We recently connected with Hannah Jackson and have shared our conversation below.

Hannah, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you tell us about an important lesson you learned while working at a prior job?

Throughout most of my career, I’ve found myself in supportive roles. Early on, I didn’t always see that as a strength, but over time I realized those positions gave me the opportunity to understand how businesses truly operate. When you’re supporting a team or leadership, you often get visibility into every moving part — the strategy, the operations, the logistics, and the people that keep everything running.

One place where this really took shape was during my time at Canali. I started there as a receptionist, which meant I was often the first point of contact for both customers and internal teams. From there, I moved into customer service supporting wholesale accounts, and eventually into an e-commerce specialist role during the launch of Canali’s U.S. e-commerce platform.

Because I moved through several roles within the company, I was able to see the business from multiple angles. I worked closely with customer care, helped manage relationships with wholesale partners, and supported warehouse operations and staff as part of the broader retail and e-commerce process. I also became involved in documenting and supporting operational workflows that helped keep the business running smoothly.

What that experience taught me is that successful businesses aren’t just built on ideas — they’re built on systems, communication, and the people working behind the scenes. Being in supportive roles allowed me to observe how all of those pieces connect.

Today, as a business owner, I carry those lessons with me. Understanding operations, customer experience, and process development has been incredibly valuable in building my own company. Looking back, those early roles gave me an education in how businesses truly function — and they shaped the way I approach entrepreneurship today.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I’m the founder of Acquired Taste, a brand centered around ritual, design, and intentional living. My work sits at the intersection of functional objects and atmosphere — creating incense, incense holders, and scent collections designed to elevate everyday rituals.

Before starting my business, I spent years working in supportive roles in a variety of industries. One of the most formative experiences was working at Canali during the launch of their U.S. e-commerce platform. I started there as a receptionist and eventually moved into roles supporting wholesale customer service and later working as an e-commerce specialist. Being able to grow within the company allowed me to see the business from multiple perspectives — from customer relationships to warehouse operations to the logistics behind launching a digital retail platform.

Those experiences taught me how much thought and infrastructure goes into building a brand that feels seamless to customers. More importantly, it gave me a deep appreciation for the operational side of business — the systems, processes, and people that make everything work behind the scenes.

Acquired Taste grew out of my interest in ritual and the ways small moments shape how we experience our lives. Incense, for me, became a way to mark those moments — to pause, reset, or shift the energy in a space. I wanted to create products that felt intentional and design-forward, something that could live in your home not just as a fragrance tool, but as a functional object and part of your environment.

Today, my brand focuses on thoughtfully curated incense scents and sculptural incense holders that are meant to be both practical and expressive. Many incense holders are treated like accessories that get tucked away, but I design mine to be visible pieces — objects that contribute to the aesthetic of a space while supporting personal ritual.

What sets my work apart is the perspective behind it. I approach my products not just as items to sell, but as tools that encourage awareness. My goal is to create objects and scents that invite people to slow down, notice their environment, and create moments of intention in their daily lives.

What I’m most proud of is building something that reflects my values and creative perspective. Every scent, every holder, and every collection is developed with care and purpose. I’m proud that the brand is growing through genuine connection with people who resonate with the idea that ritual, design, and atmosphere all play a role in how we experience our everyday lives.

At the end of the day, what I want people to know is that Acquired Taste is about more than incense — it’s about creating moments that bring you back to yourself.

Have you ever had to pivot?

One pivot I’m actively navigating right now started last July when I was laid off from my job. At the same time, I had already been building my brand, Acquired Taste, so the situation created a moment where I had to really think about what the next chapter would look like.

Right now, my business isn’t yet at the stage where it can fully support me financially, which means I’m balancing two things at once: continuing to grow the brand while also remaining open to new career opportunities. That balancing act has required a lot of flexibility and a shift in how I think about progress.

I think a lot of people imagine entrepreneurship as a very linear journey — you start a business, it grows quickly, and eventually it replaces your job. In reality, the process is much more layered. Sometimes you’re building something meaningful while also figuring out how to support yourself in the meantime.

What this moment has really taught me is resilience and adaptability. Building a business takes time, and sometimes the pivot isn’t about changing direction entirely — it’s about being open to different paths that still move you forward.

I’m still very committed to what I’m building. If anything, this period has reinforced how much I believe in the brand and the work behind it. It’s just part of the process of building something sustainable.

Can you talk to us about how you funded your business?

Acquired Taste started completely self-funded. In the early stages, I used my own personal savings to develop the first products, test ideas, and begin building the brand. I approached the process very intentionally and tried to stay resourceful with how I spent money. Rather than raising outside capital right away, my goal was to prove the concept first and learn as much as possible about the product, the market, and the operations of the business.

As the brand has grown, it’s reached a point where it can largely fund itself at a small scale. Revenue from sales goes back into production, inventory, and continued development. It’s still early, but it’s been important for me to build that foundation and understand what works before expanding too quickly.

Now I’m beginning to think about what the next stage of growth could look like. That might include bringing on partners, exploring investment, or identifying other ways to scale the business responsibly. What I’ve learned so far is that being resourceful and starting lean has been incredibly valuable. It’s allowed me to build the brand thoughtfully and maintain a lot of control over the vision.

Going forward, my focus is on continuing to grow the brand while exploring opportunities that could help accelerate that growth in a sustainable way.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://acquiredtaste.me
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/acquiredtaste.me
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannahjackson1?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app

Image Credits

Picture one – Jessie Reyes