Our Mission
At Black Licorice our mission is to empower and inspire our community of hospitality and foodservice professionals with sustainable collective growth and achievement through individual guidance, curated development and relentless accountability.
Black Licorice Core Values
Building sustainable and meaningful relationships always start with trust and transparency. Successful professionals are built with sound and honest personal attributes.
Integrity
Believing in the magic of continuous learning and development and always viewing adversity and challenges as opportunities for growth.
Growth Mindset
We stay committed to encouraging our clients to always evolve and embrace change. Staying ahead of trends and creatively navigating challenges epitomizes success.
Innovation
Listening to one another is paramount and speaks directly to overcoming any and every form of insecurity. Mutual support and collective effort breed sustainability.
Collaboration
Meet Our Team
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Meet Our Team •
Ron Eyester
Owner & CEO
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It’s definitely been “a long, strange trip.” Like many people, I didn’t exactly grow up dreaming of getting into hospitality, but I am certainly glad that I discovered that I definitely belonged here. With over 25 years of comprehensive hospitality experience on both sides of "the house," my focus has been on nurturing a culture of excellence and continuous improvement everywhere I’ve been. My core competencies lie in employee development, operations management, creative marketing and building strong community relationships, all aimed at maintaining a brand's prominence. At the heart of my approach is a commitment to fostering a collaborative environment and driving initiatives that resonate with our mission and reflect our values. This dedication has empowered our teams to achieve successes on many fronts.
As a chef, a restaurant owner, a director of operations and now as a consultant & coach, I have always elevated the dining experience by conveying my passion for food, mentoring a team and developing sustainable systems that streamlined restaurant function. My role has extended beyond operations to personally coaching management teams, enhancing their leadership capabilities. The implementation of creative and efficient processes under my guidance has been pivotal in not only sustaining but also expanding our market presence, establishing a benchmark for operational excellence within the industry. Moreover, as I continue to mentor younger generations of hospitality professionals, I continue to remind them to pursue excellence and happiness in their personal endeavours so that they can thrive professionally. At the end of the day, I urge you to see the magic in “breaking bread” with others and continue to celebrate the communal aspects of food and dining.
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Scott Crawford
Partner & Business Advisor
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Scott Crawford: a high-octane blend of hospitality mastery, boardroom brilliance, and breakaway speed. From the kitchen to the C-suite, Scott has led at every level—shaping world-class dining experiences, steering multimillion-dollar food and hospitality operations, and navigating complex M&A terrain. Whether building brands, scaling commissary production, or driving culinary innovation, he delivers relentless drive, sharp insight, and bold execution. Off the clock, Scott crushes watts as a dedicated Category 4 cyclist. With a Culinary Institute soul and a hospitality leader’s instinct, he leads with grit, builds with vision, and always finds the line that wins.
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Lauren Hubbard
Partner & CMO
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Lauren Hubbard is a visual storyteller, creative strategist, and unstoppable idea-generator. With 18 years behind the camera, Lauren has partnered with brands of every shape and scale—capturing campaigns for Panera Bread, Nestlé, the Atlanta Braves, and the Tampa Bay Lightning, while championing rising CPG stars like The Chai Box and Lesser Evil Snacks. Her wheelhouse? Turning wild ideas into scroll-stopping visuals—and bringing a joyful, strategic spark to every step of the process.
As a founding partner of Black Licorice, Lauren brings big-picture thinking, a sharp eye for detail, and a gift for creative collaboration. She’s a believer in better: better culture, better leadership, better storytelling—and she’s all in on reimagining the hospitality space with work that connects, uplifts, and performs.
Off the clock, Lauren is a passionate community-builder, serving on the national boards of two photography organizations. Despite all of her time spent with a professional camera in hand for work, she’s still a light-chasing photo nerd at heart and will absolutely stop in her tracks and pull out her phone to capture the light hitting a flower juuust right. -
Ready to elevate your business?
Strong businesses are built on more than numbers — they’re built on habits, systems, and culture. Let’s refine how your team leads, communicates, and performs — consistently and intentionally.