We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Hannah Henriques. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Hannah below.

Hannah, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

In August 2024, I took one of the most significant risks of my life—I left behind the security of my desk job to fully embrace a life of creativity, passion, and entrepreneurial independence. This decision wasn’t easy; the stability of a traditional job offered comfort, but it didn’t align with the vision I had for my future or the kind of parent and individual I wanted to be.

My heart has always been rooted in creativity and storytelling, but balancing a full-time desk job, completing my degree, and parenting had become overwhelming. Something had to give. Driven by an innate desire for authenticity and creative expression, I took the leap to finish my degree in English (with a minor in Anthropology) and dedicate myself fully to my creative pursuits. I revamped my Etsy shop (originally established in 2017), where I craft and sell handmade items such as all-natural candles, wax melts, digital and physical art, textiles, and custom commissioned artwork. Additionally, I launched a personal website to showcase my writing projects and an ambitious familial archive initiative—a project born from my academic capstone, where I digitize and preserve cherished family artifacts ranging from 1950s film footage to photographs and slides dating back to the 1800s.

Though this transition required me to supplement my income through various side jobs, the risk has profoundly changed my life. It has given me invaluable flexibility, allowing me to be present for my daughter in ways a traditional career couldn’t accommodate. Most importantly, it has empowered me to embrace my identity as a creative, hairbrained day-dreamer. It has taught me that it’s okay to be a square peg, I just needed to find a square hole. And today I can happily say that I am actively writing a science fiction novel with intent to publish while expanding my creative business, and I find immense pride and joy in building a multi-faceted, fulfilling, and genuinely authentic life.

Hannah, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

For those who may be unfamiliar with me, my journey has been a long and harrowing one. I have always been a “dreamer”, as my father calls me (with equal parts affection and concern). Growing up I felt like I was born inside-out and upside-down. I had trouble in jobs and in school because if something didn’t feel like it had a purpose then it didn’t make sense for me to waste time on it. I scraped by in high school, I changed college majors five times and dropped/failed out of college three times. In 2017 I started learning how to make candles because I was working 50 hours a week in restaurants and I had a five-year-old and I desperately needed an artistic outlet. 

It took me until I was thirty (and properly medicated) to shed my pretension and realize that I could find purpose in the mundane. This is when the true vision for my life started coming together. In 2020 I was furloughed from my job and eventually laid off, and with the unemployment site crashing every time I tried to apply (thank you, Covid), candle making became my primary source of income by mere chance. I revamped my Etsy shop and focused on small batch, hand poured candles made with quality, non-synthetic materials until real life once again pushed that project aside. 

In 2021 I went back to school, this time for a degree in English with a minor in Anthropology. And with stress levels coming to a head, causing a resurgence of chronic hives, esophageal spasms, and panic attacks, I quit my secure desk job in August 2024 to ensure I would graduate several months later. And I did. And I am proud.

I’ve always gravitated toward meaningful projects that blend storytelling, art, and history. A big life goal of mine is to become a published author, so my creative offerings tend to blend these qualities as I navigate how to give something meaningful back to the world. I like to believe that I provide quality craftsmanship with personalized artistry, allowing clients to find something truly special and tailored to their individual tastes.

Alongside my Etsy business, I initiated a deeply personal archival project—initially stemming from my academic capstone—that involves digitizing and preserving family artifacts dating from the 1800s to the present. This preservation effort addresses the essential need for safeguarding irreplaceable family histories and providing meaningful connections to the past for future generations. The archive is ever-growing and available online for anyone to see. I hope it is a reminder of the importance of our own individual histories.

I believe what sets me apart is my commitment to authenticity, flexibility, and deep personal engagement in every aspect of my multi-faceted work. Whether it’s crafting a personalized piece of art, making eco-friendly candles, or thoughtfully curating family memories, my goal is always to deliver meaningful experiences and products that resonate with my clients and followers.

What I’m most proud of is the life I’ve created—a life that allows me to embrace my creative spirit, to be genuinely present for my daughter, and to share my passions through diverse artistic and literary avenues. I’m currently writing a science fiction novel with the intent to publish, further expanding my creative endeavors. Ultimately, I want potential clients, followers, and fans to know that when they support my work, they’re engaging with a deeply personal brand that values creativity, authenticity, and human connection above all else.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

Something I believe non-creatives may struggle to understand about my journey is the profound importance of taking risks. Quitting my secure job was an outwardly irresponsible move. The financial instability I have felt throughout this entire process has kept me up at night, and I am not out of the woods yet. But alongside the risk-taking, it is equally important to find purpose in seemingly mundane tasks. Do not underestimate the complexity of managing creative inspiration alongside practical responsibilities. Creativity often requires a delicate balance between structure and spontaneity. The creative journey can be financially fraught, unpredictable, emotionally taxing, and full of self-doubt. Understanding that sometimes you have to find boring and unfulfilling ways to pay the bills until your creative pursuit is strong enough to sustain you is important. Sometimes you have to learn to darn so you can fix your socks yourself instead of spending your limited money on buying new ones. It is hard work but so far it is infinitely rewarding.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

My primary goal and mission driving this creative journey is to build an authentic, purposeful life where creativity and passion coexist sustainably with family and personal fulfillment. Through my creative endeavors, I aim to contribute meaningfully to the world, inspire others, create stories and narratives that connect people and foster empathy and understanding, and preserve invaluable personal and historical narratives for future generations. I want the things I do to make a positive impact. I don’t want to harm the earth and I don’t want to harm people. I want to spread joy, and hope, and gratitude. Our society is addicted to individualism, hustle culture, and greed. I understand that in this world you need to make money to survive, but I’m just trying to do that in a non-problematic way. I don’t need to be a millionaire. I just need to pay my bills and do good work.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.hellohenriques.com/about
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hellohenriquesstudio
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hellohenriquesstudio
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hellohenriques/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@hendricksfamilyvideo
• Other: Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/HellohenriquesStudio

Image Credits

Hannah Henriques