Hannah Phillips is a young, Pittsburgh-native girl boss. Hannah Phillips started HP Media, a photography, fine art, and design business less than 5 years ago; this past month, Hannah partnered with Aaron Watson, podcast host of “Going Deep,” to create Piper Creative. She’d best describe herself as “coffee addict, Pittsburgh advocate, college opt-out, Harry Potter nerd, wanna-be author, and an artist to my very core.”
Her Campus: Let’s start with the basics. Where are you from and how and when did you start HP Media?
Hannah: I started HP Media a few years ago my sophomore year in high school. Throughout high school, I took my class’ senior pictures and did other freelance photography. After I graduated, I worked at an apprenticeship for 4 months before I quit and started HP Media full-time.
HC: Wait, when did you graduate high school?
Hannah: *laughs* in 2016
HC: Wow! You seem so much more mature than that. So, where are you from?
Hannah: Pittsburgh! Pittsburgh kind of became my brand in a way; it’s part of my logo and my images [on Instagram] are usually Pittsburgh related.
HC: Do you think being in Pittsburgh has helped you build your brand?
Hannah: Yes! There’s no better time be in Pittsburgh; there’s so many convos happening in the tech space here. I want to continue to build my legacy in Pittsburgh and I know I’ll be here for a long time.
HC: So, what made you decide to skip out on the *traditional* college route?
Hannah: I knew didn’t want to go to college when I was in 8th grade, but I didn’t know I had the option to *opt out* of the college route until 10th grade. I don’t need college for what I what to do [art and photography]. I knew I didn’t want to go through art school because I was never one for a classroom setting. I was really good in school, I just didn’t enjoy it. Luckily, I had super supportive parents who encouraged me to build my business.
HC: Do you have any advice for entrepreneurs or self-employed starters?
Hannah: I can think of two things:
1. I’d definitely say buy your domain name when you know what you want. You could always rebrand, but with so many people starting websites, the name you want, your own name even, might be taken if you don’t get it first.
2. Don’t be afraid to reach out and collab with people. It’s so easy to reach out with social media! If you think someone is amazing, DM them! You never know where a conversation will take you.
HC: Anything else you’d like to leave with us?
Hannah: My biggest advice is don’t do stuff you hate. The worst thing you can do is nothing. It sounds cliché, but honestly, don’t let the fear of failure paralyze you. There’s a million things to do in this world that you don’t have to be bored with yourself. If you’re bored, just do something!
Quote from Hannah: “I believe one of my missions on this earth is to help other young creatives realize just how possible it is to build a creative career for themselves. If I can do it, you can too!”