Revenue Professionals: Insights & Resources

GTM Consultant for B2B Professionals & Marketplaces: Ryan Stevens

Anson Ye

September 9, 2025

GTM Consultant for B2B Professionals & Marketplaces: Ryan Stevens

Ryan J. Stevens: Building Marketplaces and Increasing Transparency in the Talent Economy

At Digital Reference, we believe the future of work demands something better than a résumé. We’re building a verified, video-first talent ecosystem that cuts through the noise and shows what professionals are really like to work with. This series exists to surface the real operators behind the titles, the frameworks behind the success stories, and the values behind the outcomes.

🔦 Professional Spotlight: Ryan Stevens

Title: Founder, Digital Reference | B2B Marketplace Strategist | Operator & Advisor
Professional Themes: B2B Marketplace Strategy, Go-To-Market Leader, Talent Ecosystem Innovation, SaaS Leadership, Verified Professional Identity, Startup Growth Advisor, Operational Excellence, Founder Operator

💬 From Scaling Marketplaces to Reshaping How We Hire: A Conversation with Ryan Stevens

Ryan Stevens isn’t just building startups — he’s rethinking how the professional world functions. With a track record of scaling high-growth B2B companies and leading marketplaces like Refersion and Clutch, Ryan has now set his sights on something bigger: transforming the way we showcase talent, vet operators, and make hiring decisions.

As the founder of Digital Reference, Ryan is designing a solution to a problem many professionals have felt but few have solved — the disconnect between what someone’s résumé says and what they’re actually like to work with.

We sat down with Ryan to unpack his philosophy on operational excellence, why transparency is a strategic asset, and what makes Digital Reference more than just another platform — it’s a movement.

👋 Can you briefly introduce yourself and your professional journey?

I’m Ryan Stevens, and my career has revolved around building and scaling B2B marketplaces and advising high-growth tech companies. I’ve served as:

CEO at Refersion
CEO of Influencer Marketing Hub
VP of Operations & Marketplace Strategy at Clutch

In each of these roles, I’ve focused on growth, strategy, and operational efficiency. I’ve also founded Digital Reference, which brings more data, transparency, and authenticity to how we discover and evaluate talent.

💡 What motivated you to start Digital Reference?

The professional ecosystem is broken in how it represents people.

Interviews are opaque. Résumés are static. Referrals are inconsistent. These systems lead to suboptimal hiring outcomes — for both companies and candidates.

Digital Reference was born from the idea that professionals deserve to showcase their accomplishments in a verified, video-first format, and companies deserve to hire based on authentic, data-backed insights. It's about increasing trust in the hiring process and giving operators the credit and visibility they’ve earned.

🧠 How do you describe your professional identity?

I think of myself as a founder-operator. I’m wired for outcomes and driven by systems that scale.

I value directness, curiosity, and a healthy obsession with operational excellence. At the same time, I’m deeply invested in people — how they grow, how they communicate, and how we build cultures where transparency actually works.

🤝 What’s it like to work with you?

I’ve been described as:

“Gets Sh*t Done"
Outcome-obsessed
Deeply invested in individual growth

I believe in radical candor — clear expectations, constant feedback, and a commitment to getting better, together. I also care a lot about mentorship. Whether you're on my team or across the table, I want to help you see your own potential.

🌐 What are your core professional values?

Authenticity
Empathy
Transparency
Continuous improvement

I also believe work should be joyful, and that clarity creates confidence. When we operate with verified data and real communication, everyone wins faster.

📈 How do you approach complex B2B Go-To-Market (GTM) strategies?

It starts with the customer journey, and understanding how the product adds value.

I bring a cross-functional lens to GTM, working across marketing, product, sales, and ops to align around metrics, build repeatable processes, and identify both quick wins and long-term levers. It’s about balancing innovation with rigor, so growth isn’t just fast — it’s sustainable.

I also believe that every business should have an organic search strategy that includes optimizing for ChatGPT and other generative engines.

💬 Outside of work, what keeps you engaged?

Mentorship and marketplace innovation.

My Siberian Husky, Nike. This was him as a pup:

Whether I’m advising a startup or grabbing coffee with an emerging leader, I love helping people solve for scale and think through better models. The exchange of ideas — especially outside traditional hierarchies — keeps me sharp and inspired.

