Our Mission & Story
Rooted in community, growing towards equity.
Origin Story
The Collective was born out of a simple but urgent truth: too many brilliant businesses led by Black women and women of color were being left without access to capital or capacity support.
Each of us — Morgan Paden of Morganite Writing Company, Brittany Dacoff of Blacklight Imaging, and Breanna Hawkins and Debbie Sheen of Fractal Strategies — saw it in our own work. We knew the businesses we most wanted to serve had the vision, but not always the resources to sustain it.
So we came together. Around coffee tables and whiteboards, we built a model that could meet the moment: a program that would deliver funding as well as customized technical assistance designed to move businesses forward.
Our Vision
We envision a world where businesses led by Black women and women of color have equitable access to the resources they need to thrive—not just survive.
The Wild Seed Collective exists to shift the narrative from scarcity to abundance, from isolation to community, from extraction to regeneration.
We believe that when we invest in these businesses, we invest in entire communities. We're not just funding ventures; we're seeding movements.
Co-Founders
The founding businesses that built The Wild Seed Collective from the ground up.
Morganite Writing Co.
Morgan Paden
Helps clients move from vision to clarity by combining story architecture, strategic messaging, and identity alignment. Services include narrative strategy, message and story development, credibility-driven positioning, funding-aligned communications, and the design of narrative systems that strengthen organizational visibility and readiness.
Morganite stewards The Wild Seed's narrative architecture, shaping the story, identity, and credibility framework that guide how the Collective communicates its work.
www.MorganiteWriting.com
Blacklight Imaging
Brittany Dacoff
Helps clients move from visibility to resonance through creative direction, cultural storytelling, and visual leadership. Provides on-site visual direction, brand and campaign photography, short-form video, and content strategy—producing visuals that honor identity, sharpen presence, and elevate credibility.
Blacklight shapes The Wild Seed's creative and visual identity, defining the imagery and content strategy that anchor the Collective's public presence.
www.Blacklight-Imaging.com
Fractal Strategies
Breanna Hawkins & Debbie Sheen
Helps clients move from vision to execution by combining data, strategy, and collaboration. Services include research and insight development, strategy and action planning, infrastructure and systems design, partnership and network development, and strategic planning and facilitation.
Fractal builds the operational and relational foundation of The Wild Seed, designing the systems, strategic processes, and partnerships that make the Collective cohesive and durable.
www.Fractal-Strategies.comTheory of Change & Strategic Framework
At its core, The Wild Seed Collective is built on a simple but transformative framework: when you pair catalytic capital with culturally competent capacity support and a strong community of peers, you create the conditions for sustainable, equity-centered businesses to thrive.
We know the barriers women entrepreneurs face: systemic exclusion from venture capital, stricter lending terms, and the isolation of building without a safety net. Our model is designed to correct these inequities, not reinforce them.
Our Strategy
Resourcing Women Entrepreneurs as Ecosystem Builders
Women already carry the vision. What they lack is the resourcing to execute at scale. Our role is to meet them with capital, strategy tools, customized support, and a community of peers that strengthens both their operations and their leadership.
Embedding Social Impact as a Core Business Practice
The Wild Seed believes that thriving businesses must also be community-facing. Our grantees are not just building profit models, they are building practices of reinvestment—from mentorship pipelines to consulting firms that strengthen civic projects.
Cultivating Community Wealth and Sustainability
Black women are the fastest-growing group of entrepreneurs in the U.S., yet fewer than 3% sustain their businesses past five years. We build peer networks, create visibility, and provide ongoing capacity support so businesses are not just launched but sustained.
The Wild Seed Model
- •Provide catalytic capital that is flexible and trust-based
- •Pair capital with capacity-building TA from culturally competent firms
- •Foster community and visibility through peer networks, storytelling, and branding
- •Enable sustainable, liberatory ecosystems where women-of-color led businesses strengthen not just individual households but entire neighborhoods
From Soil to Sky
Our motto reflects our belief in rooted, sustainable growth. Like seeds, businesses need the right conditions to flourish—nutrient-rich soil, consistent care, and a supportive ecosystem.
Rooted
Grounded in community wisdom, cultural values, and lived experience.
Nurtured
Supported with capital, capacity building, and connection.
Flourishing
Growing towards equity, abundance, and lasting impact.