ABOUT MAKESHIP
Merch Madness
Makeship has always been more than a crowdfunding platform. Since our co-founders teamed up for their first collab in 2018, we’ve partnered with thousands of Creators and brands to bring the stories their Fans love to life.
Today, we help storytellers create high-quality, custom collectibles and apparel their Fans can’t find anywhere else. From plush to pins, vinyls to hoodies, you dream it, we build it—bringing our knowhow in design and manufacturing to fulfillment and customer service.
We’ve come a long way, and we’re even more excited about what’s next. We’re committed to helping Creators connect with their Fan communities in deeper ways—through custom storefronts, powerful analytics, innovative new products, and hands-on marketing support.
MAKESHIP MILESTONES
Our story has been shaped by some major merch moments.
Here are the ones we’re proudest of.
01
2018
Rakan Al-Shawaf and Wang (Kevin) Tao join forces as cofounders.
02
2018
Fans back their first campaign of limited-edition plushes with CircletoonsHD.
03
2022
Makeship keeps growing—and moves its headquarters to Vancouver, BC.
04
2022
Makeship ships itself out of its Discord server and into Ottawa for its first annual company retreat for all remote Team Members.
05
2024
Makeship launches its first apparel line with A Date With Death.
06
2025
Makeship surpasses $20 million in creator payouts.
Meet our leadership team
Rakan Al-Shawaf
Co-Founder
Favourite plush: Goblin Plush
Rakan co-founded Makeship in 2018 as a student at Queen’s University, before being chosen for Forbes 30 Under 30 in 2023. His proudest achievement? Paying out more than $20 million to creators.
Landon Brett, CPA
CEO
Favourite plush: Rainbow Anklosaurus Longboi
Landon joined Makeship in 2021. A CPA by training, he brings his experience as an auditor at Ernst & Young, where he saw firsthand how companies scale, eventually bringing that passion and experience to the creator economy.
Wang Tao
President & Co-Founder
Favourite plush: Zergling Plush
Before Makeship, Tao worked as a vehicle engineer. In 2018, he co-founded Makeship alongside Rakan Al-Shawaf, bootstrapping the company with little capital and drawing on his engineering background to build out manufacturing relationships in China that power Makeship's supply chain today. When he's off the clock, you'll find him catching up with his favorite Talk Show creators.
Vanessa Ghosh
VP Product & Technology
Favourite plush: Baby Globe Plush
Vanessa has spent her career building products to help creators and entrepreneurs earn money from what they love. Prior to Makeship she drove growth, engagement, and revenue at Wattpad, 7shifts, and Kobo. At Makeship she oversees the platform, systems, and data infrastructure that power each creator’s launch.
Erin Fenn
VP, Revenue
Favourite plush: Toad Plushie by Abi Toads
Erin has spent her career building and scaling high-growth teams across SaaS, marketplaces, and service industries, including as a founding member of Just-Eat in Canada (now SkipTheDishes). She was named 40 Under 40 by the Ottawa Business Journal and the Ottawa Board of Trade.
Shima Shafieian
Head of Product Design
Favourite plush: Edamame Family Plush
Shima spent nine years designing and developing products across apparel, accessories, toys, and footwear, including senior roles at Canada Pooch where she helped evolve the brand into a lifestyle label. At Makeship, she channels that passion design into expanding product lines and developing premium apparel for creators.
Madelaine Fielding
Director of Finance
Favourite plush: Pink Zergling Plush
Maddie is a CPA and finance leader passionate about empowering the creator ecosystem. Through successful campaign payouts, cross-departmental projects, and team-building, every effort translates into meaningful results.
Kelli Black
Executive Assistant
Favourite plush: Man Bat the Bat Man Bat
A trained actor and Vancouver Film School alum, Kelli has spent 15 years supporting executives. At Makeship, she brings that performer’s energy to hosting All Hands and writing showcases that teach the team more about our amazing creators.
CULTURE AND CAREERS
Our culture is Creators
By Fans, for Fans. Join our team to collab on something special.