Girls Know Nothing - S1 Ep7: Hannah Holland, 28 year old founder of HLD talent, speaks about building a company after dropping out of university and mental health in entertainment!

Episode Date: September 15, 2022

Welcome back to Girls Know Nothing! 🧡  GKN is a female focused podcast hosted by Sharon Gaffka ( ). Girls Know Nothing's seventh guest is Talent Manager, Managing Director and Founder of HLD Management - Hannah Holland. Hannah was kicked out of university and like most young people, thought it was the end of the world. Fast forward to 2022, Hannah owns one of the most respected talent management agencies in the industry, which looks after some big names in reality TV and social media.  But Hannah's success hasn't been without it's challenges. From starting HLD with little to no experience at a young age against people who have been in the industry for decades, to being able to juggle a personal life.   New episodes of Girls Know Nothing 🧡 are released every Thursday, at 08:00 (UK time), perfect for your pre-work routine! All episodes are also available on Spotify, Apple podcasts and wherever you get your podcast fixes!  Dont forget to follow Girls Know Nothing 🧡 on our social channels:  Https://linktr.ee/girlsknownothing  Instagram: @girlsknownothingpod  TikTok: @girlsknownothing

Hi, I'm Richard Karn, and you may have seen me on TV talking about the world's number one expandable garden hose. Well, the brand new Pocket Hose Copperhead with Pocket Pivot is here, and it's a total game changer. Old-fashioned hoses get kinks and creases at the spigot, but the Copperhead's Pocket Pivot swivels 360 degrees for full water flow and freedom to water with ease all around your home. When you're all done, this rust-proof anti-burst hose shrinks back down to pocket size for effortless handling and tidy storage. Plus, your super light and ultra-durable pocket hose Copperhead is backed with a 10-year warranty. What could be better than that? I'll tell you what, an exciting exclusive offer just for you. For a limited time, you can get a free pocket pivot and their 10-patter pattern sprayer with the purchase of any size copperhead hose.

Just text water to 64,000. That's water to 64,000 for your two free gifts with purchase. W-A-T-E-R to 64,000. By texting 64,000, you agree to receive recurring automated marketing messages from Pocket Hose. Message and data rates may apply. No purchase required. Terms apply. Available at pockethose.com slash terms. You just realized your business needed to hire someone yesterday. How can you find amazing candidates fast? Easy. Just use Indeed. Stop struggling to get your job posts seen on other job sites. With Indeed Sponsored Jobs, your post jumps to the top of the page for your relevant candidates,

so you can reach the people you want faster. According to Indeed data, sponsored jobs posted directly on Indeed have 45% more applications than non-sponsored jobs. Don't wait any longer. Speed up your hiring right now with Indeed. And listeners of this show will get-K-A-T-Z 13. Just go to Indeed.com slash P-O-D-K-A-T-Z 13 right now and support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast. Terms and conditions apply. Hiring Indeed is all you need. Welcome back to another episode of girls know nothing today i have the well i call you mama jar to people or boss to you to your face but people you people that don't recognize hannah's red hair ginger hair what do you call it like yeah like it's orange isn't it your bright orange hair everyone reckons recognizes your bright orange hair. Everyone recognizes your bright orange hair. You have your own little cult following

on social media, I think. Maybe. Maybe. No, you do, because people actually get Hannah on the podcast. So I feel like you do

have your own little cult following. I think it's nice. Do you think it's nice? I don't know. I don't take compliments that well. I'm not that person.

I'm very behind the scenes. I'm a BTS gal and that's how I like it for those people that don't know who Hannah is Hannah is the managing director and talent manager in HLD so all of the big girls managers yeah my manager so I can't I can't say too much to insult her or embarrass her because she'll do the same to me and it'll probably be worse. So I'll just edit it out. Great, good start. So I can't believe it's been over a year since we first met.

I know. One anniversary, darling. I know. I can't believe, like, well, how we first met was weird anyway. Oh yeah, that was funny. It was weird. But, you know,

one of the reasons, for those people that don't know, when Hannah signed me, the end of our first meeting, we were both sat in the back of a black cab together having a little sob. Drunk crying, yeah. Both crying at 2am in the back of a black cab. Poor taxi driver. But it's a good way to end a business meeting, I think. And then I woke up and you kept saying you wanted to sign. And I thought, yeah, I should probably just stay in it because she had a great night.

You know, like it happens. And I woke up, the first thing I got was like ITV saying, congratulations on signing Sharon Gaffigan. I was like, oh, better tell the team. Wasn't that the best day of your life? That awkward laugh made me feel a bit worried. No, it's like, it was a great day.

But I never thought we'd get on as well as we did, like, you know. Yeah, definitely. We didn't get on very well. I think one of the reasons why I wanted to, well, one of the reasons I signed to and the reason I want to have you on the podcast

is because I found you so relatable compared to a lot of managers that I did meet when I left the show. And, you know, just for a similar fact, you know, you're a young woman,

you own your own business, you've had your own struggles. Huh? I'm youthful. You are youthful. You've had your own struggles and, you know, starting a business. You are youthful. You've had your own struggles. And, you know, starting a business at the age of 24 is not easy.

It's really weird because actually, I was talking to this the other day with one of my staff and it was like someone was turning 24 and they were literally like, I can't believe you started your business at 24. I think I was a bit, I had a very strong head then. I also was very ballsy because 28-year-old Hannah

would definitely not do what 24-year-old Hannah done. Like, honestly, it petrifies me looking back that I literally gave up my job and any security and went, yeah, we'll just see what happens. Well, yeah, that's to be fair. If it goes wrong, I'll get another job. I'll work in Sainsbury's, like whatever.

