About Nathaniel Stevens
Building for the Long Term
Nathaniel Stevens builds businesses with a simple goal: make essential work easier for the people who do it every day.
His career has focused on helping local and service-based businesses compete in a world shaped by technology — without forcing them to become something they’re not. The work is grounded in real experience, shaped by empathy for operators, and driven by a belief that progress should feel practical, not overwhelming.
Why?
Where It Started
Nathaniel grew up around a family business. His father ran a car dealership, and from an early age Nathaniel saw what it meant to serve customers face to face. He learned that small businesses carry real weight — they support families, employ communities, and rely on trust to survive.
Later, while working at the dealership and studying at the Wharton School, he noticed a growing disconnect. Technology was rapidly changing how customers made decisions, but many local businesses lacked access to the tools needed to keep up. They weren’t falling behind because they lacked skill or effort — they simply didn’t have the right infrastructure.
That gap became the foundation for everything that followed.
Learning by Building
Nathaniel co-founded Yodle to help local businesses be discovered online. The company started small and stayed close to its customers. Instead of chasing scale for its own sake, Yodle focused on solving real problems and proving value early.
Over time, that approach worked. Yodle grew into a national platform serving thousands of businesses, built a large team, and ultimately was acquired by Web.com. The experience reinforced a core belief that still guides Nathaniel’s work today: sustainable growth comes from usefulness, not hype.
Going Deeper Than Marketing
After Yodle, Nathaniel shifted his focus from customer acquisition to day-to-day operations.
Punchey was created to support the systems businesses rely on once customers arrive — payments, scheduling, customer management, and communication. These functions are foundational, but often underserved by tools that don’t reflect how service businesses actually operate.
Punchey was designed to feel intuitive, integrated, and grounded in real workflows. Nathaniel continues to guide the company as Chairman, supporting its long-term direction while enabling teams to execute independently.
Investing With an Operator’s Perspective
Through Stevens Ventures, Nathaniel partners with early-stage founders building practical, durable businesses. His investment focus reflects his own experience — technology that supports commerce, services, and everyday operations.
He works closely with founders, offering context earned through building, scaling, and exiting companies. The goal isn’t fast outcomes. It’s thoughtful progress and alignment between product, customer, and mission.
Returning to the Foundation
Nathaniel also leads Stevens Auto Group, a third-generation family business that has served its community for decades. This role connects his professional journey back to its origin — inside a local business built on relationships and long-term commitment.
Running a legacy company reinforces the values that shape his work elsewhere: accountability, continuity, and respect for the people who keep a business running.
What Guides the Work
Nathaniel’s approach is shaped by a few consistent principles:
Build products that reduce friction
Respect the time and intelligence of users
Prioritize long-term value over short-term attention
Stay close to the people being served
Technology should be a quiet advantage, not a burden. Businesses should feel supported, not pressured to constantly adapt to trends that don’t serve them.
Looking Forward
Nathaniel continues to build, invest, and lead with intention. The work spans industries and formats, but the motivation remains consistent: help businesses operate with more clarity, confidence, and resilience.
This is not about disruption for its own sake.
It’s about building systems that last — and improving the experience of work along the way.