Meet Sheena Hansbrough

We recently connected with Sheena Hansbrough and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Sheena, thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?

I’d like to believe I get my work ethic from watching the elders in my family. My Abuelito, Rafael Fonseca, was always working and fixing on something from vehicles
to household grievances. I used to be so amazed at how strong and knowledgeable he was. There was never a job or task he couldn’t do. Because of his determination and work ethic, he was able to bring his family from Barranquilla, Colombia to Miami, Florida to start a new life all while speaking very little English. His love and work inspires my motivation and resilience to keep going daily.

My grandmother, Victoria Miles-Young had a 3 in 1 business that was a laundry mat, convenience store, and restaurant. It was just her and her husband Papa Leon running the place. Growing up I remember being so happy to see her interact with her community and how much love she met people with. She was going to remember people’s favorites, and was going to go over and above what people asked of her. Before this business she owned a bar I found out later. She always seemed to enjoy her time in that place…it was her pride and joy. She’s who taught me how to crochet, and was my motivation to start my crochet fashion business han.S.ee.

Both of them throughout my life always managed to make time, made me feel special, and made sure to let me know how proud of me they were when they were still here. The willingness to share their knowledge and stories shaped who I am today. I pray that I’m making them proud and hope that I’m doing their legacy justice.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

My name is Sheena Hansbrough, and I am a crochet fashion designer that sells wearable art through my business han.S.ee Limited Co. My grandmother taught me the fundamentals of crochet when I was a little girl. That was one of our bonding activities growing up. I didn’t complete my first project until 2018 which was a small blanket. My patience isn’t quite cut out for huge projects. I quickly discovered blankets weren’t my ministry, especially when our cousin Jilly requested I try my hand at a bikini top for her. I couldn’t believe my hands could create something like that. After that I started to make things for my wife Kandyce and I to match our outfits. Crochet became fun…a way of expression I was falling in love with. After a while, every time my wife would post a pic of her in something I’d make, she’d get multiple requests inquiring about purchasing. Because of her encouragement I started to share my work. Since the pandemic, I’ve watched especially women who’ve purchased from me feel so good when they put on my art. It feels good that I can share that joy with them. This just confirmed that this is what I wanted to do…make pieces that make people feel fly.

Currently, I’m finishing my first line of what I call crochet lingerie streetwear. I love oversized garments, with a hint of naked which will reflect in these pieces. I still have 4 pieces left to complete, but I’m so pleased with how these pieces have turned out. These will be available made to order in the spring, and the rest for the fall on hansee.co. Hopefully, I’ll be doing my first pop-up shop by the end of the year! I’m excited to create these pieces for all my sexy beings out there!

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?

The first one I can think of is being true to yourself. It can be easy especially with social media to compare yourself, and question your abilities. We are all on our own timeline, which is the beauty I think in this life. Being able to be present in your journey at every stage is a blessing, and I think a sense of authenticity will come across in your work that will speak to your audience. The second for me would be time management. It is very important to create a work/life balance to prevent burnout. It was an early lesson for me. The excitement starting your own business will have you burning the midnight oil! Although long hours will happen, it is important to take good care of yourself while you are grinding. Your mind, body, and spirit will thank you! The last but not least is always keep yourself open to learn. Expanding and growth is the only way to be able to really see how far your gift(s) can take you. Perspective is everything, so I try to see my difficulties as learning lessons to become better at my craft. To all who are on their entrepreneurial journey…don’t give up!

What’s been one of your main areas of growth this year?

My biggest area of growth for me has to be being comfortable with doing the hard things scared. To create anything worth having, it requires a discipline only you can pull from inside yourself. You have to really put yourself out there and bet on you! I’ve spent a lifetime questioning my talents and not wanting to be seen in fear. It has taken practice, but I will say it gets better every time I do it. Doing this interview even is definitely helping me overcome that fear…to be confident in sharing my art and taking up space!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://hansee.co/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/han.s.ee/

Image Credits

KK Hansbrough