Yeah, I definitely don't think, I think maybe when I was younger, I had that mentality, whereas now I wouldn't. But obviously when I first met you and we started getting to know each other, you said about your life through education and university and how much you hated school. I dropped out of university, which I think I've spoken a lot about. I almost got much you hated school. I dropped out of university,

which I think I've spoken a lot about. I almost got kicked out of school. I got excluded three times. I was isolated a lot. A lot, a lot. I went on every coloured report known to man. There was once a time

I had so many detentions. Like, I would be so sassy. And I am now. Like, I'm sassy. And I remember them like I and I am now like I'm sassy and I remember them getting detention I was like I'm really sorry but I'm actually fully booked this week and it got to the point where Miss Honeyset who was my um head of year she called me into her office and she was like you have to do detention every day for a whole term um instead so that's what I did and I spent every single evening with her and actually I really enjoyed that time with her I really did

I had the best time because she literally was like my counsellor like I really did struggle at school my parents had a hard time with me so I think they find it very interesting now that I have a career that I've built myself because I wasn't

I was just going to say they're surprised I have a career oh probably that too probably that I could have spoiled myself but it you were just going to say they're surprised I have a career. Oh, probably that too. Probably that I could have spoiled myself. But it's weird though, like with every young woman that I've ever spoken to in my entire life

that was naughty at school has done well for themselves because the sassiness comes from somewhere and it's just because they don't like being told what to do and they want to make their own thing.

Oh no, don't tell what to do. I also have this whole thing like if you tell me I can't, like I definitely will do it. And as well, like, you know that if you go into a shop and they act like you can't afford it? Like, it's like maybe a pride thing.

I'm like, well, I'll buy it then, just to prove a point. And then I'm like, oh, I don't even want it. Like, I'm going to have to return it. I'm like a salesman's dream. Yeah, great for commission. They just see your red, orange hair coming in and they're like, yes.

Whip it around. But, you know, leaving university. Yeah. And I know what happened. Obviously, other people don't know what happened. So like, what was that like for you, leaving university without finishing it? Oh, it was really sad.

Like, I was really upset. My granddad died like the same time. So it was a bit, it was a bit, it all happened at once. I felt like my whole life had sort of fallen apart. And I was like, oh, it can't get worse than this, can it? And I was like, I'm going to go live with my mother again. I was like, great! Off I go. So I went and lived with my mum and I was literally just DMing every company like known to man, like no joke. And yeah, eventually a 66 is the only one who kind of came back to me which is like a nude magazine there's probably some in this room somewhere I have like an

abundance of these magazines and I was so proud of that job and I worked my ass off there and I started like a social media assistant I was on like pennies you know and then I really grew up and then they started managing girls. And that's what I started to do. Demi Rose and Megan Barton Hanson had joined. And I was sort of like PA-ing. And that's sort of what I did. And, you know, I was answering the emails. And it was a really actually quite brief look into management. And, you know, I just sort of figured I could just do it on my own. I don't know why. It's really weird, because when I you know, I just sort of figured I could just do it on my own. I don't know why.

It's really weird because when I look back, I honestly didn't have enough experience, you know. And I probably, in hindsight, should have had more. But I've learned so much doing this job. And I really do think one of the things that is a good talent manager is just being willing to leave, like literally leave your pride at the door

and work your ass off. And literally, if you don't know how to do something, don't be scared to ask other people how to do it, like, or find that contact or dig around. It took me a really long time to kind of build up our contacts and, you know, things like that. So yeah, I don't know.

It's weird to think back. It's been so long. It's weird that you say that you felt like you didn't have enough experience or knowledge to be able to actually go on your own. I saw a tweet earlier today saying, if you ever feel like you're unqualified for a job, look at some of the people that run the country and then apply. Yeah, I actually don't even,

don't we have a new prime minister? We do. I don't even care at this point. I feel like unless the energy bills are going down, who cares? But it's weird because your first talent was Demi. Yeah, so it's actually, technically she's not. I just don't really talk about what I was doing. So when I was at 66,

I wanted to see if I could do it on my own. So I set up, you know, HOD, but in secret. And it was like a marketing company. And I was doing like a lot of, like it sounds really random, but I was doing like logos for like aesthetics companies and stuff. Like that's what I was doing.

It's like side hustle, make more money. Like it was nice. Like, well, it wasn't nice. I worked a lot of hours. Like it was, I was tired a lot. And yeah, so I started managing like micro-influencers. You know, like actually some of them have gone on to do quite big things.

So it's interesting. Like they were like 10,000 followers. And I was working with like cute nutrition and stuff, like doing little bits like that. And yeah, that was, sorry. When I go like that, I'm like, I'm thinking back to that time. So it's like a really long time ago

nostalgic and then I managed you know more glamour girls back then because that was kind of if you don't know what 6ix is

it's like a nude magazine so it was very glamoury so that's kind of where I was at but then the first big client I got was Demi Rose

and then after that I signed Harley Brash who was my first Love Islander. And yeah, they were with me and I really enjoyed it. Do you ever find it like nerve wracking or terrifying that people are literally trusting their entire life to you? Petrifying.

You know, I take it all very to heart. And, you know, I guess maybe because you know me very well I am I'm quite tough and I think that a lot of people they don't I'm quite eccentrics people think but people don't see how much of how emotional I am like in terms of how much I wear like my heart on my sleeve and I really take everything very personally and I think it's a great quality about myself and it's also my worst because I really take everything very personally. And I think it's a great quality about myself. And it's also my worst because I can't just let it go.

