Today we’d like to introduce you to Hannah Grace Gilmore.
Hi Hannah Grace, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
As a senior in college (Lipscomb University) majoring in Strategic Communication and Business Marketing, I really loved networking and connecting with people. So much so that I was recruited as a backup on-camera host for a country music media outlet. One week after I was hired as the official host, my first interview was at Nissan Stadium during a Titans game, talking to Billy Ray Cyrus on the field. It was such a liberating and exciting time- I knew in that moment (as if I had any doubt before that)- whatever career I had one day, I wanted to always be able to be myself and talk to people, hear their story, and make them feel like they have a friend/mentor. Once I graduated, the media outlet really began taking off – every weekend we were at a red carpet or backstage at a show- until the world turned on its axis in March 2020. During the pandemic, we were able to conduct interviews via zoom, but it wasn’t long before the outlet began losing money and had to throw in the towel. Did I mention I was a radio host at the time too? That was also done once COVID-19 hit the Tennessee area. I am definitely not one to sit still for long. I began writing, essentially putting myself in a position as if I were a mentor to someone, writing to them and offering (probably unsolicited) advice- on a personal and business aspect. In May of 2020, I decided if I wanted to be a true mentor one day, I would have to fall on my face and fail a few times before someone would ever take advice from me.
So I decided to take what I know and make it work. ‘Fake it til you make it’ was my motto in 2020. I began putting my resources together and creating a site- I couldn’t even tell you how I got the name ‘Grace Branding’ – Grace is my middle name of course, but I never thought too much about the little stuff at that time. After two months of having a client or two here and there, I realized I had no idea what I was doing- and worse than that, I was beginning to doubt myself and my capabilities and allowing myself to think it was obvious to everyone around me. I kept pushing through, and I’m definitely not completely on the other side yet, but at the end of this month (June), I will officially have my goal earnings in savings and can afford to move out of my parent’s home. I do not have a 9-5, I was never opposed, but I knew at some point in my life I wanted to venture out on my own and make magic happen with my own hands for once. I just had no idea I would be doing it at 24-years old. I have a long way to go- the sky is the limit! Since I have launched Grace Branding, I have held three female-only networking events to help women build connections, friendships, and practice non-comparison attitudes in the workplace in a safe, inviting environment. On top of helping clients get to their highest potential on social platforms. Clients ranging from restaurants, boutiques, influencers, bands/musicians, salons, etc… I love what I do! I’m ready to help others get there too!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Of course not! Everyone has a dream. The reason why only the 1% fully achieves their dream is because after the third or fourth fail, they give up. I began my business at 22 years old. Fresh out of college, living with my parents in the middle of a pandemic. The icing on the cake was I truly had no idea where to even begin. ‘How am I going to get clients to trust me when I still don’t know how to ___’ or ‘What if I fail at this? I’ve already posted about my new company so everyone would know I failed again’, ‘who in their right mind would take a new, independent, business freelancer seriously?’. So much doubt flooded my mind on a daily basis. It’s never easy jumping toward something that seems so unachievable. It’s called a ‘dream’ because it is so easy to visualize exactly what you want in your head, but when reality strikes you, you can either wake up and keep climbing no matter what or throw in the towel. No one gets a free pass at a dream, regardless of how they may flaunt about it in their books, podcasts, etc. Everyone has a story. If you didn’t have bumps and struggles along the way, the book would be one page long.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Grace Branding?
Grace Branding is a digital marketing + social media agency. The majority of what we specialize in is social media and brand management. We offer a variety of services including consulting work, life/career coaching, graphic/web design, and marketing. Most of our clients are located in the Nashville area; however, we are expecting to grow nationwide in the next few months, and we are already taking initial consultations!
Social media consulting is for companies/individuals who are looking to continue with running their own account but partner with our agency to meet with you on a weekly basis to discuss tactics to reach your fullest social media potential.
We also run social media accounts and have content shoots on a bi-weekly or monthly basis for our client’s social platform.
Our career coaching clients meet on a biweekly basis with the CEO to implement resume, interview skills and to offer resources, advice, and networking abilities for the client to use in his/her workplace/dream career.
We are able to double in social media and graphic / web design upon the client’s request. We offer individual graphics and ‘fixed’ web design separately as well.
What makes you happy?
I am a genuinely happy person. The smallest things make me smile. Getting to hot yoga on time, driving around the same backroads with my best friend, ordering a coffee from Dunkin and it not tasting like crap, getting a lazy day with my fiance, having dinner with my parents, getting up early enough to go on a walk at the park before my workday, having a client tell me I’m doing a good job, when I am having a good makeup day, when my favorite song comes on in the car… the list goes on! We all have our bad days where we just feel gross, and that’s totally okay! I am a firm believer to feel whatever you want, talk it out however long you need to, but then take a walk, get a coffee, phone a friend and allow your day to get better. The life we are living is worth seeing through to its fullest- even if you’re in bed all day watching Netflix sometimes! Enjoy the little things!
Contact Info:
- Email: hannah@gracebrandingagency.com
- Website: https://gracebrandingagency.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/xohannahgilmore/ + https://www.instagram.com/grace.branding/?hl=en
Image Credits
JHR Photography for headshot
