Lon B Southerland

I don’t just speak about transformation—I’ve built it, scaled it, and delivered half-a-billion-dollar outcomes. My talks are grounded in results: leading Marriott’s Courtyard Bistro from concept to a 1,000-unit, $500M platform; launching Starbucks’ national lunch program; and guiding 7-Eleven’s $120M fresh food strategy. These aren't theories—they’re lived experiences turned into frameworks that help others grow. When Marriott needed to reinvent Courtyard’s food experience, I built the solution that became the fastest-growing fast casual concept in the U.S. I merge business strategy with personal brand elevation—helping teams innovate, influence, and scale with purpose. Whether addressing Fortune 500 execs or rising leaders, I speak on transformation, brand positioning, and what I call “DIY Brand Authority”—how to build relevance, visibility, and impact at every level. 🎯 Strategic Brand Positioning for Companies & Executives 🎯 LinkedIn™ Authority Coaching & Profile Optimization 🎯 Team Workshops on Brand Presence & Innovation Culture 🎯 Global Keynotes on Disruption, Hospitality, and Market Shifts =========================== Featured Keynotes & Engagements: “Lon is regarded as the best of the best in his field, by virtue of his business performance, business reputation, industry knowledge, experience, and ability. We are thrilled to have Lon, he has a great message to share that will be of value to all.” – From a recent conference agenda. ✔ Oct 2014: Fast Casual Executive Summit Keynote – Leading Transformation: Marriott Bistro, Fastest-Growing US Fast Casual Concept ✔ Oct 2013: MUFSO Supershow & Restaurant Executive Summit Keynotes ✔ Nov 2012: IFMA Presidents Conference Closing Keynote – “Evolution Revolution” (Prior keynoter: Herman Cain) ✔ June 2012: FARE Exchange – F&B and Social Media Innovation Case Study ✔ June 2012: IFMA Military Foodservice Conference – Transformational Innovation in Global Operations

Companies leverage my deep subject matter expertise on a fractional basis—primarily in the Short-Term Vacation Rental, Hospitality, and Restaurant sectors—to drive strategy, growth, and operational excellence. Additionally, I actively consult as an expert & panelist for leading advisory firms, including; McKinsey & Company, AlphaSights, Third Bridge, Guidepoint, GLG, Tegus/AlphaSense, Dialectica & L.E.K. Consulting, providing insights on market strategy, Internal Market Maps, competitive set, leadership branding, and industry trends, investor advisory, private equity firms, and corporate teams. AND I guide executives and companies with LinkedIn Personal Branding & Training 🌟 What I Do: I'm not just a LinkedIn trainer & Keynote Speaker —I'm a catalyst for change. With a reputation as a LinkedIn “Top Voice” & being in the top 1% of viewed profiles, I bring proven strategies that spark personal and professional growth & consistently deliver results. I help businesses & professionals like you harness LinkedIn to enhance personal and company brand visibility and magnetize your ideal clients, all without the spammy promises filling your inbox. 🚀 How I Do It: My approach is all about achievable, clear, and actionable training. Whether you're flying solo or powering a team, I equip you with the confidence & motivation to use LinkedIn tactically & effectively. Here’s how I can help you raise your LinkedIn game: ☀️ LinkedIn Kickstarter Hours: ↳ Perfect for lunch and learns, designed to ignite quick wins and long-term strategies. ☀️ Corporate Training: ↳ Tailored sessions available both in-person & online to suit your team’s needs. ☀️ Exclusive 1-on-1 Training: ↳ Offered personally by me, but spots are limited as quality takes precedence. 🔗 Ready to Transform? Let’s talk! Jump into my inbox & let’s discuss how I can support your journey to mastering your Personal Brand, LinkedIn & turning it into a cornerstone of your business’s success.

