Meet Lamont Blackwood Camden Grubbs of OneStop

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lamont Blackwood Camden Grubbs.

Hi Lamont Blackwood, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
OneStop’s journey began years before our official launch a month ago, rooted in the unique and complementary experiences of our co-founders, Lamont Blackwood and Camden Grubbs. Their careers gave them a 360-degree view of the very problem we now solve.

Lamont spent over a decade in event planning, where he repeatedly saw the logistical friction and stress involved in coordinating multiple vendors. He followed that with over three years in tech consulting, giving him a clear vision of how technology could be the solution to streamline the fragmented event world.

Simultaneously, Camden was experiencing the industry from the inside out. Starting at just 15, he spent nearly a decade honing his skills in the kitchens of Cincinnati’s most respected chefs, Jose Salazar and Cristian Pietoso. He understood firsthand the passion vendors have and the challenges they face. After graduating from the University of Cincinnati’s Lindner College of Business, he moved into the corporate world, working as a business analyst with one of the big 3 advertising giants. This gave him the strategic expertise to help vendors with marketing and operations.

They were two sides of the same coin: Lamont saw the host’s problem, and Camden had lived the vendor’s struggle. They came together to create OneStop as the definitive bridge between the two. It’s a single, streamlined app where hosts can find and book every type of local vendor needed for an event—from private chefs and bartenders to caterers, food trucks, and photographers—all in one place.

We launched at a pivotal moment when the events industry is booming and customers are demanding simpler, digital-first, and personalized experiences. And in our first month, the market has proven our thesis correct. We’ve already streamlined corporate event planning for major partners like ArtWorks , helped hosts execute full-service parties on a tight budget, and empowered beloved Cincinnati vendors like

Chef Jeff of Nolia (James Beard nominated chef), Starlight Donuts, and Aladdins Eatery to connect with new customers.

While we are deeply committed to empowering our home base in Cincinnati, our vision is national. The platform we’ve built is the foundation for our ultimate goal: to become the go-to super app for every event, in every major city, by 2026.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Definitely not smooth—and I’d be skeptical of any founder who says otherwise. Building something new is inherently challenging, but each obstacle has taught us valuable lessons that have ultimately strengthened our business. Two major struggles stand out in our journey.

The first was solving the classic marketplace “chicken and egg” problem. To attract customers, we needed a solid roster of trusted, high-quality vendors. But to attract those vendors, we needed to show them we already had demand. It was a real catch-22 at the start.

Our approach was to go all-in on being vendor-first. We made the platform free to join—no subscriptions or upfront costs. We implemented a transparent, vendor-friendly commission model, taking just a 5% cut from the booking fee and allowing vendors to keep 100% of their menu revenue. Just as importantly, we focused on personal relationships. We started with respected local names like James Beard-nominated Chef Jeff of Nolia and built from there. By proving we were committed to their success, we created a network of quality partners—which in turn made the platform more attractive to event hosts.

The second challenge has been balancing simplicity with power in the app itself. Our mission is to make event planning feel effortless—but full-service events are, by nature, complex. We needed to create an experience that’s just as seamless for someone ordering donuts from Starlight as it is for a corporate planner booking catering, bartenders, and staff for a gala at ArtWorks.

That meant obsessing over the user experience—from onboarding to in-app chat. We’ve had to be disciplined about our feature roadmap, constantly prioritizing what adds value without cluttering the interface. It’s a continuous cycle of gathering feedback, refining design, and making tough product decisions to ensure the platform stays intuitive while delivering serious functionality.

So no, it hasn’t been easy—but those very challenges have helped us build something with real staying power and a clear vision for where we’re headed.

As you know, we’re big fans of OneStop. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
At its core, OneStop is a hospitality-tech platform designed to simplify event planning and revolutionize at-home dining. We created a single, streamlined app that connects people with a network of trusted, local vendors for any type of gathering—from a private chef for a date night, to a food truck for a birthday, to full-service catering and bartending for a corporate event. Essentially, we are the bridge between Cincinnati’s amazing local hospitality industry and anyone who wants to host a memorable event without the traditional stress and friction.

