Profound Gentlemen
Profound Gentlemen is a Charlotte-based nonprofit founded in 2014-2015 that supports nearly 1,000 male educators of color nationally through peer cohorts, mentorship, professional development, and the Apple Fund micro-grant program, reporting a 92% member retention rate.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersCharlotte, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Profound Gentlemen does
Profound Gentlemen is a US nonprofit organization founded in 2014-2015 in Charlotte, North Carolina, by former Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools teachers Jason Terrell and Mario Jovan Shaw. The organization is dedicated to retaining and supporting male educators of color, a demographic representing approximately 2% of the US teaching workforce, through a community platform combining peer support networks, professional development, mentorship, and direct financial assistance.
Its core offerings include a Peer Support Network organized into regional cohorts and affinity groups, a Mentorship Program pairing seasoned educators with early-career teachers, a 10-month Affinity Group Curriculum addressing identity, imposter syndrome, classroom management, and resilience, and The Apple Fund which provides monthly micro-grants to members for classroom supplies and licensure costs. The Community Impact Assembly (CIA) is the organization's annual flagship professional development event, with the 9th edition held March 15-17, 2024 in Atlanta. A branded merchandise storefront launched in 2024 to diversify earned revenue. Technology dependencies are lightweight and primarily off-the-shelf: Microsoft Forms for member intake, a password-protected membership portal, Zeffy for donations, Guidebook for event scheduling, and YouTube for podcast content.
The business model is philanthropic in nature. Revenue derives from individual donations across a six-tier ladder ($1 Supporter to $10,000 Founder's Circle), grants from institutional funders including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, Charles Schwab Foundation, Polk Bros Foundation, Annie Casey Foundation, and Bank of America, merchandise sales, and school/district partnerships that are funded through philanthropic dollars rather than direct fees through 2025. Membership itself is not monetized as a subscription. The organization operates nationally with regional Impact Leaders covering 13+ states and has reached approximately 1,000 male educators of color, reporting 92% member retention, 37% leadership advancement, 22% promotion rates, and 76% long-term retention intent.
Profound Gentlemen firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Profound Gentlemen
- Legal name
- Profound Gentlemen
- Website
- https://profoundgentlemen.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Profound Gentlemen is a Charlotte-based nonprofit founded in 2014-2015 that supports nearly 1,000 male educators of color nationally through peer cohorts, mentorship, professional development, and the Apple Fund micro-grant program, reporting a 92% member retention rate.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Profound Gentlemen industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Teacher Professional Development and Retention Services
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (611710), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- After-School, Tutoring & Academic Enrichment Nonprofits (BPAGADAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Leadership, Character Education & Values Development (EDAMAIAG)
Keywords
Where Profound Gentlemen is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Charlotte
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Profound Gentlemen business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Membership Program: Membership-based model providing access to professional development, coaching, mentorship, peer networks, and community events for male educators of color.
- Merchandise Sales: E-commerce storefront selling branded merchandise including varsity jackets ($150), snapback hats ($40), t-shirts ($40), and tote bags ($40) to supporters and alumni.
- School/District Partnerships: Schools and districts partner with Profound Gentlemen to access the network of educators and receive tailored conferences, educator workshops, and affinity group programs. Partnership supported by philanthropic dollars through 2025.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | One time/ perpetual license | Supporter ($1-$499) |
| Other | One time/ perpetual license | Classmate ($500) |
| Other | One time/ perpetual license | Mentor ($1,000) |
| Other | One time/ perpetual license | Advocate ($2,500) |
| Other | One time/ perpetual license | Visionary ($5,000) |
| Other | One time/ perpetual license | Founder's Circle ($10,000) |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Profound Gentlemen product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Profound Gentlemen operates a membership-based community platform that develops, supports, and retains male educators of color in K-12 public and charter schools through peer support networks, mentorship pairing, professional development workshops and fellowships, and a 10-month affinity group curriculum. The organization also provides direct financial support via The Apple Fund and hosts an annual Community Impact Assembly, while offering school and district partnerships for tailored conferences, workshops, and feedback loops. A branded merchandise e-commerce store supplements revenue.
Product overview
Profound Gentlemen offers a membership-based community platform for male educators of color, combining peer support networks, professional development, and mentorship services. The core offering includes a Peer Support Network connecting educators through regional cohorts and affinity groups, Skills and Professional Development Opportunities through fellowships and workshops, and a Mentorship Program pairing seasoned educators with newer teachers. The organization also provides The Apple Fund for financial assistance and an annual Community Impact Assembly event. Additionally, Profound Gentlemen operates a merchandise store featuring branded apparel including The Seed Tee, The Rooted Tote, The Profound Snapback, and the Alumni Varsity Jacket.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Membership Program (Peer Support Network + Membership Portal) Free membership-based community offering for individual male educators of color, providing access to a password-protected membership portal, regional cohort connections, affinity group programming, ongoing professional development, coaching, and peer networking. Members self-register through a Microsoft Forms intake and access exclusive resources and community features.
- Mentorship Program Structured mentorship service connecting seasoned male educators of color with newer teachers, providing wisdom, experience, and guidance through online networking and regional community cohorts. Seasoned educators receive stipends for championing the work.
- Skills and Professional Development Opportunities Fellowship programs, educator workshops, and skills-formation opportunities that provide ongoing professional development for male educators of color across regional cohorts.
- Affinity Group Curriculum A 10-month research-based curriculum covering authentic identity, classroom management, imposter syndrome, resilience, and other professional development topics, delivered to school and district partners through licensed facilitators and seasoned educator champions.
