All work

Next Level Partners

A website and brand for an impact-investing firm

The Next Level Partners website, which I built, and logo, color and type explorations for a new identity, for a volunteer-led group that helps entrepreneurs close the wealth gap.

Role
Website builder & brand designer
Scope
Website, Logo, Color, Typography
Tools
Wix
The live Next Level Partners homepage framed in a desktop browser: logo and navigation, the mission line on an indigo band, and a welcome section beside a photo of a builder at work

Who they are

Next Level Partners are impact investors who help entrepreneurs close the wealth gap in underserved communities. Their belief is simple: entrepreneurship is one of the best ways to close that gap and create jobs. As one of their partners puts it, “the best social program is a job.”

The group’s two co-founders saw a need to bring like-minded people together to back business owners working on economic disparities. Next Level Partners is fully volunteer-led and runs on a zero-overhead, no-fee model. Its goal is to build a $3M evergreen loan fund and generate $100M in community wealth and 1,000 jobs over ten years.

How they work

Their model rests on three things partners bring to a business.

Capital. Investors direct their donor-advised funds into low-cost loans for local businesses, with no overhead and no fees. The Venn Foundation is their financial partner, structuring the loans as program-related investments.

Capabilities. Portfolio companies get pro-bono advice from seasoned business leaders, not just a check.

Connections. The group bridges its investors and the businesses it supports, so each side helps the other.

The businesses they back create jobs and pathways for people in their communities. Among them are a construction firm building careers for people from underserved communities, a fair-trade jewelry brand, a social-impact caterer and two cleaning companies that offer second-chance employment. So far, their site counts 5 business partners, $1M in loan capital raised, $10M in partner revenue growth and 50 jobs created.

How the work ran

  1. Serve two audiences

    A clear path for investors and for business owners.

  2. Build the site

    Build each page on Wix.

  3. Explore the identity

    Logo lockups, color and type.

1Serve two audiences

The site speaks to two audiences at once. Investors, advisors, corporations and foundations need to understand the model and find a way to get involved. Business owners need to see what partnership offers and how to apply. The site gives each a clear path.

2Build the site

I built it on Wix. The homepage, shown at the top of this page, opens with the mission on an indigo band, followed by a welcome and a short video. Below that, “What Drives Us” lays out the problem, the belief and the results so far.

“What Drives Us” sets out the problem, the belief and the results.

Solutions & Partners explains the three-part model, then the four ways to take part: investment, corporate and advisory partners, and foundations.

Solutions & Partners: the model, then the ways to make an impact.

About Us carries the mission, the core values and the ten-year goal, along with the founders’ story and quotes from partners. Our Portfolio introduces each business they support, and a short survey invites new business owners to check their fit. Make an Impact is a simple form for anyone who wants to invest, offer their services or learn more.

About Us: core values and the ten-year goal.

3Explore the identity

Alongside the site, I explored an identity for the group: logo lockups, a color palette led by deep indigo and a type specification.

Lockups, palette and type.