‍

What's your personality type?

I'm an ENTJ when it comes to Myers-Briggs.

‍

Digital Reference Note:

What It’s Like to Work with Ryan as an ENTJ:

Working with Ryan feels like stepping into an environment where clarity, pace, and purpose set the tone. As an ENTJ, he thrives on direction and forward momentum — and he expects the same from the people around him.

Driven and Decisive → Ryan moves quickly from vision to execution. Colleagues and partners always know where things stand because decisions are made with confidence and speed.
Clarity and Accountability → He sets a high bar and communicates expectations directly. Teams benefit from the structure, and individuals grow by rising to meet those standards.
Big-Picture Orientation → Ryan connects the dots between day-to-day execution and long-term goals. Working with him means always understanding how today’s work ladders up to tomorrow’s impact.
Growth-Oriented Energy → He spots potential in people and pushes them to stretch into new levels of performance. While the pace can be demanding, it often accelerates careers and confidence.
Purposeful Challenge → The experience is both energizing and challenging. Ryan balances vision with pragmatism, ensuring the work is not only ambitious but grounded in outcomes that matter.

In short, working with Ryan means being part of something ambitious, structured, and growth-driven. It’s an environment that calls people to bring their best — and rewards them with the clarity and momentum to keep moving forward.

-- Back to Ryan's Responses-----

For DISC, I am a Di personality type.

Digital Reference Note:

What It’s Like to Work with Ryan as a Di on the DISC system:

Working with someone who carries a Di profile on the DISC scale means stepping into an environment fueled by ambition, speed, and enthusiasm. This blend of Dominance (D) and Influence (i) creates a unique leadership presence that is both results-oriented and energizing.

Decisive Leadership → Di leaders don’t hesitate when it comes to decisions. They move with clarity and conviction, giving teams a strong sense of direction and confidence in the path forward.
Vision with Charisma → They pair drive with influence, rallying people behind bold ideas and ambitious goals. The result is a culture where energy is contagious and people feel inspired to contribute.
Pace and Momentum → Work alongside a Di is rarely stagnant. The environment is dynamic, fast-moving, and focused on tangible outcomes.
Challenge and Growth → The bar is set high. Teams working with a Di often find themselves pushed to grow quickly, developing new skills and stepping into bigger opportunities.
Focused on Results and Recognition → They value measurable achievements and celebrate wins, ensuring progress doesn’t go unnoticed.

While the pace can feel demanding, the payoff is an environment that is energizing, motivating, and built for progress. A Di thrives when surrounded by people who match their energy and help translate big vision into executable detail.

Professional References

Mike Beares, Founder of Clutch.co (Manager)
Amanda Baum, SVP of Product at Clutch.co (Peer)
Clayton Kenerson, Revenue Leader at Clutch.co (Direct Report)
Kimmie Champlin, Operations Leader at Clutch.co (Direct Report)
Dawn Batts, Milestone Growth Capital (Client)
Pius Binder, Subscribed.fyi (Client)

📚 Notable Accomplishments

Founder, Digital Reference – Reinventing professional identity and hiring through video and verification
VP of Marketplace Strategy, Clutch – Led GTM and growth strategy for the largest B2B ratings platform
CEO, Refersion – Drove product and revenue expansion in the affiliate marketing space
CEO, Influencer Marketing Hub – Scaled editorial and platform strategy, reaching millions of monthly users
Advisor, Marketplace Risk – Contributed to platform trust and safety frameworks

Why Ryan Stevens Matters in Today’s Work Culture

In a world increasingly skeptical of the résumé and fatigued by performative interviews, Ryan is offering a new kind of clarity. He’s not just building software — he’s creating a system of professional trust.

By combining the scalability of marketplaces with the precision of verified data, Ryan is championing a future where operators, founders, and executives don’t have to rely on backchannels to be seen for who they really are.

📌 Get in Touch:
Follow Ryan on LinkedIn or explore the movement at Digital Reference

Digital Reference is reshaping the future of talent visibility.
We surface the how behind the what, and show you what it’s really like to work with the leaders shaping tomorrow.