Like I will think about it all night or if someone isn't happy, like I will literally not rest until I've tried to sort of fix that. Or, you know, sometimes you just can't and sometimes you're not a good fit. But yeah, I have, I don't, I think that's where there's a difference in management as well,

is like, if you care or not. Yeah. I think caring is important. Do you think that's probably where some of your, like, hardships are when it comes to managing talent? Is that sometimes personalities clash because you take that to heart? Yeah.

Like, I have a big personality too. So, you know, I I I one of the things I had to learn on this job was to manage other people's personalities and also expectation management things like that there were things I really didn't learn my other job like I said I really didn't have that much experience when I started this company so everything I have sort of learned is has been on the job really and you know in terms of personalities clashing oh like yeah and I will I've had to learn also when when to stop talking and that was really hard for me I have always been so defensive my whole life and then you I had to sort of learn

to be like the opposite at work you know don't me wrong, I go home and I will absolutely argue that the sky is green if it's blue. But at work, I know when to kind of stop that argument. Does that make sense? Yeah, no, it does make sense. I can just see you like thinking like in the corner of your eye. You know, the thing is, I literally don't do podcasts, right? The last one I did was a really long time ago, like a year ago.

And I have very much just stayed off the grid. So for me, it's always interesting because I also think I'm not that analytical. I just chat shite like all the time. So I'm just like, why does everyone want to listen to that? But sometimes people chatting shit is like where the best like inspiration comes from.

Like how many people have podcasts out there that literally just chat shit but people love listening to it? And I do think you do have a really like inspirational story, even if you don't think you do like I think you do because you know when you look at the talent you manage how many people work for you for HLD yeah you know it's not just your talent management it's I'm not now I'm just blowing smoke up your ass please love me forever um most the talent managers or not but most people that own talent managements

in the industry that I've spoken to are generally male. Yes, they are. So, like... Just want to float that out there. They're generally male. Most of the ones I've ever spoken to are. And, you know, did you find that hard to, like, kind of... I don't know if you're the first female, but, like...

I'm definitely not the first. One of the most notable females in the industry that owns a management agency. I was blown to smoke at one of those things. Yeah, I know. God.

It was difficult at the beginning. Yeah. It was also, you know, it's not necessarily my gender I've ever seen. It's my age. The fact that I'm young

has, I think, put people off a lot throughout the time. Imagine as well, like you're trusting me with every part of your life that's a hard thing to trust a 24 year old with or even now I'm 28 and I think maybe because I'm closing up to that 30 mark right so it's like that's 30 she's qualified now but actually you know and it was like everyone was sort of 40-ish you know not no distracts but they were just doing you know they were around a lot longer they've been doing it a whole lot

longer than me and it was like a kind of like a fight to be respected in this industry it really was and when I when there was a breakthrough moment for me not long ago, it was literally not long ago. It was like I was with the BBC and we were filming. And one of the guys who's like the production manager. Hi, I'm Richard Karn. And you may have seen me on TV talking about the world's number one expandable garden hose. Well, the brand new pocket hose copperhead with pocket pivot is here. And it's a total game changer.

Old-fashioned hoses get kinks and creases at the spigot, but the Copperhead's Pocket Pivot swivels 360 degrees for full water flow and freedom to water with ease all around your home. When you're all done, this rust-proof anti-burst hose shrinks back down to pocket size for effortless handling and tidy storage. Plus, your super light and ultra durable pocket hose copperhead is backed with a 10-year warranty. What could be better than that? I'll tell you what, an exciting exclusive offer just for you. For a limited time, you can get a free pocket pivot

and their 10-pattern sprayer with the purchase of any size copperhead hose. Just text WATER to 64000. That's WATER to 64000 for your two free gifts with purchase. W-A-T-E-R to 64,000. By texting 64,000, you agree to receive recurring automated marketing messages from Pocket Host. Message and data rates may apply. No purchase required. Terms apply. Available at pockethost.com slash terms. Bro, you were there. I was gassed, by the way. He was like, oh, so how long have you worked at HLD? And I was like, oh, I own it. And he went, what? He was like, I love HLD. Like, I literally was going through it. I was like, this is incredible. And it was like the first time I was like, oh, I own it. And he went, what? He was like, I love HLD. Like, I literally was going through it. And I was like, this is incredible.

And it was like the first time I was like, wow. And he'd said that he'd heard about us before. And, you know, it was mental that people now know who we are. And it felt like I was fighting to be known for so long. And it's kind of like trying to knock down all these doors. And it's kind of, you know, as well all these doors and it's kind of you know as well when you're in management people put you in certain brackets sort of even like as people it's very much we're in love iron days you reality agency and then this year we very much rebranded

completely and I really wanted everyone to I really I never started this agency to be just all reality tv or whatnot I very much started the agency because i wanted to be you know like a change a change in management in the way that the people do things you know managers are the managers don't get enough credit we are the people you call at 2 a.m crying your eyes out because your boyfriend i know about it you know when life is serving you shit when work is kind of slowed down, it's reorganizing your life and restructuring it and replanning.

Like, there are so many lows with so many highs, you know. And on social media, we'll very much make out everything is incredible all times. But it's stressful. It's always stressful. I'm stressed all the time.

All the time. I try to make your job a little bit easier but I don't think I do sometimes I have incredible clients I really love my clients it's really it's you know it's never really talent that make it stressful you know it's very much like it's just a lot of moving parts you know that's it it's like you're doing this brand deal you gotta do this and then you've got like oh oh, your lawyer's currently doing this contract, you've got to be on top of that. And, you know, so that's kind of where I think,

you know, time, like your own time management comes in. It was like, I think one day I literally had a breakdown. I was like, I just can't focus. I've got too much to do. And everyone was like, you need a PA. And she revolutionized my life. She sat in front of me but so kind of what inspired the HLD rebrand then I think it was I'm trying to think of my mindset when it was all happening I felt like I was just very unhappy with the agency like in terms of

its public perception if that makes sense okay yeah yeah. It's something that I think other people would look at and they wouldn't really see it the way I see it. I look at my company the same way as someone would look at a clothing brand. How does that look like to the outside world? Like, what, you know, what's our aesthetic? Like, how does it all look? What do you represent?

