A Team of TALENT Outside the Auction Industry: Celebrating Small Businesses within HAG

At Hansen Auction Group, we know that our employees are the heart of everything we do. Day in and day out, our team members dedicate their time, talent, and energy to serving our customers and delivering exceptional auction experiences. However, what makes our team truly extraordinary is that their gifts don’t stop when the workday/week ends.

Many of our colleagues are also small business owners, creators, makers, and artists pursuing passions that enrich not only their lives, but also the communities around them. We want to take a moment to celebrate those talents, shine a light on their endeavors, and invite you to support them just as much as they support us.

Meet Our Talented Team

✨Sandy (Downing Auction Lead Representative)– Antiques and Vintage Reseller

Sandy enjoys running a small booth in Rice Lake, WI, at Seek & You Will Find, where she sells antiques and vintage treasures she’s collected over time. Though it’s more of a passion than a business, she enjoys the thrill of uncovering unique items and sharing them with those who appreciate their charm and history. 

✨ Logan (Marketing Content Creation Specialist)– Vyberant Media LLC

Vyberant Media LLC is a creative small business offering photography, videography, and media services tailored to a variety of needs. From weddings, portraits, and real estate to events, drone work, and logo design, the company blends artistry with technical expertise. Vyberant also specializes in archiving old media into digital formats and repairing electronics and equipment. With a passion for wildlife documenting and storytelling, Logan brings a unique perspective that connects creativity, conservation, and innovation. Learn more at vyberantmedia.com or on Instagram @vyberant.

✨Kaitlin (Marketing Manager)– Volleyball Coach & Home Baker

Volleyball has been part of Kaitlin’s life for as long as she can remember. Starting as a gym rat who went on to play collegiate ball, her love for the game has always been matched by her passion to share it with others. Over the last 12 years, she has coached high school and club teams, run camps, given private lessons, and still sneaks in time to play in leagues and tournaments (including a first-place finish at the Waupaca Boatride, the world’s largest grass tournament). Off the court, her creativity comes alive in the kitchen, where she has spent the past four years designing intricate, custom cookies. What began as a hobby has grown through word of mouth into birthdays, baby showers, holidays, and beyond—each design a sweet balance of creativity and flavor. Whether chasing points or perfecting piping, Kaitlin finds joy in pouring her passion into every detail. 

✨Mariah (Operations Specialist)– MJ Therapeutic Massage, LLC

MJ Therapeutic Massage, LLC was founded in August 2019 by Mariah Smith, LMT. Mariah has built her practice entirely through word of mouth, providing care that makes a meaningful difference in the lives of people within her community. What began as a full-time career has since become a side business, but Mariah continues to pour her heart into every massage, holding herself to the highest standard of excellence. Owning her business has not only given her the freedom of a flexible schedule and financial security, but it has also challenged her to grow personally and professionally, pushing past limitations and redefining what she believed she was capable of. Clients can connect with her directly at 715-533-8402, and gift certificates are available.

✨Brianna (Operations Specialist)– Hazelett Photography

Brianna is the owner of Hazelett Photography, a side business where she brings her creative eye to capturing life’s special moments. Through her work, she focuses on creating meaningful images that reflect genuine connections and lasting memories. You can explore her portfolio and learn more at Hazelett Photography.

✨Shawn (Marketing Specialist)– A Man of Faith and Many Talents

Shawn is known for having one of the biggest hearts on the Hansen Auction Group team, and his generosity shines well beyond the workplace. Together with his wife, he pours love into baking, sharing homemade treats that truly come “from their oven to everyone’s hearts.” Rooted in faith and gratitude, they see planting seeds of joy, love, and hope as their way of giving back to the world. Shawn’s compassion shows up in many forms including creating balloon animals, teaching religious education, baking for colleagues (including our Neenah office), or volunteering wherever he can. He and his wife dedicate time to organizations like Pillars Adult Center and Feed My Starving Children, finding fulfillment in the simple, but powerful gift of bringing smiles and laughter to others.

✨Avery (Fort Atkinson Auction Representative)– Avery Hansen Photography

Avery has turned her long-time passion for photography into a thriving part-time business that brings both joy and fulfillment. What began as a hobby in middle school has evolved into a creative career capturing families, couples, senior portraits, and more recently, expanding into weddings and brand photography. Along the way, she has not only sharpened her skills, but also built confidence in her ability to tell meaningful stories through her lens. However, what Avery values most is the connection with her clients in getting to know them, sharing laughs, and preserving authentic moments during some of life’s most memorable milestones. Her passionate work can be found and followed on Facebook under Avery Hansen Photography.

✨Jerry (Downing Sales Manager & Realtor)– Maple Creek Sugarbush

Jerry Bates and his wife are proud partners with her family in running Maple Creek Sugarbush, a successful maple syrup business in Barron, WI. Each season, they tap around 6,000 trees and purchase sap from other producers, cooking for a total of about 10,000 taps. Through hard work and dedication, they produce pure, high-quality maple syrup representing a true labor of love rooted in tradition and family. At Maple Creek Sugar Bush, the focus is on creating delicious, top-quality maple products while fostering a welcoming, family-friendly atmosphere. Each bottle is filled with the rich flavor and quality that only comes from generations of family tradition and hard work. If you haven’t tried their syrup yet, you’re truly missing out! 

✨Megan (Downing Office Receptionist)– Megan Rose Photography

Megan is the owner of Megan Rose Photography, where she captures life’s most meaningful moments through her creative lens. She specializes in family, senior, wedding, and newborn photography, along with just about any creative idea her clients bring her way. Her work can be found and followed on both Facebook and Instagram under Megan Rose Photography.

✨Anna (Marketing Manager)– Anna’s Sweet Imperfections

Anna’s Sweet Imperfections grew from a lifelong love of baking that began in the kitchen with her mom and blossomed through years of 4-H cake decorating. What started as making custom cakes for family gradually evolved, and in 2025, Anna began creating cakes and cupcakes for a wider circle of people. What she once thought would remain a small hobby has turned into a fun and rewarding side business that keeps her busier than she ever imagined. Today, each order is not only a chance to share her love for baking, but also an opportunity to make life’s celebrations a little sweeter. Check out Anna’s work on her Facebook page Anna’s Sweet Imperfections.

✨Tiffany (Operations Manager)– Norwex Consultant

When Tiffany isn’t supporting team members in her leadership role at Hansen Auction Group, she enjoys running a side business selling Norwex products to customers in her local community and beyond. This venture fuels her passion for helping others while giving her the opportunity to share eco-friendly solutions that make everyday living cleaner, safer, and better. Visit Tiffany’s Norwex Page and place your first or next order today.

How You Can Support Small Businesses

• Follow their social media pages and share their work.
• Leave a kind review if you’ve experienced their service.
• Tell friends, family, and community members about them.

We are proud of not only the professional work our team accomplishes every day, but also of the passions they pursue beyond it. By celebrating their creativity and dedication, we honor the whole person, not just the role they serve in our company.

Together, these small acts of supporting our team make a huge difference in the lives of small business owners. Thank you for taking the time to read.