Ryan Clark

Ryan J.Q. Clark knows every one of his 200 employees by first name and reaches out to them regularly. The co-CEO and co-founder of PeopleShare believes in the growth and development of people and is known to be a great coach, relating to everyone he speaks to and taking time to grow his immediate team, his staff said.

“I think it comes down to humility,” Clark said. “Once you feel you know everything, you stop learning. I do my best to talk with professionals at all levels to listen and understand what their challenges are and what they enjoy.”

Clark and his business partner David G. Donald founded the staffing firm PeopleShare in 2005. The business has grown to one of the 100 largest staffing companies in the country and has been recognized on the Inc. 5000 and Best Places to Work lists multiple times. Along the way, PeopleShare acquired companies in Virginia and Illinois and now operates in more than 40 states with more than 30 offices.

“(Clark) has created a culture and company that represent the best in the business, where he challenges, develops and praises those around him,” his team said. “He has a unique approach to situations and a positive outlook. He talks about envisioning an outcome of success in every situation he encounters and trains his team to do the same.”

The company aims to grow to 49 offices this year through organic growth and acquisitions. “We’re going to add companies to our portfolio that fit our niche business model,” the company said. Company leaders envision growing to 75 offices and $375 million in revenue in the next five years.

Clark previously worked for seven years at PDI, the world’s largest contract sales organization supporting the pharmaceutical industry, where he was recognized as a top performer and was promoted several times. In 2003, a major Philadelphia-based staffing company hired Clark. Within three months, he turned an unprofitable office into one of the most profitable offices in the company.

PeopleShare has received numerous awards and recognitions under Clark’s leadership, including Forbes 2021 America’s Best Temporary Staffing Firms, Inc. 5000 Fastest-Growing Private Companies, Philadelphia Business Journal’s Best Places to Work for 10 consecutive years, and Inc. Magazine’s 500 Best Places to Work in Pennsylvania.

Clark is a two-time SmartCEO winner. He has been published in Smart Business Dealmakers (Philadelphia) on the topic of acquisitions and learning lessons from acquiring another staffing company. He has appeared on MoneyMatters TV and most recently was a guest on That Sales Show PodCast.