About

Purpose

The name Clear Line comes from time spent outdoors, skiing, ski-touring, cycling, and trail running, where finding the right line means seeing clearly, moving with intent, and staying connected to the terrain around you. That same balance guides how Steven thinks about brand building.

Clarity to read the market and choose your path. Connection to stay in tune with culture and the people who make progress possible. Momentum to commit and keep moving forward.

Background

Clear Line is led by Steven Ruhl, a senior marketing and brand executive with 18+ years building global brands across sport, outdoor, lifestyle, and functional beverage.

At New Balance, Steven was part of the leadership team that helped grow the business to $4.5B globally and scale the Running division to $1B. He shifted the brand deeper into culture, championed diverse and female athletes, and built campaigns like “My Future Self” and “Fearlessly Independent” into platforms that changed how people saw the brand.

At Coca-Cola, Steven built his experience across energy drinks and global sports marketing. He scaled Relentless Energy from $15M to $90M, built a community marketing model that rolled across the Coke portfolio, and led global programs tied to the FIFA World Cup, Rio Olympics, F1, and partnerships with artists like Avicii. Later, with C4 Energy, he launched the brand’s first global campaign alongside Kevin Hart and major sports properties from the NFL and NBA to WWE and college sports.

At Decathlon, Steven defined U.S. brand positioning approved by the Global CEO and launched Van Rysel into the American cycling market, working with REI, Sea Otter, and independent bike dealers to build something that felt genuinely new in the category.

Outside of work, Steven spends his time trail running, skiing, and ski touring across the Pacific Northwest with his family. In the PNW he has summited Mt Adams and Mt Hood, and recently completed his first 50k ultra, the Wildwood End-to-End Plus.

Advisory and speaking

Steven advises a small number of sport, outdoor, and consumer brands on brand strategy and go-to-market on a selective basis. He is also available for conference panels, keynotes, and industry conversations on brand building, go-to-market, and growth in the outdoor and sport categories.

For advisory or speaking inquiries, reach out via LinkedIn or email.