My Almost Interview With Tiny Tags CEO Melissa Clayton

A few weeks ago, I was driving into Boston to host a fireside chat with Tiny Tags founder and CEO Melissa Clayton. Having followed her trajectory, I was GENUINELY excited. Bonus: the event was at our alma mater, Northeastern University, making the event a kind of homecoming for both of us (Go Huskies!).  

Then, my car engine imploded. From a Sunoco station just off the highway, I waited for the tow truck knowing that I would never make it to the venue on time.  No fireside chat for me. 

A few days later it struck me: I could still have my Melissa Clayton moment by sharing her story. So, here we are.  

Melissa is my kind of founder. Not because she built a HUGE business without heaps of outside capital. Not because she turned a side hustle into a brand that Hoda loves (if you know, you know). For me, it’s because she built her business with intent, which is far harder than it sounds. It takes tremendous resolve and endurance to avoid being distracted. To go slow before you go fast. Most people can’t hack it. Melissa can. 

Like many founders, Melissa’s journey to entrepreneurship wasn’t on the express train. She started out as a CPA then left her corporate post to focus on raising her kids. In the maelstrom of ‘momming,’ she discovered a passion for creating meaningful, personalized jewelry. That side hustle then transformed into Tiny Tags, a brand dedicated to celebrating motherhood through fine, personalized jewelry. 

Going from the start to today—where the company has posted multiple years with 30% to 80%+ growth rate—required more than just a strong product. Melissa will affirm that it also required business-building guided by an unwavering focus on the “why” versus the “what.”

Scaling with a Revenue-First Mentality

Early on, Melissa made a choice: no outside investors, no chasing funding rounds. Just carefully plotted self-funded growth. Rather than relying on outside capital, she reinvested Tiny Tags’ profits, scaling the company through strong unit economics, efficient operations, and customer loyalty.

“I have never wanted investors because I really don't want people telling me what to do,” she said in a recent interview with The Glossy Podcast. This decision allowed her the freedom to build Tiny Tags exactly how she wanted, without outside pressure, while maintaining profitability. 

This approach has proven successful. Tiny Tags has seen rocket ship growth over the years.  

For Melissa, knowing her "why" was key to her focus on building the Tiny Tags brand. “When I took the time to reflect on what mattered to me, it was talking about the journey of motherhood and the gift of a child. I grew up with Dad and had a mother who struggled to show up and I've often wondered if the little girl in me is saying to all mothers: your child is a gift and they need you.”

This purpose became her anchor, guiding every decision from product design to customer interactions. Tiny Tags was founded with the intention of creating jewelry that connects women to their child and the love they hold close. 

Melissa’s commitment to this purpose has allowed her to build a brand that isn’t about selling jewelry, but about telling stories. This focus on authenticity and emotional connection has been central to the brand's appeal and its ability to forge strong, lasting relationships with customers.

It was due to her focus on brand building that Target approached Melissa in 2017. “I said no to Target in 2017 because we were not ready, but we agreed to stay in touch. Fast forward, we connected again in 2022, and today Tiny Tags has a bespoke collection in over 1,600 Target stores. This partnership has been incredible, giving us the opportunity to share our brand message of gratitude, love, and the beauty of motherhood with an even greater audience.” 

Customer Loyalty Over Paid Growth

Early on, the company made the decision to grow through deep customer relationships rather than aggressive paid acquisition. “We are not in the business of buying customers,” she recently said to The Glossy Podcast. Instead, she focused on building a brand people naturally wanted to talk about, delivering exceptional customer service, and fostering an engaged community.

This approach has not only kept Tiny Tags financially healthy but also created a brand with lasting emotional impact. Every piece tells a story and that emotional connection has turned her customers into loyal advocates who keep coming back.

Melissa’s story is a testament to what’s possible when a business is fueled by customer loyalty and clear purpose.  

As someone who is bullishly dedicated to expanding funding options for early stage entrepreneurship, I LOVE that Melissa exemplifies the upside of steering clear from the pitfalls of hyper-capitalization. 

For me, telling the story of founders like Melissa, and companies like Tiny Tags, is more important than ever. Why? In many forums, the story of entrepreneurship has been hijacked by a myopic obsession with unicorns that make headlines by raising huge amounts of money and attaining valuations in the billions.

While these kinds of companies are important in their own right they represent a fraction of businesses. Whether intentional or not, our obsession with these companies, to the exclusion of all else, grossly overlooks the full economic and social value unlocked by the thousands of companies that build outside that system.

I heard from folks in the audience that Melissa covered many of these points in that fireside chat. While disappointed that I wasn’t there with, I remain tremendously grateful to spend any time with Melissa at all!

You can check out more at https://tinytags.com

About the Author

RevUp Capital Managing Partner Melissa Withers is one the most experienced female early stage investors in the U.S.. Having overseen 100+ investments, Melissa has deep expertise supporting companies as they move from initial market entry to meaningful scale. She is also a bullish advocate for expanding the capital toolkit for early stage investing and deeply committed to supporting founders who build their businesses without the perks of privilege.

Melissa frequently writes about biz building and investing and has produced three seasons of her podcast (Un)Founded, an entirely unserious platform for riffing with friends on trends in early stage investing and new company creation. With a background in life sciences and a grad degree in science communications, Melissa started her career at Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research working at the intersection of basic research, communication, and public policy. She’s also spent time in public service at the state and municipal level. Most importantly, she’s a proud mom, an amateur boxer (with a title belt!), and a lover of the great outdoors.

More About RevUp Capital

RevUp Capital invests in B2B and B2C companies that are revenue-driven and ready to double down on growth. We deploy cash and capacity to help companies grow from $1-3M to $10-30M, quickly and efficiently, using a revenue-based model. Companies enter our portfolio with $500K-$3M in revenue, a strong growth rate, and a team that’s ready to scale. Our typical investment range is $300K-$500K.

We invest into a company's market-facing activity using a cash and capacity model. We pair our cash investment with dedicated support from the RevUp Growth Platform: a powerful resource to build a data-driven growth engine, delivered by people who get the work done. Rather than take equity, companies return investment through a small percentage of revenue over time. More at www.revupfund.com