Ryan Farley is a seasoned entrepreneur, investor, and business strategist with a proven track record of building innovative companies across diverse industries. As the Founder and Managing Partner of Negative Burn, an investment fund focused on fostering high-potential ventures, Ryan leverages his extensive experience in scaling businesses and identifying untapped market opportunities to drive growth and deliver value to his portfolio companies.

Ryan’s entrepreneurial journey is marked by the founding of LawnStarter, a national marketplace for lawn care services that has grown into one of the largest lawn care companies globally. Launched in 2013, LawnStarter revolutionized the industry by connecting homeowners with local providers through a seamless digital platform. Under Ryan’s leadership as Co-Founder and head of growth, the company raised $7 million in venture capital, expanded into major metro areas, and scaled to serve over 10,000 customers—all while operating with a scrappy, customer-focused mindset honed during its early days in the Techstars accelerator program. His innovative approach to content marketing and growth hacking earned recognition from outlets like Inc., Forbes, and The Huffington Post.

Beyond LawnStarter, Ryan founded Debthammer, a company dedicated to helping individuals escape the burden of payday loans. Through strategic solutions and a commitment to financial empowerment, Debthammer reflects Ryan’s ability to identify pressing consumer needs and deliver impactful results. Additionally, he established a marketing firm tailored to law firms, showcasing his versatility in building niche businesses that capitalize on his expertise in growth and analytics.

A graduate of Virginia Tech with a BS in Mechanical Engineering, Ryan began his career at Capital One, where he honed his analytical skills before transitioning into entrepreneurship. Based in Austin, Texas, he continues to shape industries through Negative Burn, drawing on his unique blend of technical acumen, marketing ingenuity, and a passion for solving real-world problems. In his spare time, Ryan enjoys teaching his dog new tricks, writing about startup lessons on his blog, and exploring the intersection of technology and human-centric innovation.