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Directive Consulting vs Refine Labs

Kamaraj Mathiarasan (Kim) Kamaraj Mathiarasan (Kim) Kamaraj Mathiarasan (Kim) Co-Founder, PipeRocket Digital Kim is a dedicated SEO expert with over 15 years of experience helping B2B SaaS companies scale their organic presence. As Co-Founder of PipeRocket Digital, he focuses on high-impact SEO strategies, comprehensive content marketing, and revenue-focused optimization. Passionate about driving measurable growth, he builds scalable systems that turn organic traffic into meaningful pipeline. LinkedIn Full profile → | Last updated on
Directive Consulting vs Refine Labs

The short answer

Directive Consulting and Refine Labs are both well-known B2B SaaS demand agencies, but they sit at different points on the funding curve and run different playbooks. The honest split comes down to two things: how broad a motion you need (full-funnel with SEO, or demand creation built on paid and content), and whether your budget and stage clear Refine Labs’ enterprise floor.

Choose Directive Consulting Broader funnel, more proof, lower entry

If you want a full-funnel partner that includes organic SEO (which Refine Labs does not offer), a long public review trail (4.8 on Clutch across 56 reviews), and a lower entry point (~$5K–$10K/mo), Directive is the broader, more accessible and more documented pick.

Choose Refine Labs Demand-creation depth at enterprise scale

If you’re an enterprise B2B SaaS company ($30M+ ARR) that wants a partner who pioneered modern demand creation — the “Brand, Demand, Expand” framework and dark-social methodology — Refine Labs goes deeper on that motion, as long as you can clear a $20K+/mo floor and accept a thin public review trail.

At a glance

Directive Consulting Refine Labs
Founded 2013 2019
HQ Irvine, CA (+5 offices) Boston, MA
Core motion Paid + SEO + RevOps Demand creation (paid + content)
Starting price ~$5K–$10K / mo ~$20K–$31K / mo
Public rating 4.8 — Clutch (56 reviews) Not rated on Clutch (0 reviews)
Best for Series A to IPO, full-funnel Enterprise demand creation

Company profile

Directive Consulting

Founded 2013 · Irvine, CA + 5 offices · ~100–150 employees

Founded in 2013 by Garrett Mehrguth and Tanner Shaffer, Directive Consulting is a B2B performance-marketing agency built around its “Customer Generation” methodology, which pulls paid media, SEO, content, programmatic, and revenue operations into one framework. It serves companies from Series A to IPO, manages $150M+ in annual ad spend, and has been an Inc. 5000 honoree twice.

Founded
2013
HQ
Irvine, CA + 5 offices
Team
~100–150 employees
Founders
Garrett Mehrguth (Founder, President & CEO); Tanner Shaffer (Co-Founder & Managing Partner)
Notable clients
iCIMS, AxisCare, Placemakr, dbt, Arctic Wolf, SentinelOne
Public rating
4.8 — Clutch (56 reviews)
Awards
  • Inc. 5000 (2021, 2022)
  • Clutch Top Digital Marketing Company 2023
  • Clutch Global Award 2023
  • 2026 Clutch Startup Award
  • 2021 Integrated Agency of the Year
Certifications
  • Google Partner

Refine Labs

Founded 2019 · Boston, MA · ~50–100 employees

Founded in 2019 by Chris Walker, Refine Labs is a B2B demand-generation agency that helped popularise modern “demand creation” — rejecting MQL-centric lead gen in favour of pipeline contribution and dark-social measurement, organised around its “Brand, Demand, Expand” framework. Its early growth engine leaned heavily on Walker’s personal brand; he fully exited in July 2025, and Megan Bowen is now CEO and majority owner.

Founded
2019
HQ
Boston, MA
Team
~50–100 employees
Founders
Chris Walker (Founder; exited July 2025); Megan Bowen (CEO & majority owner)
Notable clients
Clari, Zappi, Vena, Bonterra, Algolia, Cognism, BeyondTrust
Public rating
Not rated on Clutch (0 reviews); ~4.8 on G2 (~4 reviews)

Pricing — what you'll actually pay

Neither agency publishes a full rate card, but they sit at very different entry points — Directive opens lower, Refine Labs starts at an enterprise floor.

