Oprah Winfrey, T.D. Jakes, and Industry Leaders Converge in Dallas for Record-Breaking 2025 Good Soil Forum Presented by Wells Fargo

At the heart of the Forum, the $500K Seed Capital Pitch Competition, presented by Wells Fargo, empowered a new wave of entrepreneurs with equity-free funding to grow and scale their businesses.

The 2025 Good Soil Forum, presented by Wells Fargo, concluded in Dallas this weekend with resounding success, as over 2,000 entrepreneurs, investors, and thought leaders gathered at the AT&T Performing Arts Center from June 12th through 14th for one of the nation’s most transformative small business events.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250617658480/en/

Winners of the 2025 Good Soil Forum Capital Seed Pitch Competition, presented by Wells Fargo, pictured with Chairman T.D. Jakes and Michael Martino, Head of Customer Growth Segments, Consumer, Small & Business Banking at Wells Fargo - Photo credit: @ExclusiveAccess.net

Global icon Oprah Winfrey joined T.D. Jakes, Founder of the Good Soil Movement, for a powerful fireside conversation that anchored the three-day event. The three day event boasted a dynamic lineup of speakers, including Operation HOPE Founder John Hope Bryant; fashion designer Jerry Lorenzo; financial educator Wallstreet Trapper; Camille Rose Founder and CEO Janell Stephens; Founder of CURLS and Huzzy Smart Sips, Mahisha Dellinger; artist and entrepreneur David Banner; and Slutty Vegan founder Pinky Cole Hayes—who shared insights on building generational wealth, securing funding, scaling businesses, and leading with purpose. Together, they reinforced the Forum’s mission to close opportunity gaps for underserved and undercapitalized entrepreneurs.

This year’s theme, The Transformation Agenda, came to life through dynamic panels, hands-on workshops, high-impact networking, and the marquee moment—the $500,000 Seed Capital Pitch Competition, presented by Wells Fargo. Entrepreneurs from across the country competed for equity-free funding to grow their ventures and drive community impact. Financial technology platform, Hello Alice was also onsite, providing small business owners with valuable resources and guidance to access capital and scale their ventures.

The competition concluded with the announcement of this year’s standout winners — each recognized for their bold ideas, strong business potential, and commitment to driving meaningful change:

2025 Seed Capital Competition Winners

• 1st Place – $200,000
  
  Rozalynn Goodwin, Confidence by GaBBy Goodwin — Columbia, South Carolina
• 2nd Place – $100,000
  
  Kia-Shun Voltz, Shampoo Time — Red Oak, Texas
  
  + $50,000 Dallas Community Award
• 3rd Place – $75,000
  
  Paden Sickles, SickFit — Arlington, Texas

The judging panel included the following leaders:

• Michael Martino, Head of Customer Growth Segments, Consumer, Small & Business Banking, Wells Fargo
• Dr. K.L. Allen, Chancellor, Western Governors University
• Elizabeth Gore, Co-Founder & President, Hello Alice
• Ansley Carlisle, Investor, Mark Cuban Companies

“For too long, entrepreneurs—especially those from undercapitalized communities—have been left without the support and access they need to thrive,” said T.D. Jakes. “The Good Soil Forum is about more than ideas—it’s about action. We’re convening power to ensure today’s dreamers have the capital, mentorship, and networks to turn their visions into sustainable enterprises.”

“Good Soil Forum delivers much needed resources and opportunities to aspiring businesses looking to grow and thrive,” said Kristy Fercho, head of Financial Inclusion at Wells Fargo. “Wells Fargo is proud to support initiatives that continue to foster innovation and equip entrepreneurs with essential tools to succeed in their journey forward.”

The Good Soil Movement—now 26,000+ members strong—continues its mission to help one million entrepreneurs reach $1M in revenue within the next decade. Since its inception, the movement has awarded nearly $1 million in capital, cultivated a thriving ecosystem of founders, and championed the belief that with the right soil, every idea has the potential to grow.

Stand Together Foundation, part of the Stand Together philanthropic community, was also onsite at the 2025 Good Soil Forum, supporting community-driven change and backing social entrepreneurs working closest to the challenges.

“Stand Together is proud to partner with the Good Soil Movement to support a growing community of principled entrepreneurs,” said Brian Hooks, chairman and CEO, Stand Together. “There is no limit to what people can accomplish when they have the opportunity and support required to bring their ideas to life. Good Soil is flipping the script to show the tremendous value that can be created when we stop seeing people as problems to be solved and start seeing them as opportunities to invest in.”

Impact partners included presenting sponsor Wells Fargo, supporting partner, the Stand Together Foundation, impact partners Hello Alice, Lemonade Day, The T.D. Jakes Foundation, and Western Governors University, and media partner, iHeart Media.

For more information or to join the movement, visit www.goodsoilforum.com and follow @goodsoilforum for updates.

About The Good Soil Movement:

Good Soil Movement empowers entrepreneurs by providing networking opportunities, resources, and solutions for growing and scaling businesses. With a mission to help one million entrepreneurs generate $1 million in revenue over the next ten years, Good Soil is fostering economic stability and generational wealth. Since its inception, the movement has grown to a thriving network of over 26,000 members, equipping small business owners with tangible tools for success. Every conversation plants a seed for growth, turning every moment into an opportunity to bloom. Learn more at www.goodsoilforum.com. Follow @goodsoilforum on IG for updates.

About Hello Alice:

Hello Alice is a financial technology company that provides access to capital, connections, and education to over 1.5 million entrepreneurs. Through data-driven business plans, Hello Alice delivers personalized recommendations that drive profitable solutions between small businesses and give entrepreneurs access to the resources they need to grow. In turn, our business health engine for banks and enterprise business services helps corporations increase engagement and transactions with small businesses. The result is more money in the pockets of small businesses and the brands that serve them. Founded by Carolyn Rodz and Elizabeth Gore, Hello Alice remains steadfast in its mission to ensure that every small business owner has the resources to thrive and live their dream. For more information visit: HelloAlice.com

About Stand Together Foundation:

Stand Together Foundation is dedicated to empowering individuals to reach their full potential through community-driven change. We are building a movement of social entrepreneurs who believe in people, work with individuals closest to the problem, and unite with anyone to do right. Through innovations that inspire Americans to help each other, they are building stronger, safer communities where all people can learn, contribute, and live lives of meaning. Stand Together Foundation is part of the Stand Together philanthropic community. Learn more at StandTogetherFoundation.org.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250617658480/en/

"For too long, entrepreneurs—especially those from undercapitalized communities—have been left without the support and access they need to thrive,” said T.D. Jakes. “The Good Soil Forum is about more than ideas—it’s about action...."