Today we’d like to introduce you to Hannah Gustafson.
Hi Hannah, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Just over a year ago I was feeling disconnected from my community and discouraged by the political landscape. I had recently become unemployed and was trying really hard to find my spark again. I had been finding a lot of joy in making different jams and I thought it could be fun to sell them in my front yard. I was inspired by rural farm stands and thought I could maybe do something similar in my neighborhood. I put up signs in my neighborhood inviting people to my front yard and I called it The Tiny Farmer’s Market. It was just me, my jams, a few friends, and some free drinks and It looked like a little lemonade stand! I always tell people that in those first three hours of The Tiny Farmers Market I ended up meeting more of my neighbors than I had in the 3 years of living in my house. It completely sparked something inside of me and I decided to be very consistent and sit out there with my jams and free drinks every single month. I started to share what I was doing on social media and people were really starting to show up, other vendors started to reach out and now we have 30 plus vendors, live music, and normally between 500-1000 people in attendance every month. My goal now is to maintain the authenticity of a true third space by continuing to offer free drinks and encourage people to just come hang out and stay for however long they like. We have also started partnering with local non profits and are well on our way to raising our first $20,000 for the Austin community.
In an attempt to extend the same community and connection of the tiny farmers market, I started a snail mail club called The Tiny Post where I send my art, a recipe (oftentimes a jam I’m working on!), a playlist, journal prompt, a tarot card, a surprise paper goodie, and my favorite part, a letter that I write rooted in community and connection. My goal was to continue the mission of the market as far across the world as I could. Today, we have more than 5000 subscribers and a flourishing online community of people who find their pen pals in our Tiny Post network!
Lastly, I started The Tiny Project Studio Series at my art studio. We partner with local small artists who are trying to make creativity their full time jobs. We host small, intimate events with the hope of making friends and connecting each other through creativity.
All in all, these are the branches of The Tiny Project (for now). We are always evolving but ultimately we try to stay grounded in our three core values, creativity, community, and connection and my ultimate goal is encouraging people to start something Tiny!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It definitely hasn’t been a completely smooth road. One of the biggest challenges has actually been how quickly The Tiny Post grew. What started as a small project suddenly reached thousands of subscribers in a very few short months, and I had to figure out how to scale it quickly without sacrificing the quality or care that made it special in the first place. Growth is incredibly exciting, but it also means learning a lot in real time!!
Something I don’t share often online is how much I’ve had to balance with my service as an officer in the Army Reserves. I’m often at the will of military expectations and schedules, and the volatility of the world right now has been one of the hardest things to navigate, especially when it comes to showing up creatively. I’m grateful for what my service has taught me, but it’s a lot to hold at once. I work really hard to see the good in everything and I genuinely believe this business has helped me practice that.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m a small business owner and artist based in Austin. Most people know me through The Tiny Post. But really, all of my work comes back to the same thing: creating spaces where people can connect through creativity, whether that’s in person at the Tiny Farmers Market or Studio Series, or through meeting a pen pal via The Tiny Post.
What sets me apart is that everything I do starts really really small and I love encouraging other people to start their own tiny things! Every piece of my business started more as my own creative outlet and less of a business venture. At the time I only had the capacity to start small and I think that’s one of the reasons this business has resonated with so many people. One of the compliments that means the most to me is when someone shares that they were inspired to start their own small thing!
But what I’m most proud of is just watching people find each other through these spaces. Someone meeting a neighbor at the market for the first time or finding a pen pal through The Tiny Post. That’s what gets me most excited!
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
I think with the rise of AI and increasingly automated digital experiences, people are going to crave real, tangible things more and more. I think we can already see it happening. There’s a growing appetite for experiences that actually require human presence or working with our hands and an excitement to get back to physical media.
I think the next 5-10 years are going to see a big shift back toward analog and I really want to be building in that direction. My goal is to keep creating spaces and experiences that prioritize real connection and tangibility, things that can’t really be generated or automated.
Pricing:
- Tiny Post subscription – $11 a month
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hannah_thetinyproject?igsh=cngwOHkzeWIycmlu
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1GNh4yan7L/?mibextid=wwXIfr
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@hannahlg0?_r=1&_t=ZP-94lguDZ6Vod