Directive Consulting Refine Labs
Starting price ~$5K–$10K / mo (single channel) ~$20K / mo (paid media)
Full-service range $10K–$25K+ / mo (multi-channel) ~$31K / mo (full service)
One-time assessment Not publicly listed $35,000 (6–8 week)
Minimum project size $10,000+ (Clutch) $25,000+ (Clutch)
Typical contract 3–6 months 6–12 months (secondary)

Capability comparison

Both agencies drive B2B pipeline, but the scope differs sharply at the edges: organic SEO, RevOps depth, and the demand-creation methodology.

Service Directive Consulting Refine Labs
Paid media (search, social, programmatic) ✓ Core ✓ Core
Demand generation / creation strategy ✓ Core (Customer Generation) ✓ Signature (Brand, Demand, Expand)
Organic SEO / content for search ✓ Core offering ✕ Not offered
Content & creative production ✓ Offered ✓ Core
Revenue operations / attribution ✓ Core (RevOps practice) Partial — pipeline analytics
Account-based marketing (ABM) ✓ Offered ✓ Offered
CRO / landing pages ✓ Performance creative Partial — assessment tier
Programmatic advertising ✓ Core ✕ Not a core service
Education / community product ✕ Not offered ✓ The Vault

Team structure

Directive Consulting

~100–150 across 6 offices; specialists by channel

  • Account / strategy lead Senior
  • Paid media specialists By channel
  • SEO & content team In-house
  • RevOps / analytics In-house

Refine Labs

~50–100; demand strategists + creative + analytics

  • Demand strategist Senior
  • Paid media specialists Per account
  • Content & creative team In-house
  • Measurement / analytics lead Senior

Decision matrix — who fits which side

Criterion Directive Consulting Refine Labs
Documented, verifiable review track record ✓ –
Organic SEO as a core capability ✓ ✕
Demand-creation methodology depth – ✓
Lower entry point / growth-stage access ✓ –
Enterprise positioning ($30M+ ARR ICP) – ✓
Full-funnel breadth (paid + SEO + RevOps) ✓ –
Thought-leadership / brand pull – ✓
Industry awards & certifications ✓ –

Check = clear edge. Dash = capable but not the stronger pick. Cross = outside the model.

Strengths & tradeoffs

Both agencies are credible at driving B2B pipeline. The honest differences are at the edges, and each side wins some rows.

Axis Directive Consulting Refine Labs
Public proof 4.8 on Clutch across 56 reviews; Inc. 5000 twice Strong client list, but 0 Clutch reviews (~4.8 on G2, ~4 reviews)
Funnel breadth Full-funnel: paid + SEO + RevOps under one roof Demand creation via paid + content; no SEO offering
Demand-gen depth Customer Generation framework, RevOps attribution Signature “Brand, Demand, Expand” + dark-social methodology
Brand pull Performance-marketing reputation Pioneer brand; high-profile demand-gen podcast and content
Entry point ~$5K–$10K/mo single channel — growth-stage accessible ~$20K–$31K/mo; built for $30M+ ARR enterprise
Founder continuity Founders still lead the firm Founder Chris Walker fully exited July 2025; Megan Bowen now CEO/owner
Notable clients iCIMS, Arctic Wolf, SentinelOne, dbt, AxisCare Clari, Zappi, Vena, Bonterra, Algolia, Cognism

Ratings & track record

Metric Directive Consulting Refine Labs
Clutch rating 4.8 / 5 Not rated
Clutch reviews 56 0
Other rating — ~4.8 / 5 on G2 (~4 reviews)
Founded 2013 2019
Team size ~100–150 ~50–100
Notable clients iCIMS, Arctic Wolf, SentinelOne, dbt Clari, Zappi, Vena, Bonterra, Algolia
Awards Inc. 5000 (2x), multiple Clutch awards None publicly verified

On documented third-party proof, Directive is ahead: 4.8 on Clutch across 56 reviews, plus two Inc. 5000 listings, is a deep public trail. Refine Labs counters on demand-creation depth and enterprise positioning — it helped define the modern demand-gen playbook and serves a $30M+ ARR ICP that Directive’s lower floor isn’t exclusively built for. But weigh two material facts: Refine Labs has no SEO offering, and its founder, whose personal brand powered the firm’s early demand engine, fully exited in July 2025. Decide which form of evidence and which motion matter more to you.

