Meet Tina Le | Creative Founder

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tina Le and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tina, what makes you happy? Why?
WOW! What makes me happy!?!! So many things! 🙂

When I first started out on this journey, I used to think that things ‘outside of me’ made me happy, such as: traveling, being around and hanging out with people, eating good food, buying materialistic things, and just adding on “more things” to my life’s inventory. Each and every time, when I would accomplish or achieve something, I realized that I would experience a quick dopamine ‘high’ of “yayyyy!!!” and then it disappeared. Although these achievements were great, I wondered and asked myself, “what happened” and “what is true happiness?”

With my personal inquiry of “what is true happiness”, I realized that happiness is something coming from within. It is the moments when I take the time to pause and appreciate what is in front of me in that moment…the present. And the experience or appreciation would intensify when I can share those moments of happiness with the people that I love, and also my dog, Mister!

There is this article that I have read, that young children are great role models of what it means to be happy, and the rough statistic shows young children can laugh anywhere from 300-400 times a day, whereas adults can laugh about 20 times a day. Seeing this difference in numbers, I started looking for things I am grateful for in the moment and bring happiness to it!

So what makes me happy? I love spending quality time with my family and friends, and of course my dog Mister! I enjoy mediation, traveling, sound baths, authentic relationships, funny movies, audibles, green juices, and finding silly things to laugh about everyday!

Doing my business at Hound and Friends makes me so happy as well! It makes me happy to do what I love doing! I enjoy designing and creating beautiful reversible bandanas and healing crystal jewelry for pets and owners to match! I love seeing customers look at my products and squeal in delight, “Awww how cute!! Wouldn’t this look so good on our dog?” Seeing people’s expression like that, brings me so much joy, that happiness can be spread around like glitter! I feel so happy to see others being so happy!!

Some happiness to share and enjoy now is 20% off with code VOYAGELA on our website.

What should our readers know about your business?
In 2016, I launched my online business, Hound and Friends. Our business value is to create a fun, cute, joyful experience for our paw friends and their owners with options to match! We express this connection of love between dogs and their humans from our products made to match! We specialize in handmade bow ties, reversible bandanas, and pet crystals for great healing energies and style. We have recently added handmade personalized Mala for people, whom are looking to create and manifest the next chapter of their life.

My experience that lead me to where I am today started when I was a young child, I observed and learned from my parent’s work ethics at our family business. I learned how to sell all sorts of things as a child and did all sorts of fun mini-businesses.

As a young adult, I went to school to further understand what it took to build a business; took on jobs and internships to gain life experiences. The journey leading up to where I am had its ups and downs, wins and heartaches like many people can relate to. I had previously started a clothing brand company with a former best friend that ended quickly, losing thousands of dollars on flawed products, employees, events, time, and efforts. The business failure had me question whether or not to continue being an entrepreneur…or go back to work for someone else.

The lesson? I learned that I would only fail, if I quit. So I didn’t. I kept going. Each moment when things don’t work out the way I had planned, I would ask questions like, “What’s missing?” and “What can I do in this moment right now that can make that difference?” And I would take the action, and keep going. I am grateful to my friends who I can talk to about these questions and bounce ideas around with. What also keeps me going is wanting to sprinkle the joy of connecting people with pets because of their unconditional love and the laughters that they bring. That lead me to the creation of Hound and Friends!

What I want to share with the world about me and my brand story is a story of my victory overcoming my past. My first connection with a dog was when my dad brought home a dog when I was a little kid, his named was Mickey. I fell in love immediately. He taught me what it was like to be in the moment every day.

As a kid, I was pretty quiet since English was my second language, and then getting sexually molested by a monk…it was challenging to trust people afterwards. But everyday, my dog would greet me when I get home from school, and would be right next to me, wherever I go. I learned consistency and trust, and more than anything, his unconditional love. Mickey passed away in 2009 due to old age. It took me 4 years before I adopted my current dog, named Mister in 2013. He was an owner surrendered dog who was in the shelter for a month. With Mister, I learned about second chances. With a little love and some cute accessories, I noticed how much laughter he brings to people when they see him. So that gave me the idea to accessorize dogs in ways that would bring other people joy and happiness in their life, with their pets.

As Hound and Friends grew, so did the pet community! I am so grateful and happy to be a part of these communities that connected with the love of people and pets. I realized how important it is to have people in the world that I can create with, share with, love with, and laugh with.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
When a great friend visits me in the Orange County area, we go to the beaches! My top 3 favorites are Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, and Laguna Beach. Depending on what they like to eat, I love taking them around the Vietnamese Community in Little Saigon and share some of my cultural background with them. I love taking them to healthy places such as Vibe Organic Kitchen & Juice, True Kitchen, GreenLeaf, and Lemonade. When they’re looking to relax and rest, I take them to Sound Baths on the beach. Newport Float Tank Therapy is great to reset the body, mind and soul too. With a more intimate group, I make them Cacao drinks and host a Cacao Ceremony to sip peacefully, and enjoy great company and catch up over great conversations. Some times they visit me at pop up events which are super fun to attend, and they are family oriented and pet friendly. I love SoCal Corgi Beach Day that happens twice a year, plus their Nationals. There are so many interesting things happening in Orange County every weekend!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
A huge shoutout to my parents who raised me!! Thank you to my siblings for their love and support. Thank you to my friends who supported me on my healing and happiness journey. Thank you to my dog, Mister, who brings so much joy and happiness to my life every single day. Thank you Lela for gifting me a book call “The Magic” by Rhonda Byrne where there’s a practice for 28 days of gratitude. Thank you Tran for editing my story. Thank you Leah from Gibson Goddess for taking the photos. Thank you for taking the time to read it! xoxo

Website: https://www.HoundandFriends.com

Instagram: https://www.Instagram.com/HoundandFriends

Facebook: https://www.Facebook.com/HoundandFriends

Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@HoundandFriends

Image Credits
Thank to Leah from Gibson Goddess Photography for capturing all of these beautiful photos.