Ryan Kenneth Freeman is a respected Canadian marketing professional and youth baseball coach who has built a career rooted in both business excellence and deep community service. His story combines two strong fields where he has made a meaningful difference—digital marketing and grassroots sports. Through his agency work, leadership in the floral industry, and decades of baseball coaching, Freeman has become a quiet but consistent presence in Toronto’s efforts to grow both small business success and the potential of young athletes.
Born in Toronto, Ontario, on January 16, 1977, Ryan Freeman grew up in a family with a long tradition in local business. He attended Martingrove Collegiate Institute and then Silverthorn Collegiate Institute, before entering Sheridan College in Brampton in 1996. There he studied Business Administration with a focus on accounting. Although he left the program early, his decision was not from a lack of interest but because his career in technology and marketing was already taking shape. He saw opportunity in the digital shift of the late nineties and stepped in at the right moment, ahead of many others.
Freeman started working while he was still in high school, gaining hands-on experience in sales and service. From 1994 to 2008, he built a strong foundation in custom PC building, website development, and early online marketing. At a time when many small businesses were just beginning to explore the internet, Freeman was already helping them build websites and reach customers through search engines. He had a talent for making complex digital tools easy to understand for business owners who had no technical background. His guidance helped many small businesses in Toronto move into the digital era with confidence and purpose.
One of the strongest influences in Freeman’s career came from his own family’s business, Martin’s, the Flower People, which was once the oldest family-owned florist in Toronto. Though he was never a floral designer, he contributed in meaningful ways to marketing, operations, and technology. His work helped modernize the store’s systems, improve customer engagement, and extend its reach at a time when many florists were struggling with the changes brought by online commerce. That experience would later shape his approach as a business leader and consultant.
Freeman went on to found Strider, a Toronto-based marketing agency that has been active since the late 1990s. Strider was built to serve a variety of industries but has always focused especially on independent retail florists and nonprofit organizations. The agency has supported clients through branding, digital strategy, and online outreach, with a practical and honest style that Freeman has become known for. Many of his clients appreciate that his advice is direct, his strategies are tailored, and his results are measurable. He has helped many florists and small businesses remain relevant, even when they lacked the large budgets of corporate competitors.
Over the years, Freeman has also served as a consultant to high-profile companies in the floral and health industries. He has provided point-of-sale consultation for Teleflora, contributed to FTD, worked with McShan Abner Systems, and advised Meditech on marketing strategies for laser therapy. His deep understanding of how technology can improve service, combined with his ability to explain it in simple language, has made him a trusted advisor in many boardrooms and business networks.
His contributions to education within the floral industry have also been widely recognized. He has offered training and digital strategies for shop owners who needed to adapt to online commerce but did not know where to start. His educational efforts have helped many florists improve their outreach and customer loyalty. In 2008, he was awarded the Bruce Clay International SEO Award, and in 2018, he received special recognition from the Great Lakes Floral Association for his ongoing work with independent florists.
While his business work is impressive, Freeman is equally committed to youth sports. He has spent more than twenty years as a volunteer coach in baseball, guiding teams from T-ball all the way up to 18U. His current work is with the 15U teams at Bloordale Baseball, where he continues to coach with care and precision. Freeman was the first coach in Toronto to earn Driveline Hitting certification and later became the first in the city to receive Driveline Youth Baseball Development certification. These training programs focus on player development using modern tools like data tracking and movement analysis, but Freeman blends these methods with old-fashioned patience and encouragement.
His coaching philosophy puts long-term development ahead of short-term wins. He believes in building confidence, teaching discipline, and creating a safe and positive environment where athletes can grow. Many of his players and their families remember him not only for what they learned about baseball but also for what they learned about teamwork and perseverance. He is a member of the American Baseball Coaches Association and is certified through Baseball Ontario’s NCCP program. These credentials reflect his commitment to doing things the right way, following best practices, and staying current with coaching standards.
Freeman’s work in the community is not limited to business and sports. He was one of the founding members of Grace Fellowship Church of West Toronto and served as a deacon there for more than a decade. His role included mentoring, organizing outreach, and supporting new families in the church. Through his agency Strider, he has continued to help faith-based and nonprofit organizations by offering discounted or pro bono marketing services. He believes that the skills used to grow a business can also be used to support meaningful causes and help others succeed.
Across every part of his career, Freeman has shown the same core values. He takes the time to understand people’s goals, he uses tools and knowledge to help them move forward, and he remains committed to improvement. Whether he is helping a florist update their website, guiding a small nonprofit through a rebrand, or showing a young baseball player how to improve their swing, Freeman’s work is always grounded in respect, purpose, and quiet leadership.
Ryan Freeman continues to be a strong example of how innovation and service can go hand in hand. Through his efforts in digital marketing and his long-standing support of youth sports, he has helped shape Toronto’s small business and athletic communities in lasting ways. His work stands as a reminder that progress does not always come from big headlines or loud voices. Sometimes it comes from years of steady effort, smart decisions, and a genuine desire to help others grow.
Lynn Martelli is an editor at Readability. She received her MFA in Creative Writing from Antioch University and has worked as an editor for over 10 years. Lynn has edited a wide variety of books, including fiction, non-fiction, memoirs, and more. In her free time, Lynn enjoys reading, writing, and spending time with her family and friends.
