Exploring Portland Through the Lens of Local Business

Amid the busyness of daily life, it’s easy to forget just how vibrant, creative, and resilient Portland truly is. But for a group of Portland State MBA students, a recent day spent visiting some of the city’s most inspiring local businesses offered a powerful reminder. As part of PSU’s BA 527 Domestic Experience class, students stepped out of the classroom and into a full-day immersive learning experience—one that spotlighted Portland’s entrepreneurial spirit and the real-world stories behind the storefronts.

Curated by local entrepreneur, MBA graduate and BA 527 instructor Alex Gamboa Grand, the experience was designed to connect students with a diverse mix of small businesses, each with a unique mission, market, and model. From microgreens to Mexican cuisine, sustainable retail to small-batch cider, the tour offered students an up-close look at how values, culture, and creativity drive local business success.

Honey Latte Café
The day began at Honey Latte Café, a coffee shop that seamlessly blends caffeine and creativity. Part café, part art gallery, the space serves as a hub for local artists and a model of inclusive, values-driven business. MBA students gathered in the bright, welcoming atmosphere to learn how intentional design and community-centered operations can shape the culture of a city like Portland. As Daniel Richmond, owner of Cave Painter Coffee, shared, “Creative spaces and cafés can serve as powerful incubators for the social ecosystems you aim to build and support. Whether they function as hubs for planning and action or as platforms for expression, these places foster community by offering service, care, and intentional space holding.” The visit offered students a compelling example of how entrepreneurial vision can be grounded in personal values and cultural stewardship. “Give yourself permission to consider shaping your business as a vehicle for the life you want to live,” Richmond advised. “Let your core values echo through every aspect of your operations with clarity and integrity.” The café’s thoughtful architecture and collaborative ethos set the tone for the day’s exploration of purpose-driven leadership and sustainable design.

Portland Microgreens
Next, students toured Portland Microgreens, an urban farming business that grows vibrant, nutrient-dense greens in the heart of Northeast Portland. With sustainability at the core of their operation, the founder and owner, Preston Davis, shared how vertical farming and direct-to-consumer delivery can support both ecological and economic goals — offering a look into the future of urban agriculture. “I see the greatest opportunity as the chance to inflict meaningful change on our city's food culture and quality,” said Davis. He also emphasized the importance of focus for young entrepreneurs: by starting with just 10–15 varieties, he and his team mastered the fundamentals before expanding to over 40 microgreens and then branching into edible flowers. Today, edible flowers make up nearly 40% of their business — including a new line of freeze-dried florals soon to launch online. For Davis, one thing leads to another, but only if you start with intention and mastery.

Honey Mama’s
At Honey Mama’s, Portland MBA students learned how a mission-driven company can grow into a national brand without losing its roots. Known for their nourishing cocoa truffle bars made from real, whole food ingredients, Honey Mama’s has stayed grounded in its founding values while navigating the complexities of scaling a purpose-led business. President (and PSU alum!) Jared Schwartz emphasized the importance of clarity and alignment in the company’s growth: “The key to maintaining authenticity through growth is first establishing strong alignment around your mission,” he said. “When everyone is aligned and rowing in the same direction, maintaining authenticity becomes a collective effort rather than something you have to fight for alone.” Founded in Portland in 2013, Honey Mama’s has employed over 400 people, many of whom have gone on to impact the broader food industry. For Schwartz, staying true to the company’s core belief — that indulgence can be both joyful and nourishing — has never wavered. “Clean ingredients aren’t just our differentiator — they’re fundamental to the experience we’re creating,” he added. “We believe people should feel empowered by the food they eat.”

La Casa de Mamá
La Casa de Mamá offers more than just incredible food—it shares a legacy. Co-owned by Alexa Cid Carrera and rooted in traditional Mexican recipes passed down through generations, the business brings cultural storytelling to life through every dish. Students heard how authenticity, family, and persistence shaped its path from home kitchen to thriving local bakery and catering business. As Alexa shared, “For a long time, business education often focused solely on profit, as if that were the only marker of success. But we believe there’s a different way—a way of doing business that puts culture and community at the center, not as an afterthought.” Their vegan pastries reflect this balance of tradition and innovation, adapting family recipes for a wider audience without losing their roots.

Alexa emphasized that identity is a strength, not something to set aside: “Your heritage and personal identity… can be your biggest strength, your foundation, your differentiator, and your source of resilience.” She’s honest about the challenges of growing a business while staying true to their values: “It’s not easy, and we’re still figuring it out. But one thing is clear: our community is the reason we’ve made it this far.” From knowing customers by name to supporting local causes, La Casa de Mamá shows what it means to build a business on care, connection, and mutual support. “When we show up for our community, they show up for us.”

