Instagram story viewer> @brimees> Posts

Brianne Mees

@brimees

1.4K

followers

3898

following

Co-founder and CEO of @tenderlovingempire in beautiful Portland, Oregon. Into: creativity, kindness, my kiddos & @jaredmees. #1 fan of @triplerainbovv

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

Download All

A little Friday recap from BuiltFest 2026 💛
We spent the day with a room full of local creatives and entrepreneurs, with Brianne Mees joining as the keynote speaker!

🖼️ Live art illustration by @kfrydraws

It was a day packed with meaningful conversations and ideas 💡🫶🏼 and a pretty great reflection of what resilient leaders can do 💪🏼 we.are.all.doing.it!!!

We’re so grateful to have been part of it, and to keep showing up for the people making, building, and dreaming things up here in our community! taken in Portland, Oregon by @brimees

50

6

a day ago

PORTLAND! Founders, builders, dreamers, does- gather ’round!

On September 25, Tender Loving Empire CEO + co-founder Brianne Mees takes the keynote stage at Built Fest by Built Oregon to talk about how resilient leaders find a way forward when the path looks impossible.

Friday, Sept. 25, 10a - 5p
The Redd
Portland, Oregon

Built Fest brings together Oregon’s business community for a full day of candid conversations and stories from the people actually building things- from farmers markets and entrepreneurship to founders, advocates, Portland businesses, and local partnerships. It’s going to be SO GOOD!

Get your tickets (link in bio) and we’ll see you there! by @brimees

160

9

13 days ago

Making greeting cards for @tenderlovingempire with the scraps from my other pieces. 😊 I think I love them. by @brimees

28

4

3 months ago

These little babes are heading to @tenderlovingempire shelves soon! Believe it or not, I’ve never put any of my own creations into our stores. I’ve often joked over the years that my goal in life was to be a TLE vendor. The truth is I’ve had a weird block about my own art. I started TLE in part because I was a maker myself, but lost that part of the plot along the way. I’ve poured every last bit of my life force and creativity into running and growing TLE and I didn’t leave much space or energy for my own personal projects. As those around me mastered their craft, I was focused on learning how to run a company to support other creatives and coping with the stress that comes along with that. As more time passed I found myself with high standards, but without the practice or skill to make things I truly loved. But seasons change and I’m feeling more safety and spaciousness than I have in a while. It’s time to create and play, to experiment and discover and practice. These little pieces are feeling like a portal into a deep well of pent up ideas. I’m finding a way back to a part of my true nature that I’ve set aside for too long. I’m so excited to keep going towards that. Don’t forget friends: Art is medicine. Tell me which one’s your fave! And DM me if you want to snag any of them before they head to TLE! They’ll be selling there for $70, but I can sell them directly to friends for $50. 😘 by @brimees

64

21

3 months ago

What do we think? Do we like them better before or after the slicing and weaving? And more water marks showing or more blended and ethereal? It’s so hard to see my own art after years of being surrounded by so many incredible artists. But: I’m committed to the play and discovery process now that running TLE has not always been conducive to. 20 years in, it’s time to follow my own creative path. Wish me luck! And let me know what you think about my questions above. 💕 by @brimees

36

9

3 months ago

July graduated 8th grade today!! Next stop: high school 🤯 by @brimees

140

12

4 months ago

ALRIGHT SEATTLE!! 🗣️🗣️🗣️
Tomorrow’s the BIG day!!

We’ve spent the last few weeks building shelves, painting, unboxing boxes, and putting the final touches on a dream we’ve had for over 10years (still can’t believe we’re saying that 🥹) And now we finally get to open doors!!

Come hang with us tomorrow, FRIDAY, JUNE 5 at 11AM, for the big opening of our downtown Seattle shop!

📍 1524 1st Ave, Seattle, WA 98101 (near the Pike Place Market)

Our shop will be packed with all the amazing local goods from makers across Seattle, Portland, and the PNW, samples, music from DJ miss.triss, fun prizes, and lots of good neighborhood vibes.

We are SO excited to welcome you in! Thank you for cheering us on, supporting local makers, and helping make this moment possible- we are endlessly grateful for this community and can’t wait to celebrate with you tomorrow! taken in 1st Ave St Seattle by @brimees

252

26

4 months ago

This is it. 2 days left to be part of TLE’s community-owned future. And if you’re reading this, I’d really love to have you in it with us.

TLE started 19 years ago as a scrappy passion project. Jared and I had just moved to Portland, surrounded by artists and musicians, totally in love with this city and wanting to help our creative friends be seen and heard. We had no clue what we were doing… but we jumped anyway. Fast forward: 7 stores, soon 70+ employees, and over $22 million (and counting) paid back into our creative community. 🤯❤️

But that’s just the highlight reel. The real version is 19 years of choosing every day to keep going. Of seasons that felt like entirely different lifetimes that would be impossible to sum up in less than 100,000 words.

There have been so many days that were truly hard - like, crushing weight hard. And just as many moments of magic - watching my team shape this dream, seeing artists and makers grow alongside us. There is a specific type of elation you can only feel when you’ve dreamt something up and then get to watch it actually come to life and I’ll be forever grateful for that opportunity.

A couple years ago, when I realized we needed to raise money, I panicked. Truly. And then Jared and I got to work.
Fundraising, as it turns out, is equal parts belief and discomfort. It’s vulnerable. It’s awkward. It’s hearing “no” and still showing up again. I’m not gonna lie - I’m really dang proud of myself for doing it anyway.
There were days I felt completely crushed by the weight of it all… and then this community showed up and lifted me. I felt held, really. That’s what this was always meant to be about. Not just building a business, but building something together.

So this is my second-to-last ask: If you’ve ever been inspired by TLE, shopped our stores, or believe in what we’re building… come be part of it. Just $100 gets you in on our community-owned future.
We close tomorrow (4/30 at 8:59pm PST). Link’s in my bio.

And if you’re in your own “this is really hard” chapter—I won’t sugarcoat it. It probably is. But keep going. Ask for help. Let people show up for you. It might just surprise you how much they will. ❤️ by @brimees

152

18

5 months ago

It’s hard to remember we’re alive for the first time. It’s hard to remember we’re alive for the last time. -Modest Mouse by @brimees

57

10

6 months ago

by @brimees

42

1

8 months ago

True story: this wall hanging took me over a year to complete. Not because it was hard and I worked on it all year, but because I’ve been stuck. 2025 was one of the most challenging years of my life. So much growth, so much to be thankful for, but it was difficult to navigate for a lot of reasons - some globally-shared reasons and some that were only mine. I’m feeling a cycle of completion though through that particular set of challenges. 2025 was the year of the snake - shedding of skin and pretty much everyone I know deeply feels this cycle shift too. 2025 was difficult for a lot of us. But now we have a choice to put whatever we shed behind us and start again, lighter and stronger. Rather than setting a New Year’s resolution - I’ve just chosen a word to focus on. This year for me is about curiosity. Curiosity internally - What feels good to my body, mind and soul? How would I spend my quiet moments if I’m not in survival mode? Who could I become without the challenges of my last life cycle? Curiosity externally - What is my community experiencing? What are they making and building? Who do I need to learn from? Who can I help? No accomplishment-oriented resolutions for me this year - I do that naturally at this point. Instead, I choose a gentle curiosity. Babes - do you feel it too? The ending of a cycle that’s more than just a false New Year’s hope? Tell me about it. I love you and believe in you. ❤️ by @brimees

53

10

9 months ago

A little art, romance and coast retreat last weekend was just what we needed. 🥰 by @brimees

33

0

10 months ago