Market Research & Strategy Intern -Social Enterprise Development

About Seed House Project

Seed House Project is a Los Angeles-based nonprofit serving young adults ages 18–28 who have experienced homelessness, foster care, or juvenile justice involvement. We run transitional housing and Life School workforce development programs — and we are now developing a social enterprise that will generate sustainable earned income to fund our mission while creating real employment pathways for our graduates. Before we build, we research. This internship puts you at the center of that work.

The Opportunity

We are conducting deep market research on a specific consumer service industry in the San Fernando Valley and Pasadena areas in preparation for a major strategic launch. This is real, consequential research that will directly inform a significant financial and programmatic decision. The work you produce will not sit in a folder — it will be presented to funders, incorporated into our business plan, and shape what we build. If you want an internship where your analysis actually matters and your name is behind something real, this is it.

Minimum Requirements

Applicants must be currently enrolled in an accredited undergraduate or graduate program, or a recent graduate within six months of degree completion. A minimum GPA of 3.0 is preferred. Applicants must have completed at least one course in research methods, business analysis, marketing, public policy, economics, or a related field. Demonstrated experience conducting independent research — whether academic, professional, or project-based — is required. Strong written communication skills are essential, as deliverables will be used in funder-facing documents and board presentations. Applicants must be available for at least one in-person or video check-in per week with the Executive Director, and must be able to commit to the full semester duration of the internship. Comfort with Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Slides) or Microsoft Office is required. Applicants must be legally authorized to work or intern in the United States.

Specific Skills We Are Looking For

We are looking for someone with strong secondary research skills — the ability to find, evaluate, and synthesize information from databases, industry reports, public records, and online sources into clear and actionable intelligence. Proficiency in building and maintaining organized data sets in spreadsheets or databases is essential, as a significant portion of the work involves maintaining a live competitive research database. Strong analytical writing is critical — you will be producing reports, summaries, and strategic briefs that will be read by funders and board members, so clarity and precision in writing are non-negotiable. Familiarity with competitive analysis frameworks such as SWOT, Porter's Five Forces, or market segmentation is strongly preferred. Experience with marketing research, consumer behavior analysis, or brand positioning is a strong plus. For graduate applicants, experience with financial modeling, business plan development, or social enterprise research is highly desirable. We are also looking for someone with strong project management habits — the ability to set priorities, meet self-imposed deadlines, and communicate proactively when timelines shift. Above all, we are looking for intellectual curiosity and a genuine interest in understanding how businesses work, how markets behave, and how mission-driven organizations can compete and win in commercial spaces.

Expected Responsibilities

The intern will be responsible for building and maintaining a comprehensive competitive landscape database covering 20 or more businesses across two Los Angeles submarkets, documenting pricing structures, operating hours, service models, revenue estimates, employee counts, years in operation, and contact information. The intern will conduct individual SWOT analyses on each competitor from a pure industry perspective, identifying structural patterns, market gaps, and emerging trends across the competitive set. The intern will research and benchmark financial performance data — including annual revenue, overhead cost structures, and staffing ratios — using publicly available sources such as RocketReach, ZoomInfo, Dun & Bradstreet, and industry association reports. The intern will analyze customer behavior in the target industry, identifying what drives consumer choice, what customers consistently praise or complain about, and where unmet demand exists in the market. The intern will research comparable social enterprise models nationally, examining how mission-driven businesses in similar industries have structured themselves, raised capital, and achieved sustainability. The intern will support the development of a formal market analysis report — including an executive summary, industry overview, competitive landscape summary, customer segmentation, revenue modeling assumptions, and strategic recommendations — suitable for presentation to funders and the SHP board of directors. The intern will assist with location and commercial real estate research, identifying viable facilities in the San Fernando Valley, reviewing zoning requirements, and documenting comparable lease rates. The intern will support marketing strategy development, including audience persona development, brand positioning analysis, and go-to-market recommendations. The intern will attend a weekly check-in with the Executive Director to present progress, discuss findings, and receive direction. The intern will deliver a final comprehensive research report and presentation at the conclusion of the internship summarizing all findings and strategic recommendations.

Your Impact

The research you produce will directly inform the launch of a first-of-its-kind facility in Los Angeles — one designed to simultaneously employ young adults leaving homelessness, deliver community wellness programming to youth still on the streets, and generate the sustainable funding needed to open more transitional homes. Your market analysis will be presented to funders. Your competitive research will shape pricing and positioning decisions. Your strategic recommendations will be written into a business plan that drives real capital investment. This is not coursework — it is the foundation of something that will serve hundreds of young people each year for years to come.

Ideal Academic Backgrounds

Business Administration, Marketing, or Entrepreneurship. Public Policy, Nonprofit Management, or Social Work. Urban Planning, Public Health, or Psychology. Communications, Journalism, or Data Analytics. Graduate students and MBA candidates are strongly encouraged to apply — this work is at that level.

What You Get

We will coordinate academic credit with your institution to satisfy practicum or internship requirements. You will receive direct mentorship from the Executive Director — presenting your work, receiving substantive feedback, and being treated as a strategic contributor rather than a task-runner. You will leave with a portfolio piece at the graduate level: a full market analysis and business intelligence report produced for a real social enterprise launch. You will gain exposure to the complete arc of social enterprise development from initial research through fundraising strategy through operational planning. You will receive a professional letter of recommendation from a recognized nonprofit leader in Los Angeles upon successful completion. Most importantly, you will know that your work contributed directly to something that will help hundreds of young people rebuild their lives.