Today, we’re super pumped to announce our acquisition of The A Pledge (TAP), a pivotal step in our ongoing strategy to close the Relationship Gap within the innovation economy. This exciting partnership aligns perfectly with our pillars of convening dope people, fostering meaningful connections between them, emphasizing performance, and telling good stories. 

I’m sure many of you are asking how this aligns with our mission so let me state this out front – creative problem-solvers are absolutely part of the innovation economy. Too many people in tech think they are the only innovators, but I believe it’s the other way around. Creatives have led the way in terms of innovation for most of human history. Ironically, they lost that narrative over the past 25 or so years. 

The A Pledge, known for its dedication to incubating, advising, championing, and partnering with Black-owned agencies in Atlanta, will significantly bolster our collective capacity to drive meaningful change. Creative agencies—marketing, PR, digital, analytics, and beyond—are core to the creative problem-solving segment of the innovation economy, and this integration allows us to tackle the Relationship Gap head-on, a gap often even wider in creative industries compared to tech.

Unlocking New Opportunities Through Collaboration

By merging The A Pledge’s community of innovative, Black-owned agencies with Goodie Nation’s expansive network of startup founders, investors, and innovators nationwide, we create a dynamic ecosystem full of potential. This acquisition positions Goodie Nation and The A Pledge to:

• Integrate creative agencies earlier into startup growth journeys, enabling agencies to pitch for and secure marketing and communications contracts with early-stage startups.
• Leverage AI tools to enhance operational efficiency and creative outputs for agencies.
• Expand our geographical footprint, with future outreach planned in creative hubs like New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago.
• Foster agency executives’ roles as angel investors, enriching our ecosystem and paving new pathways for innovative funding.
• Enhance storytelling capabilities in the age of AI, benefiting the entire Goodie Nation community and its diverse stakeholders.

Next Cohort of TAP Forward Launching Late Summer

We are excited to announce the next cohort of the TAP Forward program, designed to amplify the success of creative agencies through targeted support, resources, and strategic connections, will kick off in late summer this year. Founders will benefit from Goodie Nation’s proven program structure, including third-party evaluations, CEO Masterminds, dedicated coaching, and our distinctive community-building approach. Applications are open now

Join Our Team: Hiring a Program Operations Manager

To support this growth, we are hiring a part-time Program Operations Manager. This pivotal role is perfect for a creative individual with a knack for community building and strong operational skills, eager to contribute meaningfully to our thriving innovation community.

Imagine the future possibilities this acquisition presents. Together, Goodie Nation and The A Pledge can set new benchmarks in fostering inclusive innovation, establishing a national model for collaborative and impactful partnerships in the innovation economy. Stay close as we continue to build a more connected and creative future together. 

This is innovation done right. Stay magnetic, and outwork yesterday, y’all.