Both agencies’ data is sourced from publicly available information as of June 2026. Pricing, team sizes, and ratings change — verify directly with each agency before deciding. This comparison is independent; we take no referral fees from either.

Frequently asked questions

Directive Consulting vs Refine Labs — which is better for B2B SaaS?
Both serve B2B SaaS. Directive is the broader, full-funnel pick with organic SEO and a lower entry point; Refine Labs goes deeper on demand creation for enterprise companies. The right answer depends on your stage, budget, and whether you need SEO in the mix.
Does Refine Labs do SEO?
No. Refine Labs has no organic-SEO offering — its demand-creation motion is built on paid media plus content and creative. If you need organic pipeline growth, Directive (which offers SEO as a core service) or a separate SEO partner is required.
Why does Refine Labs show no Clutch reviews?
Refine Labs has a Clutch profile but no verified reviews on it, so it carries no public Clutch rating (G2 shows roughly 4.8 across about four reviews). That isn’t proof of poor work, but it gives you less third-party validation than Directive’s 56 Clutch reviews.
Is Refine Labs still tied to Chris Walker?
No. Founder Chris Walker, whose personal brand was a core part of the firm’s early demand engine, sold all his shares in July 2025 and is now CEO of ENCODED. Megan Bowen is CEO and majority owner. The methodology remains, but the founder’s audience no longer belongs to the agency.
Which one is more affordable for earlier-stage companies?
Directive. It opens around $5K–$10K/mo for a single channel. Refine Labs starts near $20K/mo and targets companies with $30M+ ARR, putting it out of reach for most growth-stage buyers.
What is Refine Labs known for?
Demand creation — the “Brand, Demand, Expand” framework, dark-social methodology, and a strong thought-leadership brand (the State of Demand Gen / B2B Revenue Vitals podcast). It’s an enterprise-focused demand-gen specialist rather than a full-funnel agency.

Sources and references

  1. Directive Consulting — homepage and services (accessed June 2026)
  2. Directive Consulting — Our Story (founded 2013, founders) (accessed June 2026)
  3. Clutch — Directive Consulting profile (4.8, 56 reviews) (accessed June 2026)
  4. Inc. 5000 — Directive Consulting profile (accessed June 2026)
  5. Refine Labs — homepage and services (accessed June 2026)
  6. Refine Labs — pricing (accessed June 2026)
  7. Clutch — Refine Labs profile (0 reviews) (accessed June 2026)
  8. Refine Labs — ownership update (Walker exit, Bowen majority owner) (accessed June 2026)
  9. Refine Labs — customer stories (accessed June 2026)
Kamaraj Mathiarasan (Kim)
Written by Kamaraj Mathiarasan (Kim) Co-Founder, PipeRocket Digital

Kim is a dedicated SEO expert with over 15 years of experience helping B2B SaaS companies scale their organic presence. As Co-Founder of PipeRocket Digital, he focuses on high-impact SEO strategies, comprehensive content marketing, and revenue-focused optimization. Passionate about driving measurable growth, he builds scalable systems that turn organic traffic into meaningful pipeline.

View full profile
Praveen Ravi
Reviewed by Praveen Ravi Co-Founder, PipeRocket Digital

Praveen is a performance-driven marketing leader with over a decade of experience in paid acquisition and demand generation for B2B SaaS companies. As Co-Founder of PipeRocket Digital, he specializes in building high-ROI paid media strategies, scaling pipeline through data-driven experimentation, and aligning marketing efforts directly with revenue outcomes.

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