Launch Date: May 2021
Geography: Atlanta, GA, US
Founder: Leslie Tessler, Founder + CEO
Executive Team:
Notable Investors:
2025 Full Year Projected Revenue: $5M - $8M
Primary Category: Bodycare
Funding: Angel Investment
Primary Distribution Channel: DTC
Other Distribution Channels:
Key Retail Partner: Sephora
2025 Projected Offline Distribution Points: 650
I started Hanni because my skin, and my life, needed a reset. After more than a decade as a beauty executive, I was completely burnt out. What was supposed to be a six-month sabbatical turned into 11 years in Argentina, where I met my husband, raised three kids, and redefined what really mattered. For the first time in years, I slowed down. And in that space, I noticed something. I’d been neglecting my body. My skin felt dry, scaly, and sensitive, but every bodycare product I tried fell short. They were either too complicated, too sticky, or too forgettable. I wanted bodycare that felt indulgent but fit effortlessly into my life. Products that worked as beautifully as my skincare, without stealing my time or energy. So I created Hanni, named after my youngest daughter Hannah, to make bodycare easy, elevated, and unforgettable. Every formula is designed to leave your skin softer than you thought possible and make caring for your body feel less like a chore and more like a treat.
Insights: Leslie Tessler, Founder + CEO
Why now and why you?
After more than two decades leading marketing for brands across North and South America, I've witnessed firsthand how the body care industry has remained stagnant while consumer needs have dramatically evolved. The modern woman's relationship with self-care exists on a spectrum—sometimes we have the luxury to indulge in lengthy rituals, and other times we need efficient solutions that get us out the door in under 30 seconds.
This disconnect between what was available and what I actually needed sparked my vision for Hanni. The bodycare industry has been ripe for innovation that addresses the real concerns of today's women. We deserve products that flex with our lives, not force us to choose between experience, efficacy, and convenience.
My years of experience developing and marketing products has given me unique insight into what works, what doesn't, and most importantly, what's missing. Hanni isn't just another brand; it's the solution I've been working toward my entire career.
What fuels your competitive advantage?
Our competitive edge at Hanni stems from two key strengths. First is our ability to innovate quickly with truly functional solutions, creating products customers haven't seen before that solve real problems. We don't make minor tweaks; we reimagine bodycare to align with how customers actually live.
The second advantage is our exceptional team and culture. We're a small collective of super-powered females, each with 20+ years of beauty industry experience. What sets us apart is our passion for creating something that genuinely empowers customers while making their lives easier. Our combined expertise helps us spot opportunities others miss, and our lean structure enables unprecedented speed from concept to market.
In an industry of slow-moving giants, our agility and deep knowledge lets us take calculated risks that become groundbreaking products customers didn't know they needed—until they can't live without them.
What are you most proud of accomplishing to date?
We've had a lot of incredible accomplishments in the four short years since we've launched— like securing Sephora distribution within a year of the brand launching and consistently creating award-winning, innovative products. But I think what I'm most proud of is our team's obsession with our customers, really listening to them and being flexible enough to take that feedback and quickly iterate on the business.
We started off as a shaving-focused brand and have now built a reputation for one-of-a-kind, elevated, innovative bodycare. This evolution was 100% fueled by listening to what was resonating with our customers and leaning into that. Our willingness to pivot and grow, based on real customer needs rather than sticking rigidly to our original vision, has allowed us to build something truly meaningful and responsive to the market.
What is the one thing you wish someone had told you?
I wish someone had told me that building a brand isn't linear. It's a constant evolution that requires you to be comfortable with change and uncertainty. When we started Hanni, I thought having a clear vision meant sticking to it rigidly. What I've learned is that the true power comes from balancing that vision with the flexibility to adapt based on customer feedback.
No business plan survives first contact with your customers, and that's actually a good thing. The most valuable insights don't come from boardrooms or investor meetings; they come from genuinely listening to the people using your products. Some of our biggest breakthroughs happened when we were brave enough to shift direction based on what our community was telling us they actually needed.
What would you tell your past self before starting this journey?
It's all going to be OK. Trust your gut. Sleep more. Worry less.
What does success look like in the next 3-5 years?
Success for Hanni means becoming a household name that fundamentally changes how people think about bodycare. When we've succeeded, customers won't associate bodycare with being a chore or routine that's easily skipped or deprioritized. They'll think of easy, effective solutions that work better than anything else on the market and genuinely make life simpler.
I envision a future where people casually mention they haven't bought a traditional lotion in the last five years because Hanni's innovations have made those products obsolete. Our success will be measured not just in revenue growth or retail expansion, but in how we've transformed daily routines and created a new category of bodycare that's actually built around real life.
We'll know we've truly succeeded when Hanni products become the trusted go-to that people recommend to friends without hesitation because they've experienced firsthand how our solutions save time while delivering superior results. That kind of organic advocacy can't be manufactured; it can only be earned by consistently delivering products that solve real problems better than anyone else.
What's one industry trend that is overhyped, and what's being overlooked?
The most overhyped trend in beauty right now is the proliferation of influencer beauty brands. While there's certainly value in the perspective influencers bring, the market is saturated with celebrity-backed lines that offer little substantive difference from what's already available. These brands often rely more on personality than performance, creating a cycle where marketing becomes more important than the product itself.
What's being dangerously overlooked is true product innovation. The industry has become so focused on packaging, marketing stories, and influencer partnerships that we've lost sight of what actually matters: creating products that genuinely work better and solve real problems.
At Hanni, we believe customers are growing weary of the endless parade of influencer collaborations and are increasingly hungry for products that deliver meaningful results and simplify their routines. That's the gap we're focused on filling—not just new products, but new solutions.
How do you think the industry needs to evolve?
I really hope the industry continues to evolve with more honesty and transparency. Customers are sophisticated and can see through marketing claims that aren't backed by performance. I hope the brands that will thrive moving forward will be those that deliver measurable results and communicate honestly about what their products can and cannot do.
If you could wave a magic wand, what one wish would you make for your business?
We've been building this brand sustainably and consistently over the last four years. Our community and customer base are loyal and evangelical about our brand. That has come from building with authenticity, consistency, and prioritizing quality over quantity.
My honest response is that if magic wands were real, my wish would be for that lightning-in-a-bottle viral moment that catapults brand awareness overnight. I've dreamt of this scenario more times than I can count, where a cultural icon just happens to be naturally incorporating Water Balm into their routine for the world to see.
The beauty of reaching this point in our journey is that we have the infrastructure, quality, and team in place to actually deliver on the promise when new customers discover us. That viral moment wouldn't just be a flash in the pan; it would be the catalyst for sustainable growth built on the strong foundation we've already established.