Build the operation. Lead the people. Scale the business. Short-term rental & hospitality executive with deep operational & strategic expertise across large-scale vacation rental platforms. I have led regional operations, acquisitions, integrations, and organizational scaling across 37 vacation rental companies representing more than 11,000 properties across U.S. markets, providing a rare operator’s perspective on how STR platforms grow, consolidate, and create value. I previously served in senior leadership roles within Awayday, a national vacation rental platform backed by LightBay Capital & Ares Management, where I helped support rapid growth through acquisitions, operational integration, and regional scaling. The company grew to more than 9,000 properties across 30 local brands, combining local market expertise with national platform capabilities. My experience spans operations leadership, owner relations, M&A integration, revenue management, organizational design, and platform optimization, with a focus on improving unit economics, increasing revenue per property, &strengthening owner retention. I also stood up and led the HR and organizational culture function, helping build scalable people systems to support a multi-market operating platform. During a period of rapid expansion, I helped restructure operations into multiple regions, onboarded additional Vice Presidents responsible for large property portfolios. I also created & launched the company’s inaugural General Manager Leadership Conference, establishing a best-practice forum for operational alignment, leadership development, and performance improvement across markets. Today I advise private equity firms, consulting firms, and STR operators on vacation rental platform strategy, operating models, acquisitions, market dynamics & scaling operations in coastal drive-to markets. My perspective is grounded in decades of hands-on operating leadership within hospitality, restaurants, and short-term rentals.

As VP of Operations and Head of HR, I led the rapid growth of several top-tier vacation rental companies, managing a portfolio of thousands of properties with a team of nearly 300. I oversaw 11 direct reports including Directors and GMs, and led key functions spanning Property Management, Housekeeping, Maintenance, Guest Services, Owner Relations, Revenue Management, Finance, Marketing, New Ventures, M&A and HR. I built and led the HR function from the ground up—hiring and training our first HR Director and designing strategies for staffing, succession planning, performance management, learning & development, and change management. I have 8+ years of progressive experience leading HR teams and consulting with senior leaders to drive culture, retention, and organizational effectiveness. A specialist in high-growth operations, I’ve successfully scaled our people strategy while preserving our culture. 75% of hires come through internal referrals, and our exceptional service ratings consistently outperform competitors—driving revenue, ROI, and loyalty for homeowners and guests alike. RealJoy Vacations was founded in 2009 to provide world-class vacation rental management along the Emerald Coast. Our mission is to steward the properties and people entrusted to us with integrity, excellence, and authenticity. Our values—Be Respectful, Be Excellent, Be Accountable, Be a Leader—guide everything we do. Because YOU Matter.

Promoted to lead Seraphic Group’s flagship company, overseeing 13 direct reports and full P&L responsibility. Guided cross-functional team through rapid growth, delivering consistent quarterly sales records while executing a complex rebrand and product relaunch of RESTORE → ION*Biome, the first in a sequenced rebrand spanning a dozen sub-brands. Key Accomplishments ► Drove unprecedented revenue growth with record-breaking quarters, positioning ION*Biome as the market leader in microbiome health supplements. ► Directed a full organizational transformation, including new branding, packaging, and market positioning, executed seamlessly across sales, marketing, and operations. ► Built a culture of engagement and accountability that produced 4% staff turnover in 2019, an exceptional metric during a period of massive operational change. ► Expanded partnerships, supply chain capability, and innovation pipeline to support sustainable growth and category differentiation. ► Led team alignment around science-backed mission, balancing purpose with rigorous execution—recognized for emotional intelligence and ability to unify high-performing, passionate contributors. ► Strengthened cross-company collaboration across Seraphic divisions, establishing operational frameworks now used as models for other sub-brands. ION*Biome supports immune, pulmonary, and gut health by strengthening the tight junctions of the human microbiome—pioneering natural solutions for health, ecology, and longevity.

Promoted to Vice President to lead operations across seven subsidiaries, aligning sales, marketing, and operational strategies with aggressive growth goals to improve the wellness of people, animals, and the environment. Directed cross-functional teams, set direction and accountability, and built systems and processes that enabled scale, speed, and sustainable results. Key Accomplishments ► Oversaw full operational framework for subsidiaries including Biomic Sciences (RESTORE/IONBiome), LumaPet, LumaShield, M Clinic, Wave Clinic, Atlantus, MedConnect, and Global Resource Dynamics. ► Established foundational tools and systems that streamlined cross-company processes, accelerating project completion rates and ensuring on-time delivery of strategic initiatives. ► Partnered with sales and marketing leaders to translate growth goals into execution plans that consistently exceeded revenue and brand targets. ► Strengthened operational excellence through improved communication systems, accountability dashboards, and performance management practices that cascaded across all companies. ► Built trust and engagement through emotional intelligence–driven leadership, guiding high-performing teams during a period of significant transformation. ► Laid the operational groundwork that enabled the successful rebrand and relaunch of RESTORE → IONBiome, later leading to my promotion to Managing Director of Seraphic’s largest subsidiary. ► Championed culture and retention—recognized for balancing rigorous execution with care for people, producing team alignment and organizational resilience in a high-growth environment. This role was the platform for advancing into Managing Director of ION*Biome, where I continued to scale operations and drive record-setting performance at Seraphic’s flagship company.

