Hannah Holland is the Founder and Managing Director of HLD Talent, HLD Studios, which has quickly become one of London’s most sought after talent management organizations, by cultivating talent across commercial and public relations to establish personal brands and long-term media careers.
Hannah’s career was largely in marketing prior to establishing the HLD Group. From 2017 to 2019, she worked as a Manager and Marketing Manager for Sixty6 Magazine and S66 MGMT, developing creative material and managing social media accounts. Her responsibilities at S66MGMT included logistics, brand interaction, public relations, content, arranging crucial alliances, negotiating negotiations, and processing invoicing.
Below are highlights of the interview conducted between World’s Leaders and Hannah Holland:
Describe who you are as a person, inside and outside of the workplace.
I am a self-driven and motivated entrepreneur who has taken a side business of having an independent talent agency and grown it to a 7-figure company in the space of 4 years. Within the working environment, I am result driven with a strong belief in surrounding myself with the right people. In the last 4 years, I have grown the team at HLD to 10 and have been able to hire staff with some of the best backgrounds and energy for the business. Outside of the workplace, I am the same person at work. I like to think that I am who my clients work with.
Tell us about the inception of the company. How did it all start?
While still working at Sixty6 magazine, I started Studio HLD, which was a marketing company. This led to a conversation between me and my friend about opportunities (or lack thereof) for women to enhance their careers. It was just a lightbulb moment—if there wasn’t anyone really dominating and focusing on that niche of female-only talent, then why shouldn’t I? This resulted in me taking a leap of faith and leaving my position at Sixty6 Magazine and starting my own talent management company, HLD Management. Within a couple of months, I’d signed a number of public figures that had been seen across different areas of the media, from magazines to TV shows.
What has made you successful? What do you value?
I believe that my success has come from believing in the people I surround myself with, being compassionate, and ensuring that confidence is key. I really value my team, and the success of HLD wouldn’t have happened so quickly if it weren’t for them. We work together as a team and support each other through the highs and the lows.
Which are the major services of the company and how do they the company to get ahead in the competition? What value-added services does the company provide?
We offer a variety of services under the HLD Group. HLD Talent is our leading company, which is a leading talent agency specialising in representing diverse leaders from digital to broadcast talent. We support our talent on personal branding, authentic content creation, securing brand partnerships that are aligned with them, working with talent on the creation and execution of podcasts, and so much more. Compared to our competitors, we pride ourselves on delivering more services than just talent management and brand deals. For us, it’s important to support our roster through every aspect of their careers and give them the tools that they need to dominate their space.
What are the most important aspects of a company’s culture? What principles do you believe in and how do you build this culture?
Staying true to yourself and surrounding yourself with the right people are key to a company’s culture. You want to be able to trust and work well alongside everyone who is part of your company, ensuring you feel supported. Equally important, it’s important for the team to also feel like they can trust you and feel at home within their working environment. I try to ensure that there are always fun aspects to the day, even on the toughest days. We do lots together as a team as well, which is a great way to bond and learn more about each other, and I try to take the team on an annual trip away each year to thank them for their hard work!
What is the significance of innovative ideas in the company?
The talent space is always evolving and changing. You need to ensure that you bring innovative ideas to ensure you retain your clients and help them grow in an industry that is continuously changing.
Give us your opinion on; whether organizations rely heavily on individual heroics or team processes.
I am a big fan of being a team player, and I think when you work as a team, the successes are greater. However, it shouldn’t take away from individual wins, and it’s important to celebrate those heroic wins. It’s all about balance.
What are your responsibilities as the Founder and CEO of the company? What is the happiest part of your daily routine?
Recently, I stepped into the role of CEO. Within this role, I manage major business decisions, the overall operations of the HLD Group, and ensure that the strategic direction and growth of the company are being followed. I still work alongside the team with the talent and directly with a couple of the talents on the roster, as I have done since day one. I try to keep my routine structure for the day outside of work similar, as my working day is always changing and I am required to travel quite a bit. For example, you will usually find me in the mornings at my local boxing gym, getting my day started!
What advice would you give someone going into a leadership position for the first time?
The best advice I can give is to do your research in the field you’re looking to go into. Understand your competitors, and find a gap in the market that you feel passionate about. It’s then time to throw yourself into it, but try not to expect that it’s all going to go well right away. I’m far from corporate and believe that to get the best results, mixing fun aspects with hard work is the real key.