- The Apple Fund Monthly financial support program awarding funds to three members each month to cover classroom supplies, Praxis test/licensure costs, and other professional development expenses for male educators of color.
- School and District Partnership Program Partnership offering for schools, districts, and charter networks providing access to the network of nearly 1,000 male educators of color, tailored conferences, educator workshops, affinity group curriculum implementation, and personalized feedback loops with raw data. Funded through philanthropic dollars through 2025.
- Community Impact Assembly (CIA) Annual Event Annual three-day national gathering bringing male educators of color together for professional development sessions, discussions, and fellowship activities. The 9th annual CIA was held March 15-17, 2024 in Atlanta, GA.
- The Seed Tee Branded heavyweight cotton t-shirt (100% cotton, 230 GSM) representing the power of planting purpose, sold to supporters and alumni for $40.
- The Rooted Tote Durable 12 oz polyester tote bag with all-over print symbolizing growth, designed for educators and changemakers to carry their tools and ideas, sold for $40.
- The Profound Snapback Premium adjustable snapback cap made from 100% twill cotton with embroidered PG logo, representing pride, purpose, and presence for educators, sold for $40.
- Alumni Varsity Jacket Premium varsity jacket designed by Westcott Studios celebrating Profound Gentlemen's 5 Year Members, with heavyweight melton wool body, vegan leather sleeves, custom patches and embroidery, sold for $150.
Quantifiable outcome
- 92% of members are retained in the education profession
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Profound Gentlemen
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Profound Gentlemen technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
Feature4 records
Profound Gentlemen partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, regional and major.
- Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schoolscore
- EdLantaregional
- Teach For Americacore
- Children's Defense Fundcore
- Center for Black Educator Developmentcore
- Profound Ladiescore
- Every Child Thrives (W.K. Kellogg Foundation)major
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Profound Gentlemen competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Relay Graduate School of Education: Graduate school and professional development provider for teachers and school leaders with a focus on equity. Comparable in targeting career-stage professional development for educators and serving diverse candidate populations.
- Teach For America: National teacher recruitment and development nonprofit that places educators in high-need schools. Comparable because TFA is a feeder pipeline for PG members (both co-founders were TFA corps members) and TFA alumni are a primary recruitment source for Profound Gentlemen's cohorts.
- New Teacher Center: National nonprofit providing mentoring and professional development for early-career educators, with district partnerships. Comparable in offering structured mentorship and coaching services to early-stage teachers at scale.
- Educators for Excellence: Teacher-led nonprofit focused on elevating teacher voice in policy and providing professional development. Comparable as a national nonprofit serving early- and mid-career educators with district-level engagement.
Emerging players
- Diverse Educators: Community and resource platform for educators from underrepresented backgrounds, offering networking and career support. Comparable as a community-driven platform supporting diverse educators, though more of a digital community than a structured mentorship/cohort program.
- National Center for Teacher Residencies: Nonprofit network supporting teacher residency programs in high-need districts, with focus on teacher preparation and retention. Partial overlap with PG's mission of improving educator retention through structured support, though more focused on pre-service training.
Direct peers
- Center for Black Educator Development: National nonprofit focused on recruiting, developing, and retaining Black educators through pipelines, training, and community support. Directly comparable in mission to diversify and retain Black educators, with overlapping partnership ecosystems.
- Black Men Teach: Nonprofit dedicated to increasing the number of Black male teachers in K-12 education through recruitment, training, and community. Directly comparable demographic focus (Black male educators) and similar nonprofit/community-cohort service model.
- The Fellowship: Black Male Educators for Social Justice: Philadelphia-based organization supporting Black male educators through community, advocacy, and professional development. Directly comparable niche (Black male educators) and community-cohort model, though smaller and more regionally focused.
- Profound Ladies: Sister organization that applies the same cohort, mentorship, and professional development model to female educators of color. Directly comparable in mission structure, region-based growth, and nonprofit funding approach; effectively the only true direct peer operating in the same niche.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Profound Gentlemen social profiles
Digital presenceProfound Gentlemen financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Profound Gentlemen leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Profound Gentlemen funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Profound Gentlemen M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Profound Gentlemen
What does Profound Gentlemen do?
Profound Gentlemen operates a membership-based community platform that develops, supports, and retains male educators of color in K-12 public and charter schools through peer support networks, mentorship pairing, professional development workshops and fellowships, and a 10-month affinity group curriculum. The organization also provides direct financial support via The Apple Fund and hosts an annual Community Impact Assembly, while offering school and district partnerships for tailored conferences, workshops, and feedback loops. A branded merchandise e-commerce store supplements revenue.
Is Profound Gentlemen a public or private company?
Profound Gentlemen is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Profound Gentlemen founded?
Profound Gentlemen was founded in 2015. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Profound Gentlemen based?
Profound Gentlemen is headquartered in Charlotte, United States, in the North America region.
How does Profound Gentlemen make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Membership Program is the primary driver. The others are merchandise Sales and school/District Partnerships.
Who are Profound Gentlemen's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Relay Graduate School of Education, Teach For America, New Teacher Center and Educators for Excellence. Emerging players are Diverse Educators and National Center for Teacher Residencies. Direct peers are Center for Black Educator Development, Black Men Teach, The Fellowship: Black Male Educators for Social Justice and Profound Ladies.
Does Profound Gentlemen have an API?
No public API is recorded for Profound Gentlemen.
What industry is Profound Gentlemen in?
Profound Gentlemen's product category is Teacher Professional Development and Retention Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGADAC, After-School, Tutoring & Academic Enrichment Nonprofits, with a secondary code of EDAMAIAG, Leadership, Character Education & Values Development. Its NAICS code is 611710 and its SIC code is 8600.