Today we’d like to introduce you to Hannah Hines.
Hi Hannah, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
I feel like a lot of my story starts with the internet. I was always drawn to community online from a young age – I went to a really small private school around where I grew up in Maryland, and I just never really found my “thing” until I made a Tumblr; I’m a creative at heart, whether that’s being creative and expressive myself or appreciating and sharing other peoples’ arts/passion. I went to college unsure of what I really wanted to do still but ended up in marketing which I love – especially the storytelling aspect of writing. All through college, I did freelance writing from poetry to music reviews. Then after college, I moved to Chicago without a job – I was just a fish in a small bowl I had outgrown and ready to be thrown into something new. Chicago never felt like home, but it made me fall in love with discovering new places. I was really struggling with anxiety while there. A year in, I met my boyfriend Pat who is Cleveland born & raised, and we started doing long-distance. I adored my trips to Cleveland – it felt homey yet exciting. Every time I would visit and fall into my routine, store owners would remember me or strike up conversation. I was just so taken back by this almost hidden gem of a place – amazing arts, culture, diversity, and right on the lake? The decision to move was easy, and now it’s been over 3 years! During the pandemic, I got into TikTok to document myself trying new places around NEO, and my life in general and the storytelling and love for where I lived came so naturally. I hang out with myself a lot, and I loved being able to take people with me on adventures even if it’s just trying a new local coffee shop. I have a full-time job in marketing; I DJ from time to time, I do extra work in social media – so TikTok is purely something I do because I love it. I love the community and connecting with people, and I love the opportunity to either introduce people to new local business or cool spots. I love when someone who has lived in the area for their whole life tells me I helped them find something new – it’s so easy to get into a rut. I totally get it, so if I can share that spark of exciting to get there and appreciate where you live, I’m happy to do so. I really believe life is about making the most out of what’s around you.
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?
Anxiety has probably been my biggest struggle in life and even with social media. I can overthink a lot – it’s sort of my default. Being vulnerable doesn’t come naturally to me, but it’s that authenticity that I know I value from creators and peoples. But thanks to therapy and increasing my toolkit, working on rewiring my brain, and just constant self-care and work – I feel like I can live a life even with anxiety. Moving out of my comfort zones in life has been both the hardest and most rewarding things. I used to be embarrassed about this, but I didn’t drive until I was 23. Now I’m proud I stayed true to the journey I was on personally.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m most known for my TikTok at this point which is cool but also so wild to me because it feels so new. But in a way, it’s video journalism so it makes sense that I was drawn to it – and like I said, I’ve just always found my people online so naturally because I think people are more upfront about what they love online, so it’s just easy to find your niche and connect with others.
I’m most proud of just being able to spotlight businesses, artists, areas/places that I feel like really deserve. Being a local business during COVID was hard, and these small businesses don’t have the marketing budgets to get the word out, but that definitely doesn’t mean they don’t deserve it. I think the first business in the area that told me people were coming in because of a video was Little Birdie Wine Nest in Parma Ohio which has these delicious coffee flights. The owners were so sweet, and we still follow each other – but I just went in there off of a Facebook post I saw, and then my videos went viral. Just hearing that business was sent the right way is why I do what I do.
I think what sets me apart is I don’t want to try to making a living from TikTok. I want to keep it pure – if I make money from it, that’s cool, but I don’t put an effort into it to do so because I think a lot of content can come off disingenuous when money is involved. I understand when that’s your career, you have to do what you have to do, but I’m fortunate to have income through marketing, and I really like keeping those worlds separate for now – it provides a good balance.
What do you think about happiness?
So many little, simple things. Live music, a good iced latte. Taking “catwalks” – me and my boyfriend have a few regular neighborhood cats we like to see. Disco balls (I have too many). Honey – which I put on like everything now. Thrifting. Scoring a good vintage treasure. My green couch. The people in my life. Getting to travel. Feeling at home – feeling safe, that’s an underrated feeling.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: Hannah_Unlost or Hannah.In.Ohio
- Others: TikTok – @hannah_unlost