Life of Pie
Lunch was served at Life of Pie, a beloved Portland pizzeria known for its wood-fired pizzas, approachable atmosphere, and commitment to high-quality local ingredients. MBA students had the chance to speak with owner Jason Kallingal (MBA ‘17), who shared his journey building a successful restaurant in one of the U.S.’s most competitive pizza markets. "The MBA gave me a structured way to think about risk, operations, and long-term planning," said Kallingal. "But what stuck with me most was the idea of creating value — for your team, for your customers, and for the community you serve," Kallingal adds. He emphasized that beyond great food, Life of Pie’s success is built on consistency, culture, and a clear sense of purpose. He walked students through how he approaches hiring, branding, and customer experience with the same strategic mindset he developed during his time in business school. For students interested in entrepreneurship, the visit offered a powerful example of how formal business education can be translated into real-world leadership — and how values and execution go hand in hand.

Tender Loving Empire
Tender Loving Empire stands as a vibrant example of how creativity and commerce can thrive together when rooted in strong values — making it a compelling case study for MBA students. Co-founder Brianne Mees emphasizes that mission and math must go hand in hand: “We are very mission-driven — our passion for the creative community is the whole reason we exist. But if the math doesn’t add up to profitability, we can’t fulfill our mission at all.” Founded in Portland to uplift local artists and inspire community connection, Tender Loving Empire has paid out over $20 million into the region’s creative economy since 2007. With its blend of handmade goods, independent music, and purpose-driven retail, the business illustrates how values, storytelling, and financial sustainability can work in tandem. For MBA students, Tender Loving Empire offers a real-world example of how small, values-led companies can scale impact, navigate economic challenges, and build deep brand loyalty — lessons essential for future leaders who want to create businesses that matter.

Sign Wizards
One of Portland’s longest-standing sign shops, Sign Wizards gave students a behind-the-scenes look at the craftsmanship behind the city’s visual identity. From custom signage to large-scale graphics, the team demonstrated how artistry, technology, and client relationships come together in a legacy business built to last. “MBA students can learn how success is about building systems that hold up over time, starting small and growing into their market,” Sarah Mosher, president, reflecting on the importance of adaptability in the face of evolving technology, post-pandemic realities, and shifting client expectations. Beyond their visual impact, Sign Wizards plays a vital role in keeping Portland creative, accessible, and compliant — handling everything from city permits to ADA signage. As Mosher explained, they transform rough ideas into real, functional, code-compliant installations, giving clients the freedom to focus on launching their ventures. It's a powerful example of how businesses shape the city’s landscape, both visually and structurally.

Way of Being
Way of Being, a low-waste lifestyle store, introduced MBA students to a powerful model at the intersection of retail, sustainability, and advocacy. Co-founder Alex Gamboa Grand, a PSU MBA alum, shared how the business operates as “a shop, a teacher, and a friend,” offering both carefully curated products and the education needed to use them with intention. With sustainability at its core, the business prioritizes guiding customers toward low-waste living and supporting independent, historically marginalized vendors — both in-store and online — while navigating the realities of running a small business with limited resources. “The challenge is finding ways to do that as a small business with limited bandwidth,” Grand noted, “but what gives me hope are our customers.” Longtime supporters and newcomers alike are embracing conscious consumerism and transforming their habits in meaningful ways. For students, the visit highlighted the critical role small, values-driven businesses play in building resilient local economies—and why understanding their challenges and contributions is essential for the next generation of business leaders.

La Familia Cidery
La Familia Cidery, the final stop on the tour, offered MBA students a taste of how culture, authenticity, and entrepreneurship intersect in the beverage industry. Founded by the Gonzalez family, the cidery blends traditional Mexican flavors with Pacific Northwest apples to create a product rooted in personal heritage and community pride. “We are a real family, so the authenticity of the brand is real,” said JJ Gonzalez. “It’s easy to tell our story, but it has to be told the proper way.” That commitment to integrity extends beyond the brand itself: La Familia actively supports other local makers by promoting small businesses, carrying their products, and prioritizing guest taps over their own house ciders. As Gonzalez shared, “A lot of people have helped us get to where we are. We’ll never forget that.” For students, the visit offered insight into how purpose and community collaboration can shape a business’s growth and identity.

The day’s journey through Portland’s local business landscape offered more than just a glimpse into various industries; it provided the BA 527 students with a tangible understanding of how passion, purpose, and strategic thinking create impactful enterprises. From the community-centric ethos of Honey Latte Café to the sustainable vision of Portland Microgreens, and the enduring legacy of Sign Wizards, each stop underscored the resilience and innovative spirit that define Portland’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. These real-world encounters brought classroom theories to life, illustrating how businesses can thrive by prioritizing values, fostering community, and adapting with integrity. Ultimately, the experience equipped the next generation of business leaders with invaluable insights into building businesses that are not only profitable but also deeply connected to their communities and committed to a greater purpose. It was also a reminder that business education doesn’t just happen in the classroom—it happens in the city itself.