And I felt that it had kind of, it had gone into a completely different agency than I ever wanted it to be. So, you know, I had to go back to the drawing board and, you know, me and my team really sat there and we went, we have literally almost lost what we actually represent anymore. Like we'd almost forgotten, you know,

why we even, why I even began this. So we sat there and it took us a really long time to get back to it before we were like, right, this is the clients we're taking on. This is what we want to represent. And a massive part of that was also the fact that the world changed so much at one point, especially during COVID,

everyone was fighting for their talent to make money, right? And it was like taking on all these like fast fashion posts, stuff like that. I never really wanted to do that to begin with. I always wanted to do campaigns of meaning. And I always wanted to represent talent who had like a cause, I guess. So, you know, what you're doing for women and spiking

and, you know, you're so different. You know, we've got, we've just obviously taken on Paige from Love Island, she's a paramedic and what she's going to be doing around that, you know, Faye and her love of dogs and she's an ambassador for the guide dogs every single one of our talent i could reel off exactly what they stand for and that is so important to me in everyone we manage they have to have you know something they're passionate about substance you know core values you can't sell your soul for money and i think that sometimes it can happen in this industry.

And I just felt that our branding had to represent that. And sometimes a little rebrand is good for the soul. And we really did, you know, we rebranded completely. We got a new office, everything. It was almost like we started fresh. You know, we had like new teams come in to do different things. I feel good. And I felt at the time I didn't feel good it's probably like I think February this year is like the lowest I've ever felt in my life like I really was not in a good place and now I'm like one of the happiest I've ever been so it's you know it takes it takes time obviously everyone

has things in their own personal life too. And it's always hard because especially, because I'm a manager and I manage people's careers, it's almost a stigma as well. And something that maybe I put pressure on myself is that I'm not really allowed to have feelings and I can't really speak about them. So I kind of, so everything I do is sort of very much in like, behind the scenes.

And it's almost like frowned upon to ever have anything going on because then it's like, oh, but you could, like people could think that you're, it's affecting other people's careers or your work and actually it's almost like frowned upon to ever have anything going on because then it's like oh but you could like people could think that you're it's affecting other people's careers your work and actually it's not so yeah that's my tangent no to be fair the tangent is um going in the right direction like talking about what's good for your soul and and like not being allowed or feeling like you can't have other things going on obviously know, there's a lot of stigma around women that have very flourishing, very busy careers, because then there's a question about their personal life and how their personal life gets impacted and whether you want to have children and whether you can look after your husband and all of that. Oh, children petrify me and what they'll do for my

work. It's something you have to think about as a woman. It's like, and also, you know, people do ask me, or recently actually, so I very do keep, I very do,

that doesn't make sense, I very much keep my life very private. You quite, you know that about me. You know, I remember even one of my talents said it to me once,

and I was like, oh, I'm just going to go out with my boyfriend tonight. And they were like, oh my God, when did you get a boyfriend? I was like, four years ago. I have been with my boyfriend for a really long time,

but I just don't put it on social media. I really don't think it's anyone's business. So I really just keep my life like private. And yeah, I forgot the question now. I don't know why I started that. No, I think it was just like, do you, like, to be fair,

every time we have a chat, it just goes off into like lots of different directions. I'm terrible. Terrible. So we have a girl called Sha and I manage and we are the worst for it.

We never finish a conversation ever. We like butt into each other. It's honestly horrific. I've never had a conversation with the both of you together at one time. So I, it's wild. It's never had a conversation with the both of you together at one time so i it's wild it's wild but like for me it was like how can you obviously when you're saying you keep your life private how how do you manage you know your long-term relationship with i probably shouldn't say his name you can say hi connor um how do you manage

like your long-term relationship with connor as well as all of the long hours, the rebranding, the talent you manage? How do you ever find time to do anything else? It is hard. It's hard. Oh, that was it, what I've said before. Going back to it. People keep asking us when we're getting engaged, and I'm like, oh, poor Connor. Hi, I'm Richard Karn, and you may have seen me on TV talking about the world's number one expandable garden hose. Well, the brand new Pocket Hose Copperhead with Pocket Pivot is here, and it's a total game changer. Old-fashioned hoses get kinks and creases at the spigot, but the Copperhead's Pocket Pivot swivels 360 degrees for full water flow and freedom to water with ease all around your home. When you're all done, this rust-proof anti-burst hose shrinks back down to pocket size

for effortless handling and tidy storage. Plus, your super light and ultra durable pocket hose copperhead is backed with a 10-year warranty. What could be better than that? I'll tell you what, an exciting exclusive offer just for you. For a limited time,

you can get a free pocket pivot and their 10-pattern sprayer with the purchase of any size copperhead hose. Just text WATER to 64000. That's WATER to 64000 for your two free gifts with purchase. W-A-T-E-R to 64000. By texting 64000, you agree to receive recurring automated marketing messages from Pocket Hose. Message and data rates may apply.

No purchase required. Terms apply. Available at pockethose.com slash terms. But when are we? No, it is very difficult. And, you know, Connor is amazing because he really has allowed me to focus on my career. And, you know, sometimes the late nights, I think are, like, I do annoy him probably.

