Reputation Partners
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2002
- HeadquartersChicago, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Reputation Partners does
Reputation Partners, L.L.C. is a national strategic communications and public relations firm headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, founded in 2002 by Nick Kalm. The firm operates as a professional services consultancy delivering an integrated suite of capabilities across crisis communications, public and media relations, employee and labor communications, financial communications, ESG communications, digital and social media strategy, and marketing/creative services, unified under an internal methodology branded as RP Impact. It does not develop proprietary technology products; delivery relies on senior communications professionals using standard digital, social, and media tools. The client base spans Fortune 500 and mid-market corporations (Labcorp, ACE Hardware, Owens Corning, Simon Property Group, Associated Bank, SEKO Logistics, Goddard School), health systems (Sparrow Health, University of Chicago Medicine, NCSBN), trade associations, and non-profits, with the firm claiming 700+ brands serviced over its 20+ year history.
The firm runs a consultative, sales-led go-to-market model with senior leadership directly engaged in client delivery rather than reserved for pitches, and reports a 100% client recommendation rate in internal surveys. Revenue is generated via project-based and retainer engagements typical of mid-sized PR agencies; pricing is not publicly disclosed and is scoped per engagement. Distribution combines thought-leadership content, active participation in industry conferences (Gartner Marketing Symposium, Mirren, PRWeek Crisis Comms, Manifest), earned media from industry rankings (PRNEWS Agency Elite Top 100/120 for four consecutive years; Observer Top Specialty PR Firms 2025), and direct outreach. Reputation Partners is an independent, founder-led private LLC with no disclosed institutional investors, parent company, or M&A activity beyond the 2016 acquisition of Vollrath Associates and the 2017 acquisition of Words & Pictures; secondary offices are limited to Chicago (headquarters) and Milwaukee.
Reputation Partners firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Reputation Partners
- Legal name
- Reputation Partners, L.L.C.
- Website
- https://reputationpartners.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2002
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Reputation Partners industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Strategic Communications and Public Relations
- NAICS
- Public Relations Agencies (54182), Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services (5418)
- SIC
- Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Reputation Management & Online PR (BPAFADAN)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Reputation Management & Executive Thought Leadership (MPAAADAK), Executive & Leadership Reputation Management (MPAAAOAE), Employee Communications & Employer Brand Reputation (MPAAAOAJ), Social Media Reputation & Community Management (MPAAAOAI)
Keywords
Where Reputation Partners is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Reputation Partners business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Strategic Communications Consulting: Reputation Partners generates revenue through professional services engagements including strategic communications consulting, public relations, crisis communications, employee communications, financial communications, ESG communications, digital and social media strategy, and marketing creative services. The firm operates on a project-based and/or retainer fee model typical of professional services firms, with pricing based on scope of engagement and senior-level involvement.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
Reputation Partners product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Reputation Partners is a national strategic communications and public relations firm that helps corporations, brands, health systems, trade associations, and non-profits build, protect, and rebuild their reputations. The firm delivers integrated communications services including crisis communications, public relations, media relations, employee and labor communications, financial communications, ESG communications, digital and social media strategy, and marketing creative services. All services are delivered by senior communications professionals through project-based or retainer engagements.
Product overview
Reputation Partners is a national strategic communications and public relations firm offering a unified suite of integrated communications services. The core offerings include Crisis Communications, Public Relations, Employee Communications, and Financial Communications as primary service lines, supported by specialized capabilities in Media Relations, Labor Communications, ESG Communications, Digital & Social Media Strategy, and Marketing & Creative Services. The RP Impact framework ties all services together, providing a results-oriented approach to building, protecting, and rebuilding organizational reputation. The firm operates as a professional services consultancy rather than a software product company, delivering human expertise in strategic communications, media relations, crisis management, and digital strategy.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- RP Impact
Quantifiable outcome
- 100% of surveyed clients would recommend the firm
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Reputation Partners
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Reputation Partners technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Reputation Partners partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Reputation Partners competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Edelman: Edelman is the world's largest independent PR firm and Reputation Partners' most direct peer, with overlapping services in corporate reputation, crisis communications, employee engagement, and ESG advisory. Reputation Partners' founder Nick Kalm and EVP Andrew Moyer are both Edelman alumni, underscoring how closely the firms compete for talent and clients.