Led the North American business and Member of the Board and also lead program development; concept innovation, operational strategy, guest experience, and brand growth.

Responsible for premium multi-unit retail US coffeehouse chain for $500MM gourmet global coffee brand with scratch kitchens preparing fresh food daily, Head of Retail Channels including multiple business units; Franchising & Development, Company Owned coffee shops, F&B & the Ecommerce channel in The Americas. ▬▬▬▬▬ Passionate, LOVE what I do, positioning entrepreneurial company for strategic global growth; opening and optimizing company owned stores, defining US market growth, Opening Franchised locations, eCommerce & Digital channels. Board member, lead operations teams, marketing, develop strategy, metrics, budgeting to drive sales growth and openings, Site selection/analysis, systems and process while developing culture, values, and reputation. Direct reports include Operations ( Cafes & in house Culinary ) F&B Management, Construction / Franchising, Administration, Marketing & E-Commerce. Known for ability to focus teams on growing sales, market share, EXCELLENCE and profit while delivering dramatic improvements in efficiency & productivity. Developed strategic vision for customer experience and operational efficiency program improving store environment, retail sales and customer satisfaction. Lead decision making, development and execution of new store initiatives & portfolio of new store designs. A change agent, innovator, a brand expert with the experience and skill to identify opportunities that others miss while leading the response to changing customer demands. ► Grew company managed operations 60% year 1 including successful opening the first flagship store, Illy University (Università Del Caffé) & first illy Shop in the US (SanFrancisco). ► Digital Agility - Added large revenue streams in an increasingly competitive market; Off Premise Catering &Apps yielding +10% Comps ► Lead aggressive 2018 Franchising program growth - formed strategic partnerships with global airport partners gaining commitment to new locations & winning multiple RFP’s.

Better to be the change—than be disrupted! Helping drive the rapid rise of coffee organizations and Sustainable Plant-Based Foods in America through guiding retail coffee and fast casual businesses toward a strategy of transparency, brand creation, menu optimization and a cadence of product innovation and turnkey marketing. We provide strategy and solutions to companies interested in TBL (triple bottom line): social, environmental and financial. Some organizations have adopted the TBL framework to evaluate their performance in a broader perspective to create greater business value. A business that wants to win the hearts of today's consumers benefits from standing for something and meaning it. Consumer behavior is shifting to food choices which have a positive impact on society the environment and animal welfare. * Coached and implemented strategies for a private national client leading to a modern fresh beverage program with significant financial impact (On track to be north of $100 Million). * Supported private client training and implementation for Fresh Beverage station launch. * Guided plant-based solution for a national pizza chain, implementation in 2019. "Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.” ~Desmond Tutu

Member of The NRA’s Fast Casual Industry Council Steering Committee, the primary advocate for the fast casual restaurant segment. The group is comprised of senior c-level executives from fast-casual restaurants to discuss common concerns and advise the National Restaurant Association.

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ I am well versed in business intelligence, translating data into actionable insights, predictive analytics as well as harvesting brand sentiment; providing Marriott, Hilton, Disney and 100+ restaurant brands with insights to get their arms around opportunities to grow their business. As the Chief Executive Officer’s “right hand” I leverage my decades of expertise in rapidly scaling companies & product platforms, Marketing and data analytics to help GuestMetrics drive it's lead in on-premise technical data analytics and rapidly grow its hospitality, food & bev-alcohol businesses. ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ GuestMetrics is the leading BI & Data Analytics firm delivering Business Insights & Actionable Intelligence to the hospitality industry & suppliers & distributors. I spearhead initiatives transformative to company & customers including turning strategic insights into tangible products, full product development, sales management & product implementation. I lead the companies Operator Practice and manage national accounts helping industry leaders identify opportunities, drive change, accelerate revenue and build better food and beverage businesses. Responsibilities include strategic partnerships, managing relationships with our clients and staff while leading the development of strategies products and initiatives. Spearheaded marketing and the most significant transformation of food and beverage industry operator technology resulting in: o A 12-fold increase in income vastly improving the customer experience for Disney, Marriott, Hilton and over 100 restaurant groups. o Led advanced artificial intelligence project for Marriott International - an industry first. o Facilitated Nielson’s investment in Guest Metrics to enhance their industry data and accuracy. o Lead the organization reorganization and industry product offering staging the company for sale.