We had the good fortune of connecting with Hannah Cranston and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Hannah, what do you attribute your success to?
My journey towards success has been anything but ordinary. I’ve gone from YouTuber to TV host to PR and communications agency owner all in the past 10 years! But throughout it all, one fundamental factor has played an unparalleled role in my story: my relationships. So much of today’s interactions seem merely transactional–we’ve lost the art of building meaningful and authentic relationships!

Building genuine connections has been the key to my professional success. It’s not just about networking; it’s about creating meaningful relationships. Whether it’s connecting with clients, engaging with industry influencers, or surrounding myself with like-minded individuals, building these connections has always been the fuel that propels me forward.

The majority of my client base has been built from word-of-mouth referrals. This could be due to the quality of our work, of course, but I believe it goes beyond that. When you take the time to really get to know your clients, understand their needs and values, magic happens. The same is true for my relationships with other industry professionals! Meeting with editors and reporters to learn more about *them,* without any ulterior motive, is simply transformational. When you listen, without plotting your next move, you learn a lot!

But, the number one relationship I prioritize is with my incredible team. They are the glue that holds this rocket ship together and working with people who I can lean on, trust, and call friends, has had a profound impact on my business and the work we do for our clients.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Hannah Cranston Media (HCM) is where ambitious leaders, CEOs, and pioneers come to ditch the ordinary and become extraordinary.

We are a Los Angeles-based PR & communications agency that helps changemakers share their story with the world. We are passionate about creating impact through the power of media.

At HCM, we create leaders. Some say that leaders are born. We believe that leaders are built. Through our proprietary strategies, branding, communication, and PR we create leaders in our clients’ respective fields to achieve our clients’ wildest dreams.

Clients who come to us prefer the path less traveled. Us too. Forget one-size-fits-all communication strategies, Canva templates, outdated PR strategies, and aimless social media creation. Our clients don’t do things like everyone else, and we don’t either.

Our approach is to powerfully embrace our clients’ unique story to reach their goals and build a loyal and engaged community around their vision. With an emphasis on a 360-degree strategy, we design and execute on holistic marketing and communication plans to reach our clients’ short-, mid-, and long-term goals. If they can dream it, we can achieve it.

Our experienced team offers comprehensive services that are tailored to the unique needs of each of our clients. We understand the importance of long-term strategic planning and execution to make an impact and stand out in today’s competitive landscape.

We offer everything from Public Relations and Communications, 1:1 Strategy Consulting and Coaching, Social Media Content Creation and Management, Thought Leadership and Writing, to Media and Public Speaking Training.

Are you a leader who needs help amplifying your voice and message? Are you struggling to build your brand or maybe you don’t even know what your brand is yet? Are you feeling overwhelmed creating content and trying to grow your social media presence? Do you have expertise to share but don’t know how to get published in the media? Let’s talk 🙂

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
You hopped off the plane at LAX, with your dream and your cardigan…where should we head first?

To start our day off right, we’ll head to Sculpt Cult for a butt-kicking pilates class. It’s a hidden gem (read: not on ClassPass) and is the best workout I’ve done in Los Angeles– and believe me, I’ve done them all!

After class, we’ll fuel up on avocado toast and matcha lattes at Bardonna on Montana Avenue. The food is delicious and the vibes are too. Strolling down Montana, shopping for fun and unique treasures in the local, small shops is a great LA recommendation. It gives a sweet, small town feel in one of the biggest cities in the world!

One of my favorite things about LA is the nature that can be found in every nook and cranny. So whenever anyone visits, I take them on my favorite hike: Westridge Trailhead. It’s dog-friendly and you get views of all that LA has to offer– mountains, sea, and city– it’s the perfect representation of our city.

To wrap up our day, we’ll drive down the coast to Rosenthal Wine Bar and Tasting Room, sip on their eponymous vino, and dance to live music in the ocean breeze.

The best part of our itinerary? None of our stops are on any tourism listicles. The best part of our city is that everyone’s favorite spots and excursions are different. Every day and every experience is completely unique for our big, beautiful melting pot of a town.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My Shoutout goes to LA icon and activist, Joe Sanberg. Joe Sanberg is the founder of the Working Hero PAC, co-founder of Aspiration, founder, CalEITC4Me and a founding investor of Blue Apron…he is also someone I am lucky enough to call a friend.

I met Joe back in 2016 and we would regularly get together for coffee or lunch and we would always end up talking about two things: social issues and social media. As an impassioned anti-poverty activist, Joe wanted to learn how to leverage social media to amplify his efforts and galvanize folks to help make a difference. We’d sit for hours discussing strategies and planning new campaigns to engage and grow his efforts. In 2018, after reviewing his Twitter progress, Joe turned to me and said, “You know, you really should be charging for this.” That moment of generosity, recognizing my potential and the value I brought to the table (quite literally), inspired me to start Hannah Cranston Media and changed my life forever. I will always be grateful for Joe, for his continued friendship and support, and for seeing something in me that I don’t know if I would have ever seen in myself.

5 years later, Hannah Cranston Media (HCM) has grown from a communications strategy consultancy, drawing on my experience and expertise on the other side of the media relationship, to a full-service PR and communications agency.

Our clients have run for President of the United States, developed a TV series with Hollywood’s top talent, created a YouTube channel with millions of followers, interviewed the greatest business leaders in the world, and yes, gone viral. We’ve secured our clients press in Newsweek, TIME, ABC, ELLE, Huffpost, and more.

We have assembled a mighty team who are true experts in building brands and creating leaders so I would also love to dedicate my Shoutout to my team! Without them, I wouldn’t be where I am today. Success is not a solo act. Over the years, I’ve made a habit of hiring individuals who are innovative and ingenious. Plain and simple. Building a powerhouse team of individuals who are true maestros in their domain, is the key to achieving great things.

I’m so grateful for my A team of creative, courageous, and predominantly female 🙂 media geniuses who make miracles happen for our clients every single day.

Website: hannahcranstonmedia.com

Instagram: instagram.com/teamhcm

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hannah-cranston-media/

Twitter: twitter.com/hannahcranston

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