Managed

This week on Managed we're joined by Dom Smales, creator economy OG and founder of Gleam Futures. Started in 2010 as a small consultancy, it became one of the first digital talent management companies of its kind, with offices in London, Los Angeles and Sydney. Dom signed the first wave of full-time YouTubers, including Zoe Sugg and Marcus Butler, and helped launch brands like Real Techniques,...

Welcome back to Managed for Series 3! We're kicking things off with Julia Baldet, the founder of wellness phenomenon, Elevate. After years in investment banking and private equity, she had zero hospitality experience and a gap in the London market she couldn't stop thinking about. A year later, she opened Elevate, London's first functional smoothie bar. In this episdoe, she goes into h...

This week on Managed, Hannah sits down with drag sensation Elektra Fence as we pull back the curtain on the what it looks like to be a successful drag queen. From the viral origin story of her name to her time on RuPaul’s Drag Race, Elektra pulls no punches. She’s covering the business behind being a drag queen, the physical demands (including the surprising art of the "tuck”), and the importance...

In this week’s episode, Hannah strips back the glamour of Cannes Lions to tackle the logistical and financial reality of attending one of the industry's biggest events. From flight scanners and accommodation hacks to the actual cost of creative passes, this episode provides a brutally honest breakdown of the expenses required to make the trip happen. Beyond the budget lines, she’s diving into the...

This week on Managed, Hannah is breaking down the experience of taking her team to Cannes Lions, giving an honest look at what it’s like to at the marketing world’s biggest event. Contrary to the very glamorous image you'll see on LinkedIn, Hannah's sharing the logistical realities, from the intense heat and 30k step count, to the need for intense pre-planning and booking accommodation a year in a...

This week on Managed, Hannah sits down with her longtime accountant Rachel Harris, the founder of striveX and face of Accountant_she. Rachel has spent her career shattering the "boring accountant" stereotype, and is sharing how she transformed her firm from a dining room table startup into a multi-million pound powerhouse brand. She discusses the unique challenges of finances as a creator, ex...

Ever wondered how to actually start a successful fashion brand? In this week’s episode of Managed, we sit down with Alex Morley, the founder of Asandra Studios, to get all the answers. Alex gets real about her journey, moving from a failed first attempt at a fashion line to building a business that has captivated influencers and customers alike. From sewing red-carpet dresses on the fly to na...

From mixing homemade hair oil in repurposed ketchup bottles in a student conservatory to becoming the UK’s 13th fastest-growing company, Lucie Macleod’s journey with Hair Syrup is anything but conventional. In this week’s episode of Managed, the 26-year-old founder shares the raw reality of building a viral, eight-figure haircare empire entirely bootstrapped. She takes us back to the early days of...

On this week’s episode of Managed, Hannah is joined by actress, entrepreneur and TV personality Juliet Mayhew as she pulls back the curtain on her extraordinary life. From her rural Australian roots to the prestigious stages of the West End and her recent move into the world of reality TV, Juliet shares the pivotal moments that have defined her career. She discusses the realities of the modern ent...

This week on Managed, Hannah sat down with Verity Park, a multi-hyphenate founder and creator economy expert obsessed with building businesses for and with creators. Verity details her journey from managing Grace Beverley and launching TALA at Gleam Futures, to shutting down her DTC company to build tbh talent, an agency she organically grew by building a personal brand online She’s giving a behin...

In this episode of Managed, Hannah is joined by Ellie Carlile, the founder of Byellie, a multi-million-pound beauty brand she launched in 2021 with just £2,000. She pulls back the curtain on the unfiltered reality of scaling a 100% bootstrapped company, from becoming the woman behind the viral 30 million-view TikTok brow product to the extreme highs and lows that followed. Elli...

This week on Managed, we Dive deep into the new realities of media and celebrity PR with freelance lifestyle journalist Fleurine Tideman who writes for top titles including Glamour, Betches, Stylist, Cosmopolitan and many more. She's reveal the "humbling" and persistent hustle of pitching stories and outlines how stories actually get picked up (spoiler alert: you need a strong hook). Plus, Fleurin...

