The Story Behind the Impact

Broken Systems to Better Standards

  • The Problem I Saw

    I entered the hospitality industry and saw leaders who didn't deserve followers. Managers burning through staff like disposable cups. An entire industry accepting 80% annual turnover as "normal." Restaurant owners complaining "nobody wants to work" while creating workplaces nobody should have to endure. Fear based management. Chaos disguised as energy. Systems that didn't exist. Standards that were suggestions. Managers promoted because they survived the longest, not because they could lead. Scheduling that changed daily. Policies that existed only when convenient. An industry that treats its workforce as temporary by design, then wonders why nobody stays. This wasn't an industry problem, it was a leadership crisis.

  • The Solution I Built

    At Backyard on Broadway, my 600 seat restaurant, I proved it doesn't have to be this way. We achieve 52% annual retention while the industry averages 25%. Not through pizza parties or motivational posters, but through operational systems that treat people like humans. Clear expectations. Fair treatment. Leaders who earn respect through competence, not fear. The best part? It's scalable and profitable. These aren't unique circumstances, they're replicable systems. What works at 600 seats works at 60. What works in San Antonio works anywhere. When you reduce turnover from 80% to 25%, you stop bleeding money on recruitment and training. This isn't luck. It's proof that operational excellence drives both retention and revenue.

  • The Knowledge I Share

    I've visited 75+ distilleries across the US and Mexico, learning from master distillers not to gatekeep knowledge, but to democratize it. Through DIBS Mixers, available nationally, I make quality accessible to every bar. Through board positions with AAHA and Visit San Antonio, I push for industry-wide change. Through consulting, I help other restaurants implement systems that actually work. Overtime, my new bar opening in 2025, will challenge every norm about pricing and accessibility. Proving great drinks don't need velvet ropes or mortgage payments. Because what's the point of learning if you don't teach? What's the point of succeeding if others still fail? My mission is simple: leave this industry stronger and better than I found it.

The Industry I’m Changing

I'm changing this industry from multiple angles. DIBS Mixers democratizes quality nationwide. Board positions with AAHA and Visit San Antonio create policy-level impact. Overtime will challenge every norm about bar pricing and accessibility. The message is simple: damn good drinks at damn good prices. Excellence without exclusion. Quality without the bullshit. This is how we make hospitality stronger.

“My mission isn’t just to run successful businesses. It’s to leave the hospitality industry stronger and better than I found it. Every system I build, every leader I train, every restaurant I help, every bar that serves DIBS instead of cutting corners, it’s all part of making this industry what it should be: a place where people want to work, businesses thrive, and excellence is the standard, not the exception.”
— Ohio Crawford

Why This Work Matters

Building Leaders Who Deserve Followers

I saw leaders who didn't deserve followers—managers who ruled through fear, accepted mediocrity, and blamed staff for systemic failures. So I built systems that create actual leaders. At Backyard, our managers earn respect through competence and fairness. This is what transforms retention from 25% to 52%.

Creating Industry Wide Change

Through board positions with AAHA and Visit San Antonio, I'm pushing for policy-level change. DIBS Mixers makes quality accessible nationally. Overtime will challenge pricing norms industry-wide. This isn't about one successful restaurant, it's about proving the entire industry can operate differently.

Creating Careers Worth Having

Restaurant work shouldn't be something people do until they find a "real job." By proving that hospitality can offer stable employment, fair treatment, and actual career growth, we're changing how families view this industry. Parents can be proud when their kids work in restaurants that operate with dignity.

Making Economic Sense of Doing Right

When restaurants reduce turnover from 75% to 25%, they stop bleeding money on recruitment and training costs. The math is simple: keeping good people is cheaper than constantly replacing them. When you build leaders worth following, people stay. When people stay, you save money. Doing right by people is profitable.

Strengthening San Antonio's Economy

When restaurant workers stay in jobs longer, they build careers instead of just getting paychecks. They qualify for mortgages, support local businesses, and invest in their communities. Stable employment at Backyard means 600 seats worth of staff contributing to San Antonio's growth, not just passing through.

Leaving It Stronger Than I Found It.

This is my measure of success: Is the industry better because I'm in it? Every system I build, every standard I set, every norm I challenge serves one mission: leaving hospitality stronger than I found it. Not just surviving, but thriving. Not just profitable, but sustainable. Not just successful, but worth working in.

“I saw leaders who didn’t deserve followers. so I am building better ones.”
— Ohio Crawford