Today we’d like to introduce you to Tanya Henslee.
Hi Tanya, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I’m a former teacher who made decision to stay home with my boys after becoming a mom. While I loved teaching, motherhood completely changed my perspective on what I wanted this season of life to look like. I wanted to be present for the little moments with my children, while also finding a way to hold onto a piece of myself creatively.
After my dad passed away, I found myself needing something positive to focus on. Grief felt so heavy, that I needed something that felt exciting and meaningful, much like how I used to feel while teaching. What started as a small hobby and a distraction during a difficult time, slowly became something bigger than I expected.
I discovered that I truly loved thoughtful gifting – finding the perfect little details, creating something that feels personal for each recipient, and helping people celebrate all of the wonderful moments in life. It gave me a creative purpose during a season when I really needed one.
One of the best parts of this business, other than being present with my family is meeting and supporting other small business owners and creators within our community by incorporating their products into my gifts whenever I can. Austin is filled with incredibly creative people making unique, thoughtful, and high-quality products, and I’ve loved offering these in my gifts. There’s something really special about supporting each other and creating connections.
Looking back, this business grew out of both grief and joy – out of losing someone I loved deeply, while building a life centered around my family. I’m incredibly grateful for every customer, every small business connection, and every person who has supported me through this journey. It’s become so much more than gifting to me – it’s about helping people feel seen, celebrated, and connected.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It definitely hasn’t been a completely smooth road, although I think every small business owner probably says that for various reasons. I’m still learning new lessons every day. Starting a business while raising young children comes with its own challenges. There have been plenty of moments where I’ve created gifts during a rare nap time, answered messages, updated the website late at night, or tried to balance family life with the responsibilities of running a business.
Another challenge has been learning to wear so many hats. I had to figure out sourcing products, pricing, customer service, taxes, social media, and all the behind-the-scenes parts of running a business. There’s been a lot of trial and error along the way!
I feel like there can be so much pressure as a small business during the age of social media to constantly be creating, posting, and keeping up online. Doing that while still trying to stay present in “real life” has been an ongoing learning process for me.
It’s also an interesting time to own a gifting business. With rising costs and financial stress affecting so many families, there are moments when people understandably have to be more intentional about spending. At the same time, I’ve realized that gifts and thoughtful gestures still matter so much because they’re still about human connection. People want to celebrate the important moments in their lives: birthdays, supporting friends going through hard times, thanking teachers, or making someone feel seen and appreciated. That part never goes away.
Honestly, these challenges have shaped the business into what it is today. They’ve taught me resilience and the importance of community. The support from customers, friends, and family, and other small business owners has made the hard moments feel worth it.
As you know, we’re big fans of A Little Something – Gifts and Goods. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
A Little Something – Gifts and Goods specializes in curated gifts that feel personal, thoughtful, and genuinely fun to receive. I create custom gift baskets, boxes, and specialty gifts for any occasion – birthdays, baby gifts, teacher appreciation, holidays, celebrations, and any “just because” moments. A big part of what I do is helping people find gifts that truly fit the recipient instead of something generic or one-size-fits-all.
I think what sets my business a part is the amount of thought and personalization that goes into every order. I love finding those little details that make someone feel really seen – whether that’s incorporating their favorite snacks, colors, interest, or even a good inside joke. I want every gift to feel exciting, intentional, and unique to the person receiving it.
Another huge part of my brand is supporting other small businesses, especially local creatives in the Austin area. One of my favorite things is discovering amazing products from other small business owners and incorporating them into my gifts whenever I can. Austin has such a creative community, and I love being able to highlight those businesses while also creating something special for my customers.
Brand-wise, I’ve tried to create something that feels approachable, creative, personal, and community-focused. I want customers to feel like they’re not just ordering a gift – they’re getting help creating a meaningful experience for someone they care about. I take a lot of pride in the relationships I’ve built through this business. So much of my business has grown from word of mouth, repeat customers, and community support which means so much to me personally.
More than anything, I want readers to know that my business is rooted in connection. In a world that can sometimes feel rushed or impersonal, I think thoughtful gifting still has the power to make people feel loved, celebrated, and remembered. That’s really at the heart of everything I create.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
One thing that people may not know is that I’m naturally more introverted than my business probably makes me seem. Social media can make business owners seem constantly outgoing or “on” all of the time and that’s just not true. I’ve had to push myself outside of my comfort zone to network, show up online, attend markets and really put myself out there publicly. I mean, I’m not going to be dancing on there anytime soon, but I’m getting better!
Some things about me that probably many people do not know is that I’m from a very small town and my graduating class only had 12 people in it, I can remember pretty much any lyric from any song I’ve ever heard, and in all my years of teaching I’ve taught 1st grade, 2nd grade, 5th grade Math, American Literature, British Literature, SAT/ACT Prep, Choir, Journalism, Yearbook, Theatre Arts, and Graphic Design.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://alittlesomethingtx.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alittlesomethingtxgifts
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/A-little-something-Gifts-and-Goods/61580632037964/
- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@alittlesomethingtx
