ALWAYS SHOOT YOUR SHOT

WHO ARE YOU AND WHAT DO YOU DO?

I’m Hannah, a multi-hyphenate entrepreneur working across brand partnerships, cultural marketing, events and community building. I help brands become culturally relevant through strategic partnerships, curation and creative concepts. I’m also the founder of The Conversation Club and co-founder of Social Capital, both focused on creating spaces for culture, conversation and connection. Alongside that, I coach at Rocycle and host a radio show.

WHAT DOES YOUR TYPICAL WEEK LOOK LIKE?

I try to structure it as follows: client work Mon–Wed, and Thurs–Sun are usually focused on events, content and radio. I also coach Rocycle classes in the evenings! But in reality, no two weeks are exactly the same and it’s often everything happening at once. I’m at a point where I’d LOVE to bring in some support for scheduling and admin so I can focus more on the creative and strategic side.

WHAT INSPIRES YOU ABOUT YOUR JOBS AT THE MOMENT?

The endless opportunities, growing my network, and meeting all kinds of inspiring people. You truly never know what role someone will play in your life a few years down the line.

WHAT MADE YOU START YOUR ENTEPRENEURIAL JOURNEY?

I never expected to become an entrepreneur — it just sort of happened. But I’ve always loved doing many things at once ever since I was a kid; playing instruments, competitive sports, studying many things in school.. So after the classic university to corporate work trajectory, due to a restructure that would have required me to move to Germany, I instead quit corporate and just said yes to projects that came my way and here we are!

IS THERE A MOMENT IN YOUR CAREER YOU ARE SPECIFICALLY PROUD OF?

Landing 1+ year projects with clients like Airbnb and Rostudios within the first year of going freelance feels like a big win! And being featured in ELLE NL for my Conversation Club also was a stamp of approval that I’m onto something!

HOW HAVE YOU EXPERIENCED INTEGRATING INTO THE DUTCH WORKING LIFE AS AN EXPAT?

Let me just preface by saying that I’m very determined, have zero social anxiety and learned Dutch - so that helped. I’ve actually not had any problems and have always felt very welcome! I think a big social life and countless parties back in the days helped to create my network as well!

HOW DO YOU USE SOCIAL MEDIA IN YOUR WORK?

I’ve recently shifted my mindset from using it just “for fun” to also showcase my work. It’s a great tool for visibility, connection, marketing and partnerships - but it definitely is another job on top of your job, especially in the age of video content!

DO YOU HAVE AN ULTIMATE CAREER GOAL?

Finding the perfect work-life balance! My dream is kind of being the Dua Lipa of my own life: working hard doing what I love, getting paid well, while also having the freedom to travel, enjoy life and take proper holidays. I’ve been in hustle mode for a while now, and the start of a freelance career often involves a lot of unpaid work for visibility. So I’m really looking forward to building more stability and structure as I grow, gain experience and increase my rates.

WHAT KIND OF THEMES DO YOU COVER IN YOUR RADIO SHOW?

Essentially the cultural zeitgeist and whatever article / phenomenon / news I find interesting that week mixed with some personal stories and great tunes! It’s an extension of my initiative The Conversation Club, which is all about forming your own opinion, staying educated, cultivating critical thinking, reading and having great conversations.

WHAT’S THE BEST ADVICE YOU’VE RECEIVED?

Increase your surface area for luck. You’ve got to be out there doing things & meeting people. Oh and, always shoot your shot, try, ask for it!! I wish I would have started sooner. You’ll be surprised how often the answer is positive.