Social Entrepreneur in Residence

The Mission Partners’ Social Entrepreneur in Residence is an 18-month executive-level program designed to shift capital to Black-led communications firms, in line with our Racial Equity Action Plan and our 2025 Commitment to Black and women-led organizations.

According to PRWeek’s 2020 Agency Business Report, only 8% of agency leadership identifies as Black, while 89.8% identifies as white. And, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s Small Business Credit Survey: 2021 Report on Firms Owned by People of Color, “firms owned by people of color continue to face structural barriers in acquiring the capital, knowledge, and market access necessary for growth.”

In response to the racial disparity among agency owners, Mission Partners launched its Social Entrepreneur in Residence program in September 2022 as part of the agency’s ongoing commitment to shift $2.5M to Black and women-led organizations by 2025. The Social Entrepreneur in Residence program is aimed at addressing the racial disparity in communications agency ownership.

“At Mission Partners, we believe communications is the greatest tool for social justice—and that extends to how we use our power, privilege, and advantage as a white-led communications firm. By strategically investing in business owners, we can support a ripple effect of impact, that extends to that business owner’s family, their employees, and their community. Over time, we hope this program serves as a model for others in our sector.”

Carrie Fox, Founder and CEO, Mission Partners

Notice: Applications for the Social Entrepreneur in Residence are closed.

If you have questions about the program please email Sadie Lockhart, Mission Partners Community Engagement Manager, [email protected].

Throughout this residency, the entrepreneur will receive executive level coaching and financial support to grow and scale their company. In return, the Social Entrepreneur in Residence will provide skilled expertise in their respective area of focus to Mission Partners’ employees and clients.

Applicants must have 5 or less years of business ownership experience and serve as the owner, CEO, president or lead decisionmaker of a communications or marketing agency. The business must be based in the U.S. and be officially registered with the IRS. While all agencies are invited to apply, agencies located within 100 miles of Mission Partners’ headquarters in Rockville, MD will be given preference for the 2025-2026 residency.

Mission Partners was also named by PRNEWS to be among the world’s most impactful communicators, recognizing our agency with the 2024 Corporate Social Responsibility award. Mission Partners’ Social Entrepreneur in Residence program was also featured in Inc. Magazine.

Interested in becoming a vendor with Mission Partners? Please email Carrie Fox, [email protected], to be considered, as a part of our rolling vendor submissions.

Meet our 2022-2024 Social Entrepreneur in Residence

Mission Partners’ inaugural Social Entrepreneur in Residence is Ryan Pintado-Vertner, a Chicago-based activist and strategic marketing impact expert with two decades of experience guiding Fortune-level brands, building startups, and leading nonprofit organizations. He is the CEO and founder of Smoketown, a boutique brand consultancy, where empathy, purpose, and vision are at the heart of his work. As the inaugural recipient of this Residency, Ryan will help shape the growth and future of the program and be involved in the selection of future awardees.

“It’s one thing to believe in myself as a startup founder. It’s quite another thing to have others believe in me, too, especially when those allies are backing it up with money, resources, and expertise that I can rely on. That’s what Mission Partners’ Social Entrepreneurship in Residence program means to me.”

Ryan Pintado-Vertner, CEO and Founder, Smoketown

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