From Burnout to a 7-Figure Brand: How Hannah Nieves Is Helping Women Build Intentional Lives

Consultant Hannah Nieves is on a mission to redefine the way women entrepreneurs live and work. 

After experiencing burnout due to exhaustion from her corporate career, something clicked: Hannah knew she had a deeper purpose and mission to fulfill, and being an entrepreneur was one of them. She went on to build her own consulting agency, applying learnings from her past experiences in managing a multimillion-dollar marketing budget and working with some of the largest real estate developers across the country. Today, Hannah is working to create an ecosystem of brands committed to helping women build an iconic brand and intentional lifestyle.

We asked Hannah about what she views as the biggest misconception around entrepreneurship, the achievements she’s most proud of, and the underappreciated traits she’s seen in leaders.

Q: Tell us the story behind your company’s founding. How and why did you start working on HN Consulting? 

A: I started my business after a hospital visit for burnout. I knew I was destined for something so much bigger but didn’t quite know how I would execute it. It was then I had the idea and vision to start my own business. From there I slowly started building it from the ground up. Two and a half years later, we now have a seven-figure brand with a global client roster that is expanding to a brick-and-mortar location in the Hudson Valley region of New York.

Q: What are some of the most meaningful impacts your business has had so far? 

A: We’ve had clients who have scaled their company to six-, multiple six-, and seven-figures in revenue. We’ve had clients retire spouses, leave high-profile corporate careers, expand their families, live nomadically, and truly build a business that operates around their desired lifestyle. For me, the impact is seeing the confidence and clarity within them. Anything is possible and everything can be figured out. If you can dream it, it can happen.

Q: In what ways has your upbringing or past experiences contributed to how you operate as an entrepreneur?

A: I love this question. I grew up with a tough childhood and was adopted by my stepfather at the age of 18 years old. I suffered trauma and abuse, and that experience  quite honestly is the reason I’m here doing what I do today. That trauma resulted in wanting to create a better life for myself and my family and has been ingrained in me since the start of my company. 

Q: What’s been the hardest and most rewarding part of your entrepreneurial journey?

A: Entrepreneurship in itself is hard and it’s not for everyone. The hardest parts for me have been facing past beliefs, pushing past the discomfort or fear, and trusting my intuition. A lot of entrepreneurship is trusting in yourself and having faith. 

The most rewarding part is seeing your vision and idea come to life. Everything we’ve accomplished has been an idea and a vision that started from nothing. 

Q: What’s the biggest misconception that others have around entrepreneurship?

A: The perception that entrepreneurship is easy. In fact, there’s nothing easy about it, but I wouldn’t change it for the world. A lot of people glamourize entrepreneurship with money and materialistic items, but there’s an immense amount of hard work, time, money, and energy that goes into building a brand from the ground up. You can shut your computer off at the end of the day but you can’t shut your mind off from it. Learning how to manage your mind and your time is key when entering the arena of entrepreneurship.

Q: We dare you to brag. What achievements are you most proud of?

A: Over the last two and a half years, we’ve accomplished a lot as a brand and I have too as a founder. I scaled the company to seven-figures and have been featured in Forbes, Business Insider, InStyle, and Nasdaq. I spoke at Northeastern University and Nasdaq. I hired a full-time staff to help support this mission and vision. We supported hundreds of women-owned businesses, and we set out to open up a brick-and-mortar location.

I’m proud of the accomplishments we’ve made but more so being able to create an ecosystem of brands that allow business owners from all stages to work with us—either in done for you, done with you, or in person.

Q: Has your definition of success evolved throughout your journey as a founder?

A: My version of success has changed dramatically over the last few years. It’s shifted from materialistic things to experiences and memorable moments. For me, the ultimate goal is freedom; freedom to choose, freedom of where I work and how I work and freedom in the environment I create for my team. The money is a by-product of the impact we’re creating as a company.

Q: Have you discovered any underappreciated leadership traits or misconceptions around leadership?

A: When most people think of leadership, they are thinking of leading and being in front of a team. For me, leadership is walking alongside the team. It’s pulling up your sleeves and joining your team in the work. It’s also leading the team toward the ultimate vision and mission. One of the most underappreciated leadership traits is humility and knowing that you’re not perfect, nor will you ever be. Leaders don’t need to be perfect. They need to be empathetic and they need to have awareness and emotional intelligence to lead a team to that vision.

Q: What’s next for you and your journey?

A: We are just scratching the surface with our company. With our consulting firm, education platform, a social network for women, and now a brick-and-mortar creative studio, we have set the foundation for growth over the next few years. We have big plans that I can’t completely share yet but will unfold over the next 12 to 24 months. 

Hannah is a member of Dreamers & Doers, a private collective that amplifies the entrepreneurial pursuits of extraordinary women through thought leadership opportunities, authentic connection, and access. Learn more about Dreamers & Doers and subscribe to their monthly The Digest for top entrepreneurial and career resources.

The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

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