From Grief to Giggles: Our Win at Pitch Night and Comic Strip Teaser

It started with a button that said, “I pooped today.”

For Tamara Bissell—artist, founder, and the snark behind Pithitude—that quirky pin wasn’t just a punchline. It was a turning point. Now, fifteen years later, her brand of irreverent humor and heart has earned her top honors at the 2025 Curry County Pitch Night, where she swept both the First Place and Audience Choice awards.

Hosted at Mr. Ed’s Espresso & Underground Pub in Port Orford, OR and organized by the South Coast Development Council, the event spotlighted bold small business ideas. Tamara's pitch—equal parts humor, heartbreak, and hustle—resonated with judges and attendees alike.

“I started this brand because I needed to laugh at something during the hardest time of my life,” she told the crowd. “That humor became the foundation for everything I’ve built.”

The Business of Laughing Through It

Pithitude isn’t your average gift shop. It’s a small print studio nestled along the Brookings-Harbor boardwalk, where merchandise is printed in-house and infused with Tamara’s sharp wit and distinctive illustrations. From dish towels and hoodies that make you snort-laugh to mugs that know your secrets, Pithitude’s products have developed a loyal following online and in-store.

This spring, Tamara launched a new line of hardcover blank journals. Think bold colors, snappy covers, and the perfect combo of “therapy session” and “revenge planner.” They’re already bestsellers—and now, thanks to Pitch Night’s $2,500 prize, she’s scaling up to meet wholesale demand, expanding reach and keeping her small-but-mighty team busier than ever.

What’s Next? A Comic Strip Called Donna Lake

To cap her pitch, Tamara unveiled something brand-new: her first comic strip, Donna Lake, launching this August. It’s a warm, absurd workplace comedy about a quietly fierce department head (Donna Lake) navigating chaos, corporate nonsense, and a staff that includes a raccoon intern and a neurotic goldfish.

Subscribers to Pithitude’s email list will get early access and a first peek at exclusive Donna Lake merch.

A Win for Local Creativity

Tamara’s win is more than personal—it's a celebration of the quirky, gutsy entrepreneurship thriving on the Oregon Coast.

“Pithitude is about finding the joke, even when life isn’t funny,” she said. “If our work helps someone laugh or feel seen, we’ve done our job.”

Judging by the crowd at Pitch Night, mission accomplished.

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