I know they annoy him. But, you know, that's my career and he's always supported that. And, yeah, I think it's harder at the weekends when my phone goes off or if there's an emergency and, you know, we're trying to chill. Sometimes that's really hard. But on a Sunday is like the one day now

that I'm like, right, I'm not doing anything. Occasionally I know I have to, you know, that we had a personal appearance last week and someone was like there. So I just had to check in to make sure, like with the talent manager. And he's fine with things like that. But I just had to check in to make sure, like with the talent manager. And he's fine with things like that. But I really do try now on my weekends

to work as little as physically possible. And before, like, you know, some weeks, I will clock crazy hours. Like I will get up at five, I'll work for a bit, and then I'll work out, then I'll go into the office, and then I'll come home and I'll carry on working office and then I'll come home and I'll carry on working and then I'll go to bed do you think my eyes hurt?

I heard something else and that's probably just my mind oh stop it you're a disgrace it's always the quiet ones well I'm not actually quiet it's always those ones you gotta watch out for though isn't it but um no I know you're actually your personality is so different

to what everyone always says my one thing with you is always like when people like Sharon's so serious I'm like she's so not because I'm not serious at all like I'm not corporate I'm a little bit crude like even, I had a meeting, like, quite a formal meeting. And they were like, oh, Hannah, you're like, well, I was trying, because it actually was my friend's company. And I went in to meet their, like, partner or whatever. When I said, you know, like, a managing director partner or whatever. And they were like, oh, I was telling them, you're absolutely bonkers. You're off your head. And I was like, yeah, actually, yeah, fair. All right, I'll take that. Because at least, you know, I quite like it,

especially when, you know, I'm out on, like, weekends, people meet me and stuff. They always find it absolutely baffling I run a company because I don't look, like, I don't come across like that. But actually, I'm a grafter. And I'm pretty clever, to be fair. I'll give myself that. I think that's the thing.

And I think that's why, why like I love you so much because it's not just about I'm very conscious of my fingernail it's alright we've got the same one I didn't have time it just looks really bad

doesn't it to be honest but it's like it's one of those things where I think you're proof that like you can just if you work hard and you set your mind to something

yeah that you can make something regardless of, you know, what school has taught you or told you what you are. And at my school, I remember once, there was a science teacher who told me, I would name and shame, but you know, whatever. He told me that I would never, I would end up as like a bin man.

And I remember saying to him, and this is, I was saying, I'm very, I was like, what's wrong with that? They make great money, my mum said. And like, you know, and I think you can, you can do anything you put your mind to. You just have to be willing to do the hard graft. And that's the one thing that I have noticed,

especially, and I see this on LinkedIn all the time. I've become like a bit of a LinkedIn bandit now. I don't post. LinkedIn influencer. I'm like, no, I don't post. I'm like a stalker. Like, I'm watching everything. And, you know, people talk about it a lot,

which is like, you know, like millennials and their work ethic and stuff. And I can tell you straight from having people come and work with us or, you know, the work is so different to me. I remember my first job, literally, I used to work like two jobs. And when I worked in Debenhams,

I worked at Yates and Croydon. Yeah, big up. You know, I used to do back to back. And sometimes I'd get like three hours sleep. You know, I always, always wanted to make a change in my life. I always wanted to be comfortable and never, I always put the thoughts out there in my head

that was like, I never wanted to have to check my bank account and think I couldn't afford something. I always wanted to be comfortable. And, you know, my mum was a really powerful woman like in industry. She, you know, was part of the team who founded Race for Life. She's my director of Cancer UK. And then my dad's like a PE teacher.

So it's not like I had a hard life, but it is a case of I just wanted more. I don't know if that's bad to say, but I just did. I've always, always wanted to be, you know, the first millionaire in my family. I wanted to be the first person, you know, to create this massive company. Everyone in my dad's side is like a teacher.

Like, that's like a thing. You know, my little brother, everyone in my dad's side is like a teacher. Like, that's like a thing. You know, my little brother, he's just got into, he's began being a teacher. Oh. You know, and the other one works for me. Ha ha.

I mean, that's, you know. He's great at his job, by the way. But yeah, so that's the whole thing. Love you, Harry. Love you. But that's the whole thing. So, you know, I really did want to be different.

Do you find it hard to have family working for you? You ask him? I know what his answer would be. We don't speak that much, you know. Do you not? We speak at work stuff and sometimes, you know, I think every now and again,

I think maybe people have seen us having a little tiff. But, you know, I even said to Romy yesterday, me and Harry were in the office together, just me and him on Monday. And I was like, we didn't really say much to each other, to be honest.

And at the end, I was like, safe, have a good day. He's only just fed up of being around women all of the time. I think we're nothing but positive influence on him. Positive. Do you think? Yeah. Maybe, yeah. Honestly, I think we're nothing but positive influence on him. Positive. Do you think? Yeah. Maybe, yeah.

Honestly, I think if men spend as much time with women as Harry does, they would understand women a lot better. That is true. Everything has to do with hormones. You know, like something that is funny on one day could be really unfunny the next day because it's like their time of the month. That is just how quickly women are.

And also, you know, with women, I find working with women easier. I have worked with men before, and they are hard work. Women, I will always say they just get it done every single time. I love managing women. Love them.

It's because you're like the only agency that is like a female led talent management, really. Yeah, it's, you know, and we'll always stay like that. But I won't shut my doors to men. We are open to the idea, you know, and kind of moving in that way. But it will always remain very much female focused. Is it because you had like a really, do you think that maybe you started a female focused agency because you were,

you grew up with a strong woman? Interesting. I've never thought of it like that. But I always thought the reason it was kind of in my head like that is because 66 was all women. That's everything was women.

