Steven Ruhl

WORK HISTORY

EDUCATION

SKILLS

ABOUT STEVEN RUHL

I’m a values-driven VP-level brand, marketing, and go-to-market leader who helps outdoor, sport, performance, and lifestyle brands grow by connecting strategy with culture, community, and commercial reality.Over the past 18+ years, I’ve built and scaled brands across the U.S, Europe, and Asia, working at both global scale and in scrappier, start-up environments. I do my best work at moments of change, when a brand’s ambition is high but strategy, clarity, and execution aren’t fully lined up yet, especially around launches, repositioning, or go-to-market resets.I’ve been fortunate to do that work with brands like New Balance, Decathlon / Van Rysel, Coca-Cola, Nutrabolt (C4 Energy), and others. Highlights include helping lead New Balance’s brand transformation by setting clear global brand positioning and go-to-market strategy while growing the Running business to $1B; launching Van Rysel as a premium performance cycling brand in the U.S; and scaling community-led energy brands from early stages to global relevance.I’m drawn to brands that want to build something meaningful and aim to leave a positive mark on people and the planet. Adventure, curiosity, and performance sit at the core of how I lead, shaped by years spent in endurance sport, the outdoors, and building brands inside the cultures I’m part of.I’m actively exploring VP Brand Marketing, VP Marketing, or VP GTM leadership roles with brands in sport, outdoor, and performance. Alongside that, I’m open to selective consulting and advisory work with founders and leadership teams who need senior brand and go-to-market support during moments of growth, transition, or launch.Outside of work, you’ll usually find me trail running, skiing, ski touring, riding gravel, or getting outside with my family, the same places and communities that continue to shape how I think about brand and performance.Core Leadership Skills:Brand & Positioning | Global Brand & GTM Strategy | Revenue & Category Growth | Team Leadership & Org Design | Go-to-Market Operations | Partnerships (Athletes, Media, Retail)Specialized Expertise:Digital, Social & Experiential Marketing | PR, Influencers & Earned Media | Omnichannel Go-to-Market | DTC & Wholesale Growth | Demand & Customer Acquisition | Trade & Retail Marketing | Inclusive Content | AI-enabled Marketing