What we specialize in, and what we’re quickly becoming known for, is providing unparalleled choice and convenience. We are the first platform that brings all these different services into one place. Instead of you having to search multiple websites, make dozens of calls, and manage different contracts, you can use our app to browse, book, get instant quotes, and communicate directly with every vendor you need.

Two key things truly set us apart from others. First is the sheer breadth of our platform. A traditional caterer offers you their menu. OneStop offers you access to dozens of different caterers, private chefs, food trucks, bartenders, decorators, and more, all competing for your business. We are the aggregator and the central point of control, which gives our users ultimate flexibility and choice. Second is our pro-vendor business model. We don’t charge vendors to be on our platform, and we have a transparent structure where they keep 100% of their menu revenue and we only take a modest 5% of the booking fee. This attracts the best local talent, which in turn ensures our customers get the highest quality experience.

Brand-wise, what we are most proud of is our mission to empower both sides of the marketplace. For our customers, we want to make them the “hero” of their event—removing the stress so they can focus on what truly matters: celebrating life’s special moments. For our vendors, we provide a powerful, free tool that helps them grow their business with less friction than ever before. This dual focus on empowerment is at the heart of everything we do.

Ultimately, what we want your readers to know is that OneStop is here to make hosting more approachable, accessible, and frequent. We believe that everyone loves to host, but the planning is what holds them back. Whether you’re planning a party for 50 people or just don’t want to cook for your family tonight, our platform has a trusted, local professional ready to help. Your event, your way—that’s the promise of OneStop.

What are your plans for the future?
While we’re thrilled with our successful launch in Cincinnati, we see it as just the first step in a much larger journey. Our plans for the future are ambitious and center around three key pillars: market depth, geographic expansion, and platform evolution.

1. Deepening Our Roots in Cincinnati, Especially in B2B

Our immediate focus is to become the undisputed leader for event services here in our home market. A major part of that is dominating the corporate event space. We’re currently rolling out a multi-faceted B2B strategy that includes:

The OneStop B2B Event Academy: We’re launching a series of workshops and content designed to empower the “accidental event planners”—the office managers and HR coordinators—making us a trusted educational resource, not just a booking tool.

Strategic Alliances: We are actively forming partnerships with commercial real estate firms, co-working spaces, and key event venues. This will embed OneStop into the Cincinnati business ecosystem, allowing us to be introduced to clients at the exact moment they need event services.

A Formal B2B Loyalty Program: We’re engineering a tiered loyalty program to reward our corporate clients for repeat business, offering benefits like account credits and dedicated support.

2. Strategic Geographic Expansion

Looking forward, the biggest change will be our physical growth. Our plan is to scale aggressively from our current single-city operation to being in six cities by the end of next year. This isn’t a rushed expansion; it’s a carefully planned, phased rollout. We will use our success in Cincinnati as a playbook to enter new markets, validate our approach, and then scale up, ensuring we deliver the same high-quality, localized experience in every new city we serve.

3. Evolving into a True Super App

Underpinning all of this is the constant evolution of our technology. Our long-term vision is for OneStop to become the go-to super app for every event by 2026. This means expanding our offerings and enhancing the platform’s intelligence. We’re planning to:

Leverage AI for Hyper-Personalization: We will use AI to provide personalized recommendations, agendas, and networking opportunities, making every event experience unique and seamless at scale.

Expand into New Verticals: We’re listening closely to our vendors and customers and exploring new, in-demand services. Based on feedback, we’re looking into adding categories like meal prep services, which would bridge the gap between a one-time event and everyday at-home dining.

Build a Vendor Community: We plan to introduce features that help our vendors collaborate, share insights, and grow their businesses together, transforming our platform from a simple booking tool into a true community hub.

Ultimately, every future plan—whether it’s entering a new city or adding a new feature—is guided by our core mission: to simplify the way people host and celebrate, and to empower the local businesses that make those celebrations possible.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.itsonlyonestop.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsonlyonestop/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/OneStop/61568956321938/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/its-only-onestop/
• Other: https://www.threads.com/@itsonlyonestop