When 18-year-old Luis Padilla arrived in Kansas City from Mexico on a soccer scholarship, his sights were set on playing professionally. However, Kansas City quickly became home, and his passion for the game evolved into a career dedicated to helping others succeed. Today, Luis is the founder and CEO of Fresco Marketing, a multicultural marketing agency that partners with businesses, non profits, and major organizations across the metro. Alongside his agency’s growth, he has found a platform for service. Through his business, relationships, and creativity, Luis’ efforts have strengthened the Kansas City community and earned him The Independent’s recognition as a Rising Star.
Luis is careful to note that, while Fresco Marketing is a for-profit business, his community-focused efforts allow him to pay forward the support he received when he first arrived in Kansas City. “I’ve been very fortunate… so many people in the community have supported me over the years, and my way to say thank you and give back is through the work that we do,” he said.
Luis’ community service efforts have been wide ranging. One standout initiative, among many, is Folklore. It began as a cultural project to celebrate Latino identity. After seeing its potential, Wells Fargo partnered with Luis to launch the Folklore Small Business Grant Program. This year, the initiative will surpass $500,000 in grants awarded to Kansas City small businesses. Luis is moved by the impact on these businesses. During a breakfast for grant recipients from the program’s first four years, he heard firsthand how the funding helped entrepreneurs grow and weather difficult seasons. “Hearing some of the business owners say, ‘This came at the right moment. I was about to give up, I needed to hire some people, and I needed to buy more equipment’, all of this is worth it,” he said.
Beyond entrepreneurship, Luis also champions community causes. His work has helped build bridges between Kansas City’s non profits and the Latino community. Through Fresco Marketing’s partnership with the Kansas City Royals, he helped develop Los Royals and Nos Vemos en el K, which create more welcoming and authentic experiences for Latino families attending games.
Although Luis’ professional focus shifted away from soccer, he has remained connected to the sport. After becoming a licensed coach in 2017, he volunteered for several years with Soccer Nation Academy. There, he served primarily low income, first-generation families and helped young athletes gain access to competitive soccer. Notably, his coaching led one team to a national runner-up finish, and in 2018, he was named the U.S. Youth Soccer Boys National Coach of the Year. Accolades are nice, but for Luis, the measure of impact lies in his players’ personal successes. “Many of the youth Luis coached now see themselves as college-bound athletes, leaders, and contributors because someone like Luis believed in them,” said Fabián Gayosso, ReeceNichols.
Coaching and modeling success can indeed take a person far. However, Luis sees access to information and opportunities as critical components. “I feel like sometimes there is not enough information out there,” he said. Luis’ own story shows what can happen when a person has access to the right information and opportunities. After realizing he wouldn’t play professional soccer, an internship with Sporting Kansas City helped him find his new career path.
Paying it forward, Fresco’s internship program now introduces students to careers in marketing and advertising while giving them professional experience. He also regularly volunteers with the Greater Kansas City Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, mentoring emerging professionals through the Hispanic Collaborative and the KC Bizfest. “When you open doors and help others obtain information and experience, it will help them make the best decisions for their future,” Luis said.
Beyond empowering entrepreneurs, young professionals, and athletes, Luis has partnered with Mattie Rhodes Center, helping to support children, families, and neighborhoods. Through Fresco Marketing, he led the organization’s rebrand for its 130th anniversary and later collaborated on Something We Agree On, a campaign focused on preventing child abuse and strengthening families. Luis also helped create the partnership between the Kansas City Royals and Palacana. As part of that partnership, they incorporated a community give-back initiative, and that effort helped fund the construction of the first baseball field within the Kansas City Public Schools district.
Looking back, Luis credits much of his journey to the people who encouraged him after arriving in Kansas City nearly two decades ago. “I believe in long-term relationships,” he said. “I like to stay in touch with people who have helped me along the way.” Luis has made it a habit to offer help before ever asking for it, a mindset that has carried him from a hopeful young athlete to a leader now paving the way for others.
Featured in the August 22, 2026 issue of The Independent.
By: Monica V. Reynolds
Photo Credit: Tom Styrkowicz
