Press Release: TMC Empowers Small Businesses Through Purpose-Driven Branding and Intentional Community Impact
Originally published by Angela Abdur-Rasheed, Director of Communications and Community Engagement at Prosper.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — What began as a shared passion for helping entrepreneurs tell their stories has grown into a thriving creative agency dedicated to making branding more accessible for small businesses. Founded byMarlesa Willis, CEO and Marlee Tilson, Chief Creative Officer, The Marls Collective (TMC) is transforming how entrepreneurs build meaningful brands while championing economic opportunity for underserved communities.
Established in 2022, The Marls Collective specializes in helping small business owners develop clear, consistent, and purposeful brand strategies that allow them to tell their stories with confidence. As a woman-owned business, TMC is committed to serving entrepreneurs from underrepresented communities and believes that strong branding should be a pathway to financial freedom—not a luxury.
“We built TMC because we kept seeing the same gap: small business owners with incredible stories to tell but no clear way to tell them,” said the co-founders. “Helping business owners move forward isn’t just what we do—it’s why we started.”
That mission found a natural partner through CORE, a Network Navigator-sponsored initiative focused on supporting entrepreneurs. Through CORE, entrepreneurs receive embedded, one-on-one support across key business functions including human resources, bookkeeping and financial management, branding and marketing, and virtual administrative support.
“There are service providers who complete the work, and then there are partners who truly become invested in the success of the businesses they serve. The Marls Collective was phenomenal throughout the CORE pilot. They brought strategy, creativity, and an incredible level of care to every entrepreneur they worked with,” said Naila Jackson, Founder of Network Navigator and CORE.
“We applied for CORE because its mission mirrored our own. We have built TMC around the belief that small businesses deserve real support at every stage of their journey, and CORE was designed with that same purpose in mind. The partnership gave us the ability to reach more clients without the barrier of pricing standing in their way, and to work across a wider range of businesses and industries than we typically would on our own,” said Willis and Tilson.
Through the partnership, TMC has broadened its expertise by serving businesses across industries including luxury fashion, holistic nutrition, and massage therapy. The experience has strengthened the firm’s capabilities while creating lasting relationships with clients who continue to grow long after completing the program.
One of the company’s proudest achievements has been guiding entrepreneurs through structured branding journeys that build confidence and create lasting business impact.
“Growth looks good on our clients, and we’re incredibly proud to have played a part in their success,” the founders shared.
“The Marls Collective helped me put the puzzle pieces together, and now I have a clear picture and vision of what I want and need from my business, as well as what direction I want to go in. They listened to my needs and concerns and helped me reach my goals,” said Lekia Weldon, LMT, Owner of At Peace Massage Therapy, CORE Participant.
According to the Small Business Administration, women own more than 14 million businesses in the United States. Like many entrepreneurs, the co-founders of The Marls Collective understand the realities of balancing business growth with personal well-being. Their firsthand experience navigating the challenges of building a small, women-owned business has become one of their greatest strengths, allowing them to connect authentically with clients facing similar obstacles.
Looking ahead, The Marls Collective is focused on expanding its services and building a broader network of collaborators to support entrepreneurs at every stage of their journey. The company’s long-term vision is reflected in its name: a collective of business owners, creatives, and partners working together to make success more accessible for everyone.
“Our goal has always been bigger than branding,” the founders said. “The more we grow, the more people we can reach—and that’s what drives us every day.”
To learn more about The Marls Collective, visit themarls.co, follow @themarlscollective on social media, or contact admin@themarls.co.
About The Marls Collective
The Marls Collective (TMC) is a woman-owned branding and creative strategy firm founded in 2022 and based in Birmingham, Alabama. Co-founded by Marlesa Willis and Marlee Tilson, TMC partners with small businesses, solopreneurs, nonprofit organizations, and community-driven brands to build identities that are clear, consistent, and authentic. With 15 combined years of experience across corporate and nonprofit sectors, TMC offers brand strategy, visual identity design, brand voice development, and ongoing creative support.
About Network Navigator
Network Navigator is an independent nonprofit organization founded by Naila Jackson. The platform connects solopreneurs, micro business owners, and small business owners to the resources, capital, and community they need to start, grow, and sustain their businesses.