But it was run by all men. And I always was like so confused and but I was so proud of what I did there because I really wanted to you know and one thing I loved is they actually did teach me a lot about women's welfare and they really did care but men will never understand women like a woman understands a woman yeah so it's all like run by men and you know that's not really like an issue but it was very much, I wanted to change that. And so when I started the agency, and also, you know, when I started,

I was very much looking at different agencies and ones I looked up to and this and the other. And I really was like, how am I going to make myself different? You know, the market's so big, there's so many managements. And it's true. And they pop up all the fucking time. Like all the time. I'm like someone you've never heard of before

and next thing you know, you know, they've got the next biggest influence and you're like, damn, like where did that happen? And I always feel like really, I'm like, yeah, good for you. Like, well done. Especially if they're young. Like I think that no one would seem to be doing

the all-woman thing and really pushing it so that's that's how I made my niche I really the one thing because I guess because I did a fashion marketing degree wish I finished it but I didn't um marketing was something I really enjoyed and it was like quite creative so yeah that's how I did it and I had to I always had a really good strategy for marketing or how I wanted to do that but I am also very impulsive like I literally go like I don't do you know the story of how we changed office no so basically so the where we're sat here doing this podcast was our old office yeah and I came back from LA from doing the Opoly campaign with Emily and I walked in in, I went, I fucking hate this office.

I don't want to come back in here again. I was like, so I said to, can I say your name? You said it about 10 million times already. Oh, sorry. I said to Romy, I was like, we need a new office. And she was like, right away. And literally, she spent like a week looking, went to see it, I was like,

I want it. She got it right though, she knew exactly what I wanted. But I was quite specific, I had a very particular window type, I wanted everything. Well done, Romy. Yeah, no,

she got it, she smashed it. And then that was it. And I did also the same thing when I got home from LA to my house, I was like, I hate this house,

I want to move. So then I moved. That was actually really tough though because I've got two dogs, so it's fucking difficult. Yeah, I can imagine. And men aren't very helpful packing up houses.

Well, I mean, Connor might be the exception to the rule, but. I asked him, I'm not digging him out of this podcast or anything, but I did ask him the other day because he was like working from, well, he had holiday. So he was, I asked him to he was he had holiday so he was

I asked him to fill in the holes in the walls that he excessively put in the walls where he likes to drill and move stuff right and I literally

this morning I woke up and I was like he hasn't fucking filled in these holes has he I thought well we're going away for like three nights

get back I'm going to have waiting in a little Amazon box for him filler I mean okay going back to being impulsive for that three nights. Get back. I'm going to have weight in in a little Amazon box for him. Filler. Okay, going back to being impulsive. What do you see like next steps for HRD?

Like what would be long-term goals? I want to expand. I definitely, I love the podcast market you know obviously we have grace and saving grace and then obviously yours is the first podcast we've kind of launched you know in conjunction with a talent so I would love to expand that out more and kind because I think podcasts are amazing way to show personalities and really do a lot. So the podcast side, I've always wanted to take HLD to another country. But I think way more time needs to be done there. But I am very proud that I do own this company 100% myself.

It's a grafter built up from the bottom. That's what it is. Yeah. But then like, what's the, like being the grafter and putting all these hours in and like trying to work on your relationship at the same time like what is what has been the downfall for you like in that sense because I know there is some it's hard because I feel like you know all these answers I do know the answers I'm actually trying to think of actually what the correct answers really are but um I think my mental health has taken a massive toll you know anyone who owns a

business especially in Covid and doesn't admit the fact that actually that was a crazy time and it was hard really tough um and I guess as well maybe my age was something to do with that as well because my maybe my emotional capacity wasn't quite there yet even now you know I don't I'm not a very emotional person I'm not I wouldn't I also would say that I have one of the things that actually I find quite sad but it's very true and if I was being really like honest with myself I had to learn to become quite detached to do this job. So although, you know, I love all my talents, I don't want to like sound like I'm contradicting myself

because I do love my talent. Only you could really say from your side of what I'm like as a talent manager, but I'm very heavily involved. Yeah. But in terms of in different aspects where things haven't gone like right with brands and things like that,

you really have to be able to detach yourself and not beat yourself up. And, you know, and I think that kind of really did affect every part of my life when I became more like that. You know, my friends will always tell you, like, I'm not a big hugger.

If I'm super nice, I'm like, oh, I love you. They're like, what? Are you feeling okay today? Yeah. And, you know, I'm kind of like that in my own relationship as well. Like, I'm not super oh, I love you. They're like, what? Are you feeling okay today? Yeah, and you know, I'm kind of like that in my own relationship as well. Like, I'm not super lovey, you know.

Well, that actually might make me a bit emotional. It is quite sad, but it is something that did happen for me. And I think it's because I started so young, for sure, that I became more like that. So like, 28- 28 year old Hannah now, what would you have said to 24 year old Hannah? Enjoy it more because I have always,

and I probably still am now, chasing the next big thing. You know, like nothing was good enough and I wish I celebrated my little wins more. Like I never did. And I've never really sat there and gone, fucking hell, look what we've achieved. I've always gone like, yeah, but this person's doing this.

Or like, I'm like it with my talent as well. I'm like, you know, oh, Sharon's here, but I want Sharon to be here. And I'm like chasing that. And I'm probably worse than even like how talent are to themselves. I'm like, I want this to happen because this is, they deserve this

and I need to get them there. And, you know, I set myself these goals. Even like, I don't even know if people really know this, but for a really long time, I used to have all my talents goals on my phone. I've seen that. On my screensaver. So I was like manifesting for my talent.

And they're not even my goals, they're their goals. So that's how dedicated I was to that. But now my screen saves a picture of my dog it's really weird because when people say they're always chasing the next big thing some people see that as drive but then I think it's a little bit detrimental I think the you know there is this whole hustler culture now every podcast I've ever listened to in business it's like you know they're talking about podcast I've ever listened to in business, it's like, you know, they're talking about the worst things that ever happened to them. And then like their hustle

culture. And actually, you know, we put so much pressure on ourselves. And I think we put a lot of pressure on young people. And, you know, it does, you can literally lose your mind working crazy hours and, you know, trying to impress everyone and being like, yes, yes, man. You can literally almost self-destruct slightly. Like I was saying to you earlier, I can always tell when I'm burnt, like starting to burn out and I start getting very unwell. And I'm very, I was like, I'm kind of there now. Like I feel very burnt out now, but I'm aware of it now. So that's why I'm going away on Friday just for three nights to just chill. And I think, you know, sometimes you just need that. Like with the toxic grind culture and things like that, and always putting other people's

goals before yourself, like how does that make you feel? You know what? I take things to heart. Like I said, I am very... You just realized your business needed to hire someone yesterday. How can you find amazing candidates fast? Easy. Just use Indeed. Stop struggling to get your job posts seen on other job sites. With Indeed Sponsored Jobs, your post jumps to the top of the page for your relevant candidates, so you can reach the people you want faster. According to Indeed data, sponsored jobs posted directly on Indeed have 45% more applications than non-sponsored jobs. Don't wait any longer. Speed up your hiring right now with Indeed. And listeners of this show will get a $75 sponsored job credit to get your jobs more visibility at indeed.com slash pod katz13

just go to indeed.com slash pod katz13 right now and support our show by saying you heard about indeed on this podcast terms and conditions apply hiring indeed is all you need. Self-critical. I take everything very personally. So when I like, I can't really listen to all the business podcasts anymore. I feel like shy sometimes. Like it does, it can feel like that. And you know, in terms of like folks in my talents goals,

I really enjoy my job. Like I love my job. And I think you wouldn't be good at your job if you didn't love your job. Like when I see someone on like a billboard, right? Or like a TV ad, or like, even if it's just that their picture comes in my mailbox, I'm like, I'm so proud. And I feel very much a part of that. You know, it's kind of looking at myself doing that. That makes sense? Yeah, no, that makes sense. I think it was just, it's one of those things where I always ask people that own businesses or are in your situation

where I always think, you know, do they feel like they've not let themselves down, but do they feel like they could be doing more for themselves instead of always doing something for somebody else? Probably. That's probably the honest answer. I could probably do more for myself. But I have learned to do that

more. You know, I do like my Muay Thai and boxing a lot like during the week now. And that's like taking time for myself. And I try and be really consistent with that. I really had to cancel a couple of times. I don't know, they might be watching going like, that's a lie. You know, so that's kind of taking time for myself I guess

I've learned that exercise is really good for anxiety I really hate exercise by the way like I'm not good going to the gym at all

and but now I am and you know actually one of the things that people don't talk about in this industry and obviously I know a lot of

people who are behind the scenes like me and I also you know have talent too and everyone kind of feels the same way everyone's sort of even like comparing to their own physical looks to each other like or like you're like I don't know I don't know how many times I could tell

you and to be fair I will argue that it always is men who say it's me and I was like I don't know if I should feel like shit for this or not but it's like oh do you ever just start feel really shit when you're around all these like beautiful skinny talent? I'm like, eh, excuse you. That's a bit rude. What's your sound? I don't think

they mean it in that way. What I think how it's being, you know, sort of meant is, you know, you've got these, especially at one point we used to manage models

like the evolution of HLD has been pretty, it's changed a lot, you know. So I think that was kind of what they meant. Like, the evolution of HLD has been pretty, it's changed a lot, you know. So I think that was kind of what they meant. Like, you've got these girls who are doing, like,

underwear campaigns. And then, like, I'm sort of rolling in to McDonald's. So it's just, I think it's just one of those ones where it's even like a media where media is, like,

rude to someone because they put a little bit of weight or something. You know, naturally, people just ask weird questions. It's really weird. People genuinely will ask me what my talent earned and stuff. And I'm like, how do you have so much confidence?

Because I'm never going to tell anyone anything like that, ever. It's really weird when you were talking about comparing appearances to talent because again, with models, it's their job. Yeah. So they have to put a bit more effort and focus into it than listen the normal person i'm never gonna it might sometimes i forget to eat lunch and sometimes i will eat too much it is just what it is it depends i have none that's a lie i think you do

eat a salad have a glass of wine but sometimes you turn around like when you're talking about taking time for yourself like you're like no I've got my blow dry oh I have a blow dry every Thursday yeah see it's weird that I know that now

that I'm like no that's Hannah's blow dry time yeah 8 o'clock now I know where you are people know where I am anyway but it's like I think it's one of those things that's really important

I guess I kind of resonated with you when you were talking about business podcasts and everyone was talking about how they're pushing for the next big thing and like how they always, like they're doing better than everyone else and they don't actually talk about the real things behind business,

like trying to take time for yourself, trying to invest in your own relationships. Also understanding as well, like how business works. You know, when people make it look so easy, people almost forget that how hard it is. And then, you know, it's always interesting when you hear the stats of like how many companies

go under in the first year or things like that. And, you know, no one really ever focuses on that, you know, or looks at that. So, you know, if you've got a business and even if you're fucking breaking even you're doing good because it's hard it's hard to have the right team in place and it takes a while to get the right team in place as well you know whether staff or externals and stuff like that you're never going to get it right first time you know making making sure that you don't

punish yourself too much you know I guess so so on that that topic about sure that you don't punish yourself too much, you know. I guess so on that topic about making sure you don't punish yourself. These chairs are really low, by the way. I quite like them. I actually picked these chairs. Yeah, I know. And I sat in them and I went to Roby, I was like, Christ on a bike, why am I so low?

