Merch.Link | About

Merch.Link Story

I’ve been a musician for most of my life, playing in bands at every level of the spectrum—from tiny basement shows with friends, where the goal was simply to have fun, to touring nationally with artists determined to build sustainable careers. Experiencing both ends of that journey gave me a firsthand understanding of how difficult it can be for independent musicians to grow beyond the music itself.

Along the way, I saw a consistent problem: most artists don’t have the capital, time, or infrastructure to handle merchandising effectively. Buying shirts in bulk, storing inventory, managing fulfillment, and shipping orders to fans is expensive, operationally complex, and often distracts from the creative work that matters most.

I realized this didn’t need to be the case. With the right technology, merchandising could be automated end-to-end—ordering, printing, and shipping—so musicians could focus on making music, not running logistics.

Founder Ryan Marshall

I’m originally from Chicago and moved to San Francisco in 2008. I’ve been a software developer for 20+ years and a musician for over 25. Growing up immersed in Chicago’s punk scene—spending countless nights at venues like Fireside Bowl and Metro—shaped both my values and my understanding of artist communities. Those experiences continue to inform how I build products today: practical, artist-first, and grounded in real needs.

As a founder, I sit at the intersection of technology and music—not as an outsider solving a theoretical problem, but as someone who lived it.