.
I think one of the things that sets me apart is how personally I approach my clients and their travel. I don’t want anyone to feel like they’re simply a confirmation number in my system. I ask questions, I listen, and I try to understand not only where they want to go, but what they want the experience to feel like.
I’m also going to tell my clients the truth. If I don’t believe something is a good fit for them, I’m going to say so. I’m not interested in selling someone a vacation just for the sake of making a sale. My job is to help my clients make good travel decisions and create an experience they’ll actually enjoy.
Being a problem-solver is another big part of what I bring to the table. Travel can change quickly, and group travel comes with a lot of moving pieces, personalities, expectations, and details. Somehow, that’s where I thrive. Give me all the pieces, and I’ll figure out how to put the puzzle together.
What I am most proud of is the trust people place in me. Vacations aren’t insignificant purchases. People work hard and save for them. They celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, honeymoons, reunions, friendships, accomplishments, and major life moments through travel. Sometimes they’ve been dreaming about a particular trip for years. When someone chooses me to help plan something they’ve worked for and looked forward to, I don’t take that responsibility lightly.
I’m also proud that I continue to invest in becoming better at what I do. The travel industry is constantly changing, so I continue learning, training, building relationships, experiencing products for myself when possible, and expanding my knowledge. I never want to reach a point where I think I know everything there is to know about travel.
At the heart of Xscape with P Travel LLC is a simple philosophy: People deserve to enjoy the experience, not just book the trip.
That philosophy is also reflected in one of the phrases people have come to associate with me. What started as something I jokingly said “I Make People Go Away” has grown into a signature part of my brand and something I have intentionally trademarked.
It’s funny and it usually gets a laugh, but there is actually a deeper meaning behind it. Yes, technically, I make people go away! But I also help people get away from their everyday routines. I help them go away to celebrate, reconnect with their spouse, girlfriends, family, or even themselves, experience different cultures, make memories, rest, and simply enjoy life for a while.
That’s what I want Xscape with P Travel LLC to represent. I’m not interested in simply processing reservations. I want my clients to feel seen, taken care of, and excited about the experience we’re creating together.
So when you hear “The Bougie Travel Boss” say, “I Make People Go Away,” don’t worry it’s perfectly legal. I just make sure you come back with pictures, memories, and a story to tell!
What matters most to you?
What matters most to me, above everything else, is my faith and my family. They are my foundation and the reason behind so much of who I am, how I live, and how I approach both life and business.
My faith keeps me grounded. It reminds me that my purpose is bigger than a job title, a business, a bank account, or any accomplishment I could put behind my name. I believe God has ordered my steps, even during seasons when I didn’t understand where those steps were taking me. Looking back at the different directions my life has taken—from studying travel after high school, building a corporate career, returning to travel as a part-time business, and then unexpectedly finding myself giving entrepreneurship my full-time attention I can see how experiences that once seemed completely separate have connected.
My family is equally important to me. They are my support system, my motivation, and a constant reminder of why creating memories matters so much. Success wouldn’t mean very much to me if I didn’t have people I love to share it with.
Those two things: faith and family also influence how I treat other people. Relationships matter to me. Whether someone is family, a friend, a client, a business associate, or simply someone I encounter along the way, I believe people should be treated with respect, honesty, compassion, and integrity. I want people to know that what they see is what they get with me. I will tell you the truth, do my best to keep my word, and treat you the way I would want someone to treat someone I love.
I also believe strongly in living while you have the opportunity to live. We spend so much of our lives working, raising families, taking care of others, paying bills, meeting deadlines, and handling responsibilities that it’s easy to keep postponing joy. We’ll take the trip later. We’ll celebrate later. We’ll spend more time together later. We’ll finally do something for ourselves later.
But “later” isn’t promised.
That is part of why travel means so much to me. It’s not simply about getting on an airplane, staying at a beautiful resort, or boarding a cruise ship. Those things are wonderful and I definitely appreciate the finer side of travel but the real value is in the memories we create while we’re there. It’s laughing until your stomach hurts, experiencing something you’ve never experienced before, celebrating another year of life, reconnecting with someone you love, or simply having a moment when you aren’t responsible for everything and everybody.
Growth matters to me too. I never want to stop learning, dreaming, evolving, or discovering what else God has for me. One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that life can change your itinerary without asking your permission. When it does, you may have to reroute, but that doesn’t mean the destination isn’t still worth pursuing.
Ultimately, I don’t measure success only by how large I can grow Xscape with P Travel LLC or how many accomplishments I can collect. I want a successful life one centered on God, surrounded by family, filled with meaningful relationships, purpose, laughter, experiences, memories, and hopefully quite a few passport stamps along the way.
At the end of my journey, I don’t want people to simply remember what I accomplished. I want them to remember how I loved, how I served, how I lived, and how my faith showed up in the way I treated people.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://xscapewithptrv.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bougietravelboss
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/xscapewithptravel
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebougietravelboss
