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

Hi Hannah, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
To be honest, I actually had very little thought process behind starting my “business”, because it was largely built upon a personal post of mine that went viral on February 10th, 2019.

It was my 24th birthday, and also the day I shared my story on Facebook – in hopes of educating my small hometown about the realities of domestic violence. I had left my abusive ex-husband 8 months prior, and was completely shocked to learn that 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men will experience some form of intimate partner violence in their lifetime. Upset that I had never been educated growing up, I decided to provide a window into what these relationships actually look like by sharing my story and publicly taking my maiden name back on Facebook, on my birthday. It was quite a powerful moment! You can read my story here: https://www.facebook.com/hannahhollander210/posts/pfbid02NvGWtv7oRAsF98T1yKQQLcAYSpQaAqkJTv9p3EMx9RGcUPWFpHHunY9NAtRwoPk2l

To my surprise, the post started going viral, and was shared over 123,000 times. I started to receive hundreds of messages and thousands of comments from fellow survivors either needing support or sharing their stories too. Overwhelmed at the response and feeling a responsibility to do something, I made a Facebook group on a whim (when it was at 3,000 shares on February 14th) and edited the link into the post that was continuing to go viral – hoping we could create a support group where survivors could seek healing and advice.

In two weeks we had over 12,000 members, and we quickly formed a volunteer team to keep the space safe and supportive. I’m proud to say through countless hours of volunteer work and dedicated donors, Speak Your Truth Today is now a 501(c)3 nonprofit with over 18,000 members worldwide. We amplify the voices of those impacted by domestic violence, and provide education and resources that foster community, self-sufficiency, and overall well-being. We envision a world where all survivors have a safe and accessible community to experience wholistic healing, and are so excited to keep growing and expanding – with hopes of becoming an essential resource for domestic violence nonprofits worldwide.

In the end, I didn’t have much thought process before jumping at an incredible opportunity. It was almost instinctual. I was told recently the difference between entrepreneurs and people with great ideas is that entrepreneurs will start something even if it fails. I honestly don’t remember even thinking about failure – all I could see was thousands who needed help, and Facebook groups gave a solution. It’s been a lot of work since, but I will forever be thankful to the Facebook algorithm for spreading my story across the world, and for the family and community surrounding me who gave me the courage and confidence to build something innovative.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Speak Your Truth Today (SYTT) provides a safe, accessible, and empowering digital space where survivors statewide and from all over the world can connect, encourage, support, and understand one another 24/7 in real-time.

Our Facebook support group closes an untapped geographical service gap across the US and the digital divide between the local community crisis hotlines, shelters, and police departments. We are uniquely positioned to target our services to victims who are still in abusive relationships when most organizations cannot help until after they have chosen to leave.

We’ve had tremendous growth and support in the last few years by companies like Facebook, Google, TCL, Ralph’s, Chick-Fil-A, Walmart, and Thrive Causmetics. Despite this, however, it has been extremely difficult to secure sustainable funding for the nonprofit. As one can imagine, funding is always a struggle for a young and budding nonprofit, but we hope to continue connecting with the right people who see the incredible work we’re doing, and support our cause.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’m all about a beach, but I’ve learned I’m quite the beach snob. I’m not a fan of the over-crowded Santa Monica or Huntington Beach, so I drive a bit further to Laguna, and it’s always been worth it every time. You can typically find a little private spot with street parking (my husband and I have our favorite spots). Staying for the sunset and dinner at The Deck or The Cliff Restaurant is a must!

We also recently went up the coast to Malibu – always a beauty. The Getty in Malibu is such a great day date, with piers close by for dinner and a sunset.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
To my parents – the first entrepreneurs I’ve watched all my life. Your love and adventures inspire me daily!

And to my team – you give me the laughter I need on the low days, celebrate with me in the highs, and encourage me to rest. I am so so thankful for each and everyone of you. Best team ever!!

Website: www.speakyourtruth.today

Instagram: @speakyourtruth.today

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/company/speakyourtruthtoday

Facebook: www.facebook.com/speakyourtruth.np

Other: Linktree: https://linktr.ee/Speakyourtruth.np

Image Credits
Jennifer Swenson

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