First Version

Elegance Magazine Article Script

Subtitle: I feel like I like am a logical person, but I dont go to the logical side straight away.

The last time that we saw Helena Hanna on the silver screen was back in 2012, in her starring role as …… ……… However over the last couple of years she has changed from making films to the board room of her business, of makeup.

Here are her top tips for how to become successful.

Put your money where your passion is -

Find your people -

Nobody in Hollywood would help me to set up my business. It's not necessary that they did not want to, just they simply did not know how. Nobody knew how to put together a day-to-day business plan or knew how to produce and market a product. It took a while at first, but (after going back to business school) my business started to grow.  I found it was surrounding yourself with the right people that was the key. People who are smarter than you and people who you can learn from.

Don't doubt your expertise -

I'm in a man’s world. That's just a simple fact, business at this time is dominated by men. But I know what women want;  whereas men only think they know what women want.  This puts me at a huge advantage. For example when I’m in a boardroom talking about packaging designs for a new makeup product and men question me i'm like “are you giving me  notes of feminin on  packing designs ?”, “go home and ask your wife, this is a pointless conversation”.  Having said that, I do believe equity for both men and women in my business.  

I see things through a different lens because I’m a creative person. I'm an actor, and we’re sometimes a little bit kooky. I feel like I’m a logical person, but I dont go straight to the logical side straight away, i see things from a different perspective, which in the business world can be a huge advantage. My business partners see things in black and white, whereas I see something and I’m like “Hey, look at this from this angle?”.

Take back your nights -

I believe it is important to find something that you enjoy doing, whether that be spending time with your family, or having a picnic inside a pillow fort (both of which I do from time to time by the way). You make your ME time a priority each day.  

Prepare for some big egos -

There are some people who are in the entertainment business who are just so big it's the so-and-so, mentioning no names. Well as it happens in business, especially in the boardroom, there are some very big personalities. It’s all about them and how they can help themselves, rather than everybody in the business. Sometimes you feel like your going crazy just having to sit on the other side of the table from them. Ever since ive been a kid, ive wanted to be better and stronger than the boys, in terms of competitiveness.  I looked at the boys for  a standard, for example i wanted to play baseball, not softball. I have always been a competitive person, and i feel like that has helped me to get ahead in the boardroom.

Own your femininity -

Most of my life I have identified more with my masculinity side, all throughout school i was a tomboy. On the film sets i was never the girl that they marketed, and that always made me super angry. However as i got older i learned how to be cool with the femian side later on in life. I was like “oh ok cool, i can use this ” and ever since then i have, been using it to my advantage.