Meet Angie Hanson

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

Angie, thank you so much for joining us today. Let’s jump right into something we’re really interested in hearing about from you – being the only one in the room. So many of us find ourselves as the only woman in the room, the only immigrant or the only artist in the room, etc. Can you talk to us about how you have learned to be effective and successful in situations where you are the only one in the room like you?

For most of my life, I never set out to be “the only one in the room.” I just somehow kept finding myself there, whether in grief groups where no one had lost a child, business spaces where no one quite understood the ache behind my mission, or creative circles where my work lived at the crossroads of heartbreak and hope.

And let me tell you, being the one who carries both grief and grit into a room can feel like walking in with a neon sign over your head, one that reads: She’s different. But here’s what I’ve learned: Being the only one in the room doesn’t mean you don’t belong. It just means you’re carrying something the room didn’t know it needed.

When my son died, and later my husband and my brother, I became fluent in a language most people avoid. A language of tenderness, truth, and sitting with the things no one wants to talk about. But grief carved something in me that business school never could; a clarity of purpose so sharp it became my compass.

When I walked into entrepreneurial spaces—trade shows, speaking events, networking groups—I quickly realized I wasn’t just “different.” I was called. Called to be the voice for the grievers. Called to build a business where empathy wasn’t a buzzword but a lifeline. Called to create products and tools that speak the words people choke on.

And yes, sometimes I have shown up to rooms where my story felt too heavy, my mission too tender, and my path too unconventional. But surviving the unimaginable has a way of making you unshakably grounded. When you’ve stood at gravesides, you stop being intimidated by conference tables.

Over time, I learned that being the only one in the room is actually my superpower. It means I bring a perspective shaped by lived experience. It means I see people, really see them, when they’re hurting or lost or unsure. It means I’m willing to start the conversations everyone else tiptoes around.

And oddly enough, it means people lean in. Because authenticity is magnetic. Because courage is contagious.
Because grief has taught me to lead with heart, and rooms tend to soften when a heart walks in fully open.

Today, I don’t shrink when I’m the only one who looks like me, sounds like me, or works the way I work. I take a deep breath, remind myself I’ve already survived worse, and then I take my rightful seat at the table. Because belonging isn’t about blending in. It’s about bringing the light only you can carry.

And if my light looks different, well, that’s the whole point.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I’m Angie Hanson, and my work sits at the intersection of grief, creativity, and hope.
I’m the founder of Butterflies + Halos, a grief-support stationery brand born from the hardest losses of my life, the deaths of my son, my husband, and my brother. What started as my own way of putting words to the pain slowly grew into something bigger: cards, journals, books, and resources that speak to people when the world goes quiet and they have no idea what to say.

My work is simple at its core: I help people feel seen in their grief.

Sometimes with a card. Sometimes with a story. Sometimes with a moment of humor that lets the heart exhale.
I’m also a grief coach and author, and much of my career now focuses on creating spaces; in writing, in workshops, in speaking events, where people can sit with their truth without feeling like they have to “be okay.” I believe grief softens us into who we’re meant to be, and I’m honored every day to walk beside people as they find their way forward.

What feels most exciting right now is the way my work is expanding. This past year has been full of new chapters, literally. I’ve published new books, begun speaking more publicly about resilience, and launched grief-support programs that offer daily tools and encouragement for the hard days. I’m stepping more fully into the role of storyteller and guide, using my lived experience to help others navigate their own storms.

Butterflies + Halos is still growing, with new products, new collaborations, and new avenues of support, but I’m also stepping boldly into a bigger purpose: helping people heal through honesty, connection, and compassionate truth-telling.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that grief doesn’t end our story.
Sometimes, it’s what gives us the courage to rewrite it.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

When I look back on my journey in grief, in business, in rebuilding a life from ashes; three qualities have carried me farther than anything else.

1. Resilience
Real resilience isn’t pretty. It’s messy-haired, tear-stained, whispered-prayers kind of strength. Mine was forged in loss, and it became the backbone of everything I do today.
How to build it: You don’t rush it. You don’t fake it. You lean into the hard days with honesty, let people help you, and remind yourself that getting up again, even wobbly, counts as rising. Every stumble becomes a skill. Every heartbreak becomes a teacher.
2. Empathy (with boundaries).
My work is built on understanding grief from the inside out. But empathy is more than feeling for people, it’s being able to hold space without carrying every weight home with you.
How to grow it: Listen more than you talk. Ask compassionate questions. And most importantly? Learn where the “your heart ends, their heart begins” line is. Protect your energy so you can serve from a healthy place.
3. Creativity with Courage.
Starting a grief-centered stationery brand wasn’t exactly the safe or obvious path. Neither was writing books, coaching grievers, or speaking publicly about the worst moments of my life. But creativity loves a brave heart and once I combined storytelling with purpose, everything opened up.
How to strengthen it: Give yourself permission to try things before you feel ready. Create badly, imperfectly, joyfully.
Follow the nudges. Trust the whispers. And don’t be afraid to take up space with your ideas, even if you’re sure no one will “get it” yet. They usually do…eventually.

Bottom line:
You don’t need to be fearless to begin. You just need to be willing. And if you can pair willingness with grace, grit, and a dash of humor when life gets weird? You’ll be unstoppable.

Before we go, any advice you can share with people who are feeling overwhelmed?

When overwhelm shows up for me and it does often, the first thing I do is pause. A real pause. Hand on my heart, one deep breath, and a moment to let my nervous system settle. It’s amazing how much shifts when we just stop rushing.
Then I ask myself one simple question: “What’s the next right thing?”
Not the whole to-do list, not the big picture; just the next small step that keeps me moving with grace instead of panic.

I also try to get out of my head and into something grounding: journaling, praying, stepping outside, or taking a walk. And on really tough days, I go back to basics: water, rest, a good cry, or a call to someone who feels safe.

My best advice? Treat yourself kindly when overwhelm hits. It’s not weakness, it’s your body asking for a timeout. Give yourself permission to slow down, breathe, and take it one gentle step at a time.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://butterfliesandhalos.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/butterfliesandhalos
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/butterfliesandhalos
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angie-hanson-griefeducator

Image Credits

Sherri Harnisch Picture Taker