Digital & Creative Strategist / Cookbook Author

Plant-Based Recipe Developer / Commercial + Editorial Photographer

Business Consultant & Entrepreneur / Visual Artist /   HUMAN.

LAUREN  LESTER

HI! I’M LAUREN

I’m a creative strategist and visual artist based in Portland, Oregon, exploring the intersections of food, art, culture, and business.

My work spans bold, modern plant-based recipes rooted in Appalachian flavors with a global twist, emotionally driven abstract paintings, and thought-provoking essays on food justice, mental health, and a dash of business through branding, web design, SEO, marketing, and more. With a strong foundation in both creativity and business, I approach every project through a lens of art, intuition, and data.

After scaling multiple food media companies that caught the eye of investors, I now lead digital marketing for a bevtech company by day and explore creative consulting selectively. I've collaborated with standout brands on everything from SEO to strategic brand building, blending sharp, data-backed insights with an artist’s eye.

My current work, as well as my interests in sustainability, food justice, plant-based food media, and supporting entrepreneurs in underserved markets, guide my creative approach and long-term vision.

Some career-highlight moments? Building campaigns for over 35 brands. Founding and scaling, three food media companies and exiting two. Driving a 250% increase in organic traffic for a food and beverage client. Generating over $5M in qualified acquisitions for investment companies in the content marketing space. Co-authoring the Cast Iron Keto Cookbook (pre-vegan days). And, developing thousands, yes, THOUSANDS, of recipes for brands worldwide.

Welcome to my digital home, I hope you’ll have a look around and be inspired and find something delicious to make. If you’d like to work with me, get in touch here. I can’t wait to connect with you!

Affiliations

My work has been featured in:

WAYS TO WORK WITH ME

From branding and SEO to web design and creative services, I'm here to bring your vision to life. I also offer pro bono support for entrepreneurs from marginalized communities —learn more below.

  • Maximize your online presence with tailored SEO strategies that drive traffic and engagement. From audits to action plans, I’ll help you improve your search engine rankings and connect with your target audience.

  • I build fun SEO-optimized Squarespace web designs, brand guidelines, logos, and marketing materials to ensure your brand stands out in a crowded marketplace.

  • Take your business to the next level with insights and strategies tailored to your goals. Whether you’re a startup or scaling, I offer actionable guidance on everything from market positioning to operational efficiency.

  • Creative photography that tells your story. I specialize in bold photography across plant-based food, brand, product, lifestyle, and landscape + nature channels.

Nolastray Support

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Gourmia

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prAna

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Nolastray Support · Gourmia · prAna ·

KitchenAid

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Bob's Red Mill

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Harken Wine

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Warby Parker

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KitchenAid · Bob's Red Mill · Harken Wine · Warby Parker .