Co-Founder, Director of Community
Who We Are
Charlene Burns
Charlene (she/her) is a farmers market regular, self-imagined master chef, and experienced marketer with six years in content marketing and business development in the startup space. A Hillcrest resident and spoiled consumer of San Diego's local produce, she also surfs, plays beach volleyball, and knows her way around a well-stocked kitchen.
Charlene leads our content, brand voice, and community presence — co-writing our playbooks and blog posts, shipping every edition of our email newsletter, and shaping the editorial voice behind The Pantry. She also creates the visuals and copy across our social channels and represents us at events and in-person gatherings. If you've connected with our work through a story, a playbook, or a handshake, you've connected with Charlene.
Co-Founder, Director of Operations
Jacob Graham
Jacob (he/him) is a runner, wine and food enthusiast, and policy strategist turned community-minded builder. With experience in regional planning, cybersecurity, and cross-sector collaboration, he helps founders navigate growth while staying grounded in their communities. Outside of work, he's training for his next race, exploring Atlanta's food scene, and at home with his husband and two cats.
Jacob runs and operates the business from Atlanta — keeping the lights on, the events calendar full, and the back office running. He co-writes our playbooks and blog posts, moderates our community group (coming soon!), and handles customer inquiries across email and social. If you've ever gotten a response from us online, there's a good chance it came from Jacob.
About Lazy Su
Why "Lazy Su?"
You might have guessed, but our name is a nod to the lazy susan — that humble, spinning centerpiece of communal dining. More than just a turntable, the lazy susan represents something we deeply believe in: the best things in life are meant to be shared, passed around, and savored together.
The name also reflects a bridging of different worlds and experiences that, around the right table, find surprising common ground. That spirit is at the heart of everything we do — from our playbooks to our peer community. Keep the table spinning, keep the conversation going, and make sure everyone walks away with something worth taking home.
Our Mission
Lazy Su’s mission is to build a resource hub for community-rooted food and beverage businesses by documenting their stories, sharing strategic insights, and connecting founders to ideas, tools, and opportunities that support sustainable, values-aligned growth.
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Or Contact Us Directly!
If you have any questions, recommendations, or just want to learn more, email us at:
hello@lazy-su.com.