Brass Tacks Collective
Brass Tacks Collective is a Dallas-based, founder-owned creative agency and professional development firm offering branding, digital, video, and print services through The Forge, plus adaptive coaching and a paid apprenticeship program through The Foundry, serving cause-based organizations, nonprofits, startups, and neurodivergent professionals.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersDallas, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Brass Tacks Collective does
Brass Tacks Collective is a Dallas-based, founder-owned creative agency and professional development firm operating through three arms: The Forge, The Foundry, and The Collective. The Forge delivers project-based creative services — branding, digital (websites and campaigns), video production, and print — for cause-based organizations, nonprofits, startups, and small businesses, with project budgets ranging from $3,500 to $50,000+. The Foundry provides adaptive coaching, mentorship, and training programs targeted at neurodivergent entrepreneurs and young professionals, including a paid Apprenticeship program (the first of its kind in advertising/marketing) and Pre-Apprenticeship tracks for high school and early college candidates; pricing is offered on a compassionate model for accessibility. The Collective is a partner network of 12+ vetted firms covering PR, video/photo, web, consulting, and staffing.
The company makes money through two primary streams. The Forge operates on one-time, project-based engagements scoped via detailed intake forms covering business stage, size, budget, and timeline. The Foundry generates professional services revenue through single sessions, packaged training, and 3- or 6-month coaching/mentorship engagements on a monthly subscription cadence. Distribution is direct, primarily through website intake forms and referral-driven growth via The Collective network. There is no proprietary technology platform, no disclosed AI/ML capabilities, and no external institutional funding; the company is bootstrapped and founder-owned by Keisha Whaley, who established it in 2015.
The business is small (11-50 employees), private, and US-domestic only. Notable customers include Deep Ellum Foundation, Trust for Public Land, Cafe Momentum, Mama Moore's Gourmet Popcorn, and enterprise project work for GameStop and Big 12 Conference. Since 2015, the company has supported nearly 50 product launches, helped raise $2.5M for nonprofit clients, and graduated 43 apprentices with a 96% placement rate and $67,500 average post-graduation salary. In 2023, the company restructured The Foundry to broaden coaching services beyond marketing professionals in response to weakening agency demand.
Brass Tacks Collective firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Brass Tacks Collective
- Legal name
- Brass Tacks Collective
- Website
- https://brasstackscollective.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Brass Tacks Collective is a Dallas-based, founder-owned creative agency and professional development firm offering branding, digital, video, and print services through The Forge, plus adaptive coaching and a paid apprenticeship program through The Foundry, serving cause-based organizations, nonprofits, startups, and neurodivergent professionals.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Brass Tacks Collective is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Dallas
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Brass Tacks Collective business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Creative Agency Services (The Forge): Project-based creative services including brand development, digital (web/campaigns), video production, and print materials. Pricing tiers range from $3,500 to $50,000+ depending on project scope and complexity. Serves cause-based organizations, nonprofits, and small businesses.
- Professional Development (The Foundry): Coaching, mentorship, and training programs for neurodivergent entrepreneurs and young professionals. Offerings include single sessions as needed, packaged training sessions, and 3-month or 6-month coaching/mentorship engagements. The company notes a 'compassionate pricing model' for accessibility.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Entry-level project budgets for smaller scope work |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Mid-range projects with expanded scope |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Premium enterprise-level projects |
| Subscription | Monthly | Flexible coaching and mentorship engagement options |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels3 records
Brass Tacks Collective product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Brass Tacks Collective is a Dallas-based dual-entity firm operating The Forge (a creative agency offering branding, digital, video, and print services for cause-based organizations, nonprofits, startups, and small businesses) and The Foundry (a professional development arm delivering adaptive coaching, mentorship, training, and paid apprenticeship programs for neurodivergent entrepreneurs and young professionals). A partner network called The Collective extends delivery capacity across PR, video/photo, websites, consulting, and staffing.
Product overview
Brass Tacks Collective is a dual-entity company comprising The Forge (creative agency) and The Foundry (professional development arm). The Forge offers branding, digital, video, and print services for cause-based organizations. The Foundry provides adaptive coaching, mentorship, and training programs specifically designed for neurodivergent entrepreneurs and young professionals. The company also maintains The Collective—a network of vetted partner firms covering PR/marketing, video/photo, websites, consulting, and staffing services. The portfolio is unified by a mission of conscious change and diversity/inclusion focus.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- The Foundry: Professional development arm offering adaptive coaching, mentorship, and training for neurodivergent entrepreneurs and young professionals.
- The Forge
- The Collective
Products and services
- The Forge (Creative Agency Services) Full-service creative agency offering branding, digital, video, and print services for cause-based organizations, nonprofits, startups, and small businesses. Project budgets range from $3,500 to $50,000+.
- Branding Services
Quantifiable outcome
- Nearly 50 global product launches credited to the company
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Brass Tacks Collective
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Brass Tacks Collective technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Brass Tacks Collective partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- Think Three MediaminorPR & Marketing partner within The Collective network. Provides public relations and marketing expertise to complement Brass Tacks Collective's creative services. Refer clients and receive referrals from BTC.
