Hannah Grace Mitchell

I have a great support system, and I really can’t talk about my success without recognizing my friends and family. I’m incredibly grateful for the people in my life who have always encouraged me to chase whatever crazy idea comes to mind and have continued to be in my corner along the way.

I also attribute a lot of my success to being willing to put myself out there and do the work. It can be intimidating to walk up to someone you don’t know, share an idea, or take a chance on something that isn’t guaranteed to work. But I’ve learned that sometimes you just have to bet on yourself. I’m willing to take the risk, start the conversation, and put in the work to turn an idea into something real. I think that combination of having people who believe in me and learning to believe in myself has made all the difference.

One piece of advice that has really stuck with me came from my time working in athletics: “We’re not doing brain surgery.” Athletics is incredibly fast-paced, and it can be easy to let every deadline, problem, or last-minute change feel like a crisis. That reminder helped me put things into perspective. What I do matters, and I have people counting on me, but at the end of the day, no one is going to die if something doesn’t go perfectly. Sometimes you have to take a breath, do your best, and remember that it’s okay to make mistakes.

Be yourself, and don’t be afraid to let people see your personality. Especially in events and social media, I think authenticity is one of the most valuable things you can bring to the table. I see the phrase “personality hire” used a lot, and while I know it’s usually meant as a compliment, I think it can sometimes downplay the value of bringing your personality into your work. You don’t have to choose between being yourself and being taken seriously. You can be authentic, have fun, bring creative ideas to the table, and still be incredibly good at what you do. Most importantly, don’t make yourself smaller because of who is in the room. Bring your ideas, speak up, challenge people when you have something valuable to contribute, and trust that you belong there. You don’t have to change who you are to be successful.

One of the unique challenges I’ve experienced is learning how to navigate the overlap between my professional work with the Chamber and my work through girlCHAT. There’s a lot of natural crossover because many of the businesses and people I work with through girlCHAT are also Chamber members and partners. That overlap can be a great opportunity because it allows me to build genuine relationships throughout the community, but it also means being intentional about where I draw the line between my professional responsibilities and my own business. I want to maintain those relationships and continue supporting the businesses and people I’ve connected with while also being thoughtful about roles, expectations, and boundaries. I think that’s something a lot of people in community-focused fields can relate to: when your work is deeply connected to the place you live, the lines between your professional network and your personal community can naturally overlap. Learning how to navigate that thoughtfully has been both a challenge and an opportunity for me.

Authenticity is probably the most important value to me, both personally and professionally. Whether I’m creating something for social media or planning an event, I believe people can tell when you’re being genuine and when you’re not.

We live in a world where people can form real connections with someone they’ve never even met through social media. That makes authenticity incredibly important. If you aren’t honest about who you are, what you’re sharing, or the experiences you’re promoting, people notice. The same is true in person. When you’re working in events and building relationships, people can see right through you if you’re not being yourself, and genuine connections are much harder to build. Honesty and communication are also incredibly important to me. I don’t think you can ever communicate too much, especially in a professional setting. Clear, honest communication builds trust, strengthens relationships, and makes it easier for everyone to do their best work. Those are values I try to carry with me in everything I do.