- Weber Shandwick: Weber Shandwick is a top-tier global PR agency offering corporate reputation, crisis, employee communications, and public affairs — directly mirroring Reputation Partners' service portfolio. It is a frequent competitor on large enterprise reputation RFPs where scale and global reach are evaluated.
- Hill & Knowlton Strategies: Hill & Knowlton is a global public affairs and corporate communications consultancy with comparable offerings in media relations, crisis, and ESG advisory. Reputation Partners' Paige Borgman and Michael Grimm are alumni, indicating shared talent pipelines and direct client overlap.
- FleishmanHillard: FleishmanHillard is a global communications consultancy with strong corporate reputation and crisis practices that directly overlap Reputation Partners' core offerings. RP VP RJ Bruce is an alumnus, and the firms compete for the same Fortune 500 and mid-cap reputation mandates.
- Finn Partners: Finn Partners is a fast-growing independent PR firm with strong corporate, technology, and health practices; Reputation Partners' SVP Michael Grimm previously served as Account Supervisor at Finn Partners. The two firms compete for similar mid-cap and enterprise reputation mandates.
- Ketchum: Ketchum is a global communications firm specializing in corporate reputation, brand marketing, and crisis work; Reputation Partners' founder Nick Kalm previously served as Senior Vice President at Ketchum. The firms compete for senior communications talent and mid-to-large corporate reputation engagements.
- MSL Group: MSL Group is Publicis Groupe's global public relations and integrated communications network, offering corporate reputation, crisis, employee engagement, and public affairs — the same core capabilities Reputation Partners sells to enterprises.
- Burson (formerly Burson Cohn & Wolfe): Burson is a global communications leader built around corporate reputation, crisis, and public affairs — a near-exact strategic overlap with Reputation Partners' positioning, and a frequent competitor on enterprise crisis and M&A communications mandates.
Emerging players
- Gregory FCA: Gregory FCA is a mid-sized independent communications firm with deep corporate reputation, crisis, and public affairs practices, serving a comparable client profile of mid-cap and large enterprises. It is a more size-comparable competitor to Reputation Partners than the global networks.
- Tierney Communications: Tierney is a Philadelphia-based integrated communications agency with corporate reputation and PR offerings that overlap Reputation Partners' service mix. Reputation Partners' EVP Kate O'Neil is a Tierney alumna, and the two firms share a similar mid-sized independent profile.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Reputation Partners social profiles
Digital presenceReputation Partners financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Reputation Partners leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Reputation Partners funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Reputation Partners M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A2 records
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Reputation Partners
What does Reputation Partners do?
Reputation Partners is a national strategic communications and public relations firm that helps corporations, brands, health systems, trade associations, and non-profits build, protect, and rebuild their reputations. The firm delivers integrated communications services including crisis communications, public relations, media relations, employee and labor communications, financial communications, ESG communications, digital and social media strategy, and marketing creative services. All services are delivered by senior communications professionals through project-based or retainer engagements.
Is Reputation Partners a public or private company?
Reputation Partners is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Reputation Partners founded?
Reputation Partners was founded in 2002. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Reputation Partners based?
Reputation Partners is headquartered in Chicago, United States, in the North America region.
How does Reputation Partners make money?
One revenue line is on record: strategic Communications Consulting.
Who are Reputation Partners's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Edelman, Weber Shandwick, Hill & Knowlton Strategies, FleishmanHillard, Finn Partners, Ketchum, MSL Group and Burson (formerly Burson Cohn & Wolfe). Emerging players are Gregory FCA and Tierney Communications.
Does Reputation Partners have an API?
No public API is recorded for Reputation Partners.
What industry is Reputation Partners in?
Reputation Partners's product category is Strategic Communications and Public Relations. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAFADAN, Reputation Management & Online PR, with a secondary code of MPAAADAK, Reputation Management & Executive Thought Leadership. Its NAICS code is 54182 and its SIC code is 7311.