From Art to Equity: Crowdfunding Creativity
Meet Tender Loving Empire Co-Founder Brianne Mees
Dear FFF,
Today, I’m thrilled to introduce you to a woman who’s turning creativity into capital—Brianne Mees, co-founder of Tender Loving Empire (TLE), the Portland-based powerhouse of art, music, and mission.
TLE isn’t just a store—it’s an ecosystem. Picture it: racks of hand-printed tees, walls lined with indie albums, shelves bursting with ceramics, candles, and cards from over 700 makers and musicians. If you’ve wandered through PDX airport, you’ve probably spotted one of their seven shops (two at PDX, one at Sea-Tac). And yes, in a post-pandemic retail world that’s been more zombie apocalypse than fairytale, they’ve grown, adding $3 million in revenue since 2020.
A Founder With Heart — and a Strategy
Brianne reminds me of Bryce Dallas Howard—radiant smile, long red hair, and a glow that says “I actually believe in humanity.” Over spiced Chai in a bustling downtown cafe, she shared how she and husband Jared moved to Portland in 2006 and began silkscreening shirts and albums from their tiny apartment. A shoebox labeled “Tender Loving Empire” held their savings from their service industry jobs. The name was tongue-in-cheek utopia: a vision of a strong, expansive civilization rooted in art, love, and community. By 2007, they’d scraped together enough to open the first 800 square feet store.
“When we first moved to Portland, we fell in love with the creative community and collaborative spirit here. We were surrounded by so many talented artists, makers and musicians—but they didn’t have platforms to share their work. We didn’t know how to run a business, but we were so inspired by our creative community that we decided to start one to support them anyway and figure it out along the way.”
Against all odds, it worked.
Since then, they’ve returned over $20 million to artists and small businesses—helping many go full time in their craft. In 2024 alone, they hit $7.8 million in revenue with a 62% gross margin. (Yes, you read that right.) That margin comes from a brilliant decision: to not only represent others but create their own brand, Cascadia Goods, which accounts for a big chunk of sales.
Crowdfunding: The Next Chapter
That brings us to the finale of our FFF mini-series on capital options for funding growth—after debt, angels, grants, and venture capital, comes the scrappy, soulful cousin: crowdfunding.
For TLE, it was a natural fit. The company has always been about community ownership, connection, and creative exchange. But growth loans were coming due, and they wanted to keep momentum—opening new stores, building new brands, and leveling up their online presence—without losing their independence.
“Crowdfunding a business? Like GoFundMe?” I asked her. “Yes,” she said, except that she’s not asking for a gift.
“I love the idea of a community-owned future,” she said, beaming. “Our success is our artists’ success. Our success is community success.”
The WeFunder Campaign
TLE’s WeFunder campaign aims to raise over $1 million, with investments starting at just $100. That’s one concert ticket (or maybe just the fees) or two candles and a sticker pack—and in return, you get to own a piece of this creative juggernaut.
Brianne is spending as much time chatting with $100 investors as she is with the bigger ones. “It’s a chance to teach people how the circular economy really works,” she says.
The campaign isn’t just about money—it’s about transparency and education.
Brianne told me, “It’s challenging to communicate that two things are true simultaneously: we are in a temporary 12-month cash crunch because of growth loan debt, AND we are a business success story, with a great track record that will continue to grow once we get to the other side of this. We’re asking for investment for our community so we want to be transparent and tell the full story.”
And honestly? Who among us hasn’t been there—just one bridge loan (or generous aunt, or Hail Mary client payment) away from exhaling?
Why This Matters
Crowdfunding isn’t just a financial tool—it’s a mindset shift. It says, I believe enough in my community to invite them in.
You get to retain ownership while accessing capital.
You build advocates, not just investors.
And you educate your audience about how small business actually works.
I’ll be watching TLE’s journey closely. If you’re curious—or ready to invest in a story that hits all the right notes (literally)—you can check out their campaign here.
Who knows? The next time you walk through PDX, you might spot your investment on the shelf—a handmade mug, a local album, a piece of the creative economy you helped build.
~ Mia
P.S Feel free to reach out to Brianne at brianne@tenderlovingempire.com.
P.S.S. For more FFF profiles, click here.