The Next Practices Group (NPG) is an Austin, Texas holding company and collective of communications, marketing, data and technology firms, launched in July 2020 by Bob Pearson, who is founder and chair. PRovoke Media's 2024 Global 250 ranking lists it with 275 staff and $50.7 million in 2023 fee income, up 50.1 percent. Its network has included agencies such as 104 West Partners, The Bliss Group and Content Science.
Updated: October 27, 2026
Contents
What does Next Practices Group do?
NPG runs a network of founder-led firms that cover communications, marketing, public affairs, data science, performance marketing, security, technology and purpose-based work. The group's own description calls it a founder-driven group formed to create competitive advantage and value for clients.
- Communications and PR, through agencies such as 104 West Partners for B2B technology clients and The Bliss Group for regulated industries.
- Data science, analytics and performance marketing.
- Content strategy through Content Science, plus security, technology and social purpose firms.
A collective model with separate founder-led brands sets NPG apart from the single-brand independents on Everything-PR such as Coyne PR and Padilla agency profile.
Who owns and leads Next Practices Group?
NPG is a founder-driven holding company led by founder and chair Bob Pearson, an industry veteran who launched GCI Health and was a W2O Group president. PRovoke Media reported in July 2020 that Pearson had created a collective of firms spanning marketing, communications and technology needs.
The group is organized around a founders' group in which leaders of member firms take part. When 104 West Partners joined in September 2023, its founder and CEO Patrick Ward entered that group. The sources reviewed for this profile name no outside investor in NPG itself. O'Dwyer's reported in January 2021 that Pearson would serve as CEO of The Bliss Group after NPG invested in the firm.
How big is Next Practices Group?
PRovoke Media's 2024 Global 250 lists Next Practices Group with $50,741,121 in 2023 fee income and 275 staff, up 50.1 percent from $33.8 million in 2022. The ranking uses 2023 figures, a year older than the O'Dwyer's data on the U.S. profiles.
| Measure | Detail |
|---|
| Launched | July 2020, by Bob Pearson |
| Headquarters | Austin, TX |
| Staff | 275 (PRovoke Media 2024 ranking) |
| 2023 fee income | $50,741,121 (PRovoke Media 2024 ranking) |
| Growth, 2022 to 2023 | 50.1% (PRovoke Media) |
| Ownership | Founder-driven holding company; no outside investor named in sources reviewed |
PRovoke notes that revenue for many agencies includes subsidiaries. Its ranking is on PRovoke Media's 2024 Global 250.
What are Next Practices Group's recent moves?
NPG's documented moves are a 2026 ownership change at one member firm and a run of agency investments from 2021 to 2023. The table lists them newest first.
| Date | Move |
|---|
| January 9, 2026 | The Next Solutions Group, a reputation management consultancy, buys majority ownership of itself from NPG; NPG remains a minority shareholder |
| September 20, 2023 | Makes a strategic investment in Denver-based 104 West Partners, a B2B technology communications agency |
| October 19, 2022 | Acquires Content Science, the Atlanta content strategy firm founded by Colleen Jones |
| January 2021 | Invests in Bliss Integrated Communication, renamed The Bliss Group |
| July 2020 | Launches as a collective of firms |
The 2026 change is described in PrivSource's deal summary, and the 2023 and 2022 deals in O'Dwyer's reports.
How does Next Practices Group compare with peers?
Next Practices Group reports lower 2023 fee income than Spectrum Science and Ruder Finn, and higher fee income than Padilla and Coyne PR, on PRovoke's table. All figures use the same source and year.
| Firm | Base | Model | 2023 fee income (PRovoke) | Staff (PRovoke) |
|---|
| Next Practices Group | Austin, TX | Founder-driven collective | $50,741,121 | 275 |
| Spectrum Science | Washington, DC | Health and science communications | $80,000,000 | 303 |
| Ruder Finn | New York, NY | Independent global agency | $175,500,000 | 1,220 |
| Padilla agency profile | Minneapolis, MN | Brand and purpose communications | $45,849,220 | 184 |
| Coyne PR | Parsippany, NJ | Independent PR agency | $37,500,000 | 170 |
For every firm profiled on the site, see the PR firms directory.
