How Town Pride Funded Growth Without Giving Up Equity

About the Business

Town Pride is a fast-growing, woman-founded apparel company based in Yarmouth, Maine. The brand began with a simple mission: to celebrate local communities with thoughtfully designed gear and give back in the process. What started as an idea between founder Tamara Moran and her daughter has evolved into a multi-million dollar wholesale operation, one of the largest curated Made in the USA collections in its category, and a newly launched franchise model.

Town Pride serves destination retailers, campus stores, local boutiques, and national accounts like the Smithsonian and the National Park Service. Every piece is made to order and produced domestically, reflecting the company's deep commitment to sustainability, community impact, and timeless, place-based design.

The Challenge

As Town Pride quickly expanded into wholesale and franchising, Tamara faced a new set of challenges. She needed to balance aggressive growth with responsible cash flow management and do it all without outside investors.

"I didn't realize how quickly it would grow and how big it would get. I found myself needing cash flow," Tamara said. "Having never been a president or a founder before, I didn't know what to do."

Traditional lenders offered limited flexibility and high friction. "They all came back and said, 'We'd love to lend you money; you just need to put your house up,'" she said. It was a frustrating realization. Even with a successful and profitable business, she was still expected to provide personal collateral to access capital.

Tamara and her husband made the call together: they would not put their home on the line. There had to be a better way.

The Fundwell Solution

When Tamara discovered Fundwell, everything changed.

"The process was super easy. I had to submit a few documents, verify a few things, and within 24 hours, I was given choices on some funding options. It all happened seamlessly."

Her first instinct? Skepticism.

"I almost thought, they're really not gonna put that money in my account. But lo and behold, they did."

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That initial experience soon developed into an ongoing partnership. As Tamara began funding specific projects, she saw how responsive and consistent the Fundwell team was. Especially her dedicated representative, Ryan Linde, whose straightforward and reliable communication gave her confidence every step of the way.

Today, Tamara works directly with her dedicated representative to plan for major business cycles and alleviate stress associated with seasonal needs. Through proactive planning with Fundwell, she ensures that her capital needs are well-addressed during high-pressure seasons, eliminating last-minute stress and creating more peace of mind during peak times.

The Outcome

With Fundwell, Tamara has financed major milestones, including custom launches with national retailers, the company's first franchise store near Penn State, and sustainable domestic manufacturing initiatives. Each funding moment has been about leaning into momentum and not reacting to crisis.

"All of my experiences that I've needed cash flow have been positive, and all of my experiences with Fundwell have been extremely positive."

Best of all? She's done it without giving up ownership.

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Her advice to other business owners?

"If you are a business that is trying to explore and look for funding, I would recommend that you reach out to Fundwell. It is so much easier, so much faster, and more of a partner with your business. I would definitely recommend looking at Fundwell."