- BDC Strategy GroupminorPR & Marketing partner (bdaviscomm.com) within The Collective network. Provides strategic communications expertise to complement BTC's brand development services.
- Myca Raquel ConsultingminorPR & Marketing partner within The Collective network. Consulting services in the PR and marketing space that complement BTC's creative offerings.
- Wayfarist MediaminorVideo/Photo partner within The Collective network. Specializes in visual storytelling that complements BTC's brand and video services.
- Southern Sky FilmsminorVideo/Photo partner within The Collective network. Film production services that complement BTC's video offerings.
- Longevity MarketingminorWebsite partner within The Collective network. Provides website development and digital services to complement BTC's digital offerings.
- Caitlin Studley ConsultingminorConsulting partner within The Collective network. Provides career and professional development consulting that aligns with The Foundry's mission.
- Odin AdvisorsminorConsulting partner within The Collective network. Strategic advisory services that complement BTC's brand and business development offerings.
- Consult to GrowminorConsulting partner within The Collective network. Business growth consulting services that complement BTC's work with startups and small businesses.
- DM Group ConsultingminorConsulting partner within The Collective network. Provides consulting services to BTC clients needing specialized expertise.
- HireEffectminorStaffing & Support partner within The Collective network. Provides staffing solutions that complement BTC's apprenticeship and professional development mission.
- Team DelegateminorStaffing & Support partner within The Collective network. Provides administrative and operational support services to BTC clients and partners.
Scale indicators12 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Brass Tacks Collective competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Digitas: Digitas is a Publicis-owned global connected marketing agency offering branding, digital, and campaign services. It competes for mid-market and enterprise digital and brand engagements and represents the broader incumbent class of creative agencies.
- GYK Antler: GYK Antler is an integrated creative, brand, and digital agency offering services comparable to The Forge. It is a broader incumbent serving enterprise and mid-market clients across industries, with deeper resources than BTC but similar core capabilities.
- The Integer Group: The Integer Group is a Dallas-headquartered, full-service creative and commerce marketing agency within the Omnicom network. It overlaps with BTC's branding and digital work but operates at a much larger scale and serves major retail and consumer brands rather than primarily cause-based clients.
- MullenLowe: MullenLowe is a global creative network offering advertising, branding, and digital services. It serves as a broad incumbent comparator, demonstrating the type of full-service scaled competitor that BTC's niche positioning attempts to differentiate against.
Direct peers
- Socialfly: Socialfly is a social media and digital marketing agency focused on small and mid-sized businesses, with similar service packaging (branding, digital, content) and SMB target customers. It is a direct competitor for the same-sized creative engagements in the SMB segment.
- Mission Minded: Mission Minded is a branding and creative strategy firm focused on nonprofits, foundations, and progressive causes. Its positioning around mission-driven brand building closely parallels The Forge's 'Creative Agency for Conscious Change' framing.
- Big Duck: Big Duck is a branding and communications agency that specializes exclusively in nonprofit and cause-based organizations, providing brand strategy, naming, and creative services. It directly competes with Brass Tacks Collective's The Forge for nonprofit and foundation clients.
Others
- Praxis: Praxis is an apprenticeship and work-based learning platform focused on launching careers for young adults outside traditional college tracks. It is an adjacent peer to The Foundry's apprenticeship mission rather than a direct creative competitor.
- General Assembly: General Assembly is a workforce development and professional training provider offering courses in digital marketing, design, and tech. It is an adjacent peer to The Foundry's training and mentorship offerings for marketing and creative professionals.
Emerging players
- The Hive: The Hive is a purpose-driven, women-owned creative and branding agency. It is comparable as a similarly sized emerging player focused on mission-aligned brand work, though its geographic and vertical mix differs from BTC's nonprofit-heavy Texas base.
Market position
Strengths1 record
Weaknesses1 record
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Brass Tacks Collective financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Brass Tacks Collective leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Brass Tacks Collective funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Brass Tacks Collective M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Brass Tacks Collective
What does Brass Tacks Collective do?
Brass Tacks Collective is a Dallas-based dual-entity firm operating The Forge (a creative agency offering branding, digital, video, and print services for cause-based organizations, nonprofits, startups, and small businesses) and The Foundry (a professional development arm delivering adaptive coaching, mentorship, training, and paid apprenticeship programs for neurodivergent entrepreneurs and young professionals). A partner network called The Collective extends delivery capacity across PR, video/photo, websites, consulting, and staffing.
Is Brass Tacks Collective a public or private company?
Brass Tacks Collective is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Brass Tacks Collective founded?
Brass Tacks Collective was founded in 2015. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Brass Tacks Collective based?
Brass Tacks Collective is headquartered in Dallas, United States, in the North America region.
How does Brass Tacks Collective make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Creative Agency Services (The Forge) is the primary driver. The others are professional Development (The Foundry).
Who are Brass Tacks Collective's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Digitas, GYK Antler, The Integer Group and MullenLowe. Direct peers are Socialfly, Mission Minded and Big Duck. Others are Praxis and General Assembly. The Hive is listed as an emerging player.
Does Brass Tacks Collective have an API?
No public API is recorded for Brass Tacks Collective.