I'm like, I'm all fine. Well, now you know how I feel every week. But no, so I guess... They no so I guess you know what the final question is what what oh no I do sorry

I was like you've literally been here for most of the time I've recorded these but no the final question I always ask every guest and I

you know I've actually always been keen to know your answer and I'm surprised this is the question I've never asked you we talk about a lot of we talk about a lot of stuff. We talk about a lot of stuff.

And it's probably not a lot. Most of it's not safe for work or for camera. But what would you say to somebody who doubts you and your future success based on the fact that you are a woman or a young person? The one thing I have learned in this job, and I guarantee you would say this about me and my staff say it about the time, on the fact that you are a woman or a young person? The one thing I have learned in this job, and I guarantee you would say this about me and my staff say it about me all the time,

I am fucking resilient. Yeah. You can, I always, when I have a tough time, you know what song I listen to? Cardi B. And when it goes like, I go down nine times, down nine times, get up in ten.

You know, I feel like that's very much me. So I actually like it's very much me. So I actually like it when people doubt me because it makes me really work harder. I think we're past the time now where anyone, your gender can really get really in your way. Especially maybe what I do. I don't know about everyone else in the industry. I don't want to speak on behalf of all women um because that would be wrong um but I think I I think anyone who doubts me I think it would be a mistake I don't know if that's the right answer but no there's no right answer there is there I feel like I I am so determined to do well and I'm so determined to achieve my goals

and I've always been that way, always. And I'm very much like tunnel vision. So, you know. I mean, no, I think that's a good answer and obviously you have your own brand with your orange hair. You can tell that Hannah had a say

in the brand apart from the fact that it's orange as my favourite colour. Interesting fact, our logo, so the guy who did our logo,

he was incredible and he actually matched, so the orange stuff we've got on it, he got a picture of me and he actually pin dropped it

and took the exact colour from my hair. That is, I never knew that. No, it's cool. That is cool actually. It is is, I never knew that. No, it's cool. That is cool, actually. It is cool. I do love the colour orange. And it's, you know, if anything, I got really bullied at school. Really

bullied. Really, like, badly. I hope you all regret it deeply. As I got older, I really regretted dying my hair. I had black hair. In fact, I was showing Romy pictures yesterday, and I had blonde hair, white hair, black hair. Romy might as well have just been pictures yesterday and I had blonde hair, white hair, black hair. Romy might as well have just been sat

in this podcast, to be honest. Well, she is. She sat there. And I really was like hiding the fact. I really didn't want to be different. And then as I got older,

I'm so proud to be different. I love the fact that people will kind of know me from my hair more than anything. It's just always something that my family always said to me, you know, one day, you know, you'll be really proud to be ginger. And if anything, I hate it when people ask me if it's natural

because I'm like, I did not go through all these years of bullying if you ask if it's natural. Yes, it is. That's actually true. And do enhance it slightly now. I make it brighter. That's true actually though.

Like talking about going back to like yourself and wanting to love yourself because my dad's terrible remembering people's names but my dad remembers your hair color sorry dad I always say people I don't know how people don't remember my name because it's the only name that you can spell it backwards I love that fact and also another interesting fact that I think you would enjoy I don't know if I said it to you the other day I originally wanted to be called HRH management

and we applied for it and the queen declined it so HRH is my initials and it stands for Her Royal Highness I was like and I never really clocked that before

when I was younger got declined by the queen and I was like oh my mum's so good like so good that she's done that so my initials are HRH so then that's why I went kind of HLD.

And it was like, I always wanted it to be around something to do with my family and, you know, that sort of stuff. I think I've spoken about that before, but yeah. So that's kind of how we went that way. But I thought you'd find that quite amusing. I do find that amusing. We have missed the last,

we have done the last question though. Yeah, we've gone too far. No, it's fine because we always waffle anyway so it's just nothing new I'm a waffler I'm a waffler baby another day in the office really but

thank you for coming to my podcast I was like stumbling over my own words because obviously I talk to you so often that it just feels weird to like have it

formally in a podcast but yeah I'm really grateful you didn't ask me bad questions to be fair I thought they were going to be worse well I wasn't

I didn't want to put you under too much pressure because you are in control of most of my life. So I do have to be a little bit careful. I keep doing these really creepy stares at the camera. It's really freaking me out. This is why I'm behind the scenes. Well, yeah. But no, thank you so much for finally breaking

your one year of never doing a podcast and saying you never want to do a podcast ever again because I think you know you don't give yourself enough credit for what you do and what you're capable of and you know people should hear about it so even though you are bad at taking compliments and I'm absolutely shite at giving them that's as best as you're gonna get from me thank you thank you very much. Thanks for having me. I've really enjoyed myself. struggling to get your job posts seen on other job sites. With Indeed Sponsored Jobs, your post jumps to the top of the page for your relevant candidates,

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To get your jobs more visibility at Indeed.com slash kids and family. Just go to Indeed.com slash kids and family right now and support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast. Terms and conditions apply. Hiring. Indeed is all you need. Hi, I'm Richard Karn. And you may have seen me on TV talking about the world's number one expandable garden hose. Well, the brand new Pocket Hose Copperhead with Pocket Pivot is here, and it's a total game changer. Old-fashioned hoses get

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