This week on Managed, Hannah is dropping the glitz and glam to offer a candid, vulnerable look at the genuine ups and downs of running a growing agency. From a stressful move to a new central London office, talent and staff turnover, hiring for the next stage of the business, and growing to be ‘Boutique at Scale’, Hannah’s not holding back. Plus, she’s diving into the evolving industry, including...

Former JD YouTube lead and Archive House founder Chloe McCulloch reveals the journey of starting a disruptive YouTube agency and what it really takes for brands to build a successful presence on the channel. Chloe breaks down the critical difference between brand building and transactional ROI, using her time running JD's channel and their successful community turnouts (like shutting down the Traf...

Mariam Musa joins Managed for a powerful conversation about building a career in the influencer industry — from starting YouTube at 17 to navigating fame, money, motherhood, and long-term success. She opens up about the reality of social media, dealing with criticism, making brands over £100K in sales, and why creators need to see themselves as businesses. They also unpack podcasting, industry pre...

What really happens after Love Island ends? In this episode of Managed, Shakira Khan sits down with her manager Emily Hibbert and Hannah to break down the reality of life after the villa — from overwhelming brand deals and choosing management to mental health, identity, and navigating fame. Shakira opens up about her experience growing up, speaking on racism, staying authentic online, and building...

Managed is a podcast/ digital show interviewing industry leaders across media, business, sports and more who found success at a young age. Hosted by talent agency owner Hannah Holland who founded HLD in 2019 at 24 years old, she has witnessed the struggles and less than Instagram-worthy realities of building a business to a 7 figure success at a young age. Follow Hannah Holland: https://www.instag...

In this episode, Hannah sits down with Liam Brown, founder of Redē Talent, to talk about what it takes to build a talent management agency. After beginning his career as an intern on the brand side and working his way up to Head of Influencer, Liam found himself navigating industry chaos before branching out and starting his own company. Now, Liam is building a very different kind of agency that p...

In this episode of Managed: Hannah’s Office Hours, Hannah shares the real lessons behind building a team, hiring the right people, and learning to let go as a founder. From early hiring mistakes to managing company culture, emotional intelligence in leadership, and avoiding burnout, this episode breaks down what it actually takes to grow a successful team and scale a business. If you're a founder,...

In this episode of Managed, Rachel joins Hannah for an honest conversation about growing up online, early YouTube success, brand deals, money, authenticity, and the surreal moment Kylie Jenner entered the chat. From being embarrassed at school for “doing YouTube” to turning down major brand money that didn’t align, Rachel shares the reality of building a long-term career in the creator industry. T...

How much do creators really make — and why do so many still struggle financially? In this solo episode of Managed, we break down the real economics behind talent management and creator income. From hidden startup costs and agency cash flow to brand deals, profit margins, and the biggest financial mistakes new creators make. If you’re building a creative business, starting an agency, or trying to t...

Singer-songwriter extraordinaire Matt Terry joins Managed this week to pull back the curtain on the truth behind winning X Factor in 2016. With over 250M+ streams on Spotify and 1B+ streams for songs he’s written (including chart-toppers like Heart Break Anthem, Rock with You and 10 top singles with Enrique Iglesias and Sean Paul) Matt shares the highs, lows, and everything in between of life afte...

Sophie Snazz, the internet's favourite twitch streamer, joins her manager Tom to pull back the curtain on the world of gaming content creation. Her journey is a unique success story, from being a PE teacher to the 'girl that roasts men on Call of Duty'. Sophie dives into the darker side of social media, discussing the parasocial relationships between streamers and their audience, the safety measur...

In this episode of Managed, Hannah is joined by award-winning brand consultant, Georgia Jasmin, for an inspiring and insightful conversation about her career. From going broke, navigating huge career pivots, learning on the go, and how to overcome physical and mental obstacles, Georgia lays it all on the table. Her branding expertise, resilience and leadership mentality have shaped her into one of...

In this episode of Managed, Hannah sits down with Cherry for a candid conversation about the realities of working in talent management. From navigating pressure, responsibility, and long hours to learning how to advocate for yourself, manage expectations, and stay grounded in a demanding industry — this episode explores the emotional and professional cost of building a career behind the scenes. An...