If there is one word to describe me, as a student, an entrepreneur, a family member, a friend, and everything in between, it would be that I am a dreamer. Dedicated to my studies as a marketing, supply chain, and business information systems major at the University of Pittsburgh, I am passionate about acquiring all of the necessary skills needed in the business world to apply to my future endeavors. For as long as I can recall, my dad has imprinted the genuine fact that having general skills in your toolbox will propel you through any job or task you come across. Learning about how to market a business properly through data analytics to understand how to code an official website is all relevant to my current business I started a little over two years ago now.
As the CEO of ÜP, I create a space for everyone to dream their most "far-fetched" or "unrealistic" dream and turn it into a timeless editorial product. Nothing sets my heart more on fire than others embracing their very own dream while supporting my own. The editorial content focuses on fashion, lifestyle, culture, beauty, and travel. As the Editor-in-Chief, I write two weekly articles on both the day-to-day events of these five realms, as well as occurrences or people who may not have had the spotlight they deserved. ÜP is the platform to rely on for an escape from the real world, and an open hand to guide to make each consumer's dream realm a reality. As the creative director, I produce one monthly issue at the start of the new month. On top of the content production, I hope each person will discover a greater understanding of their fellow humans. My cover stars are just the beginning of this wide world of friends we have here on this planet. We must wander beyond the inclination to make small talk, and dive into our very own oceans of introspection and livelihoods. No dreams are too dreamy!
Realizing all I ever want in a job is to (1) not sit at a desk all day crunching away at numbers and paperwork and (2) entertain and surprise myself consistently. In my mind, creating incremental goals is the way I have gone from drafting up the idea that I can curate monthly issues to managing, styling, photographing, interviewing, writing, posting on social media, and operating the official website according to content and social media posts.
As of now, my magazine, ÜP, is a one-woman show! I am incredibly blessed with my mom who is essentially a manager and lovely people in my life who want to write articles to contribute to weekly content. I can see in those that write for me just how much they appreciate the world of fashion and communication, it is a combination that has brought me my closest relationships and memories embedded into my mind.
I love this period of growth for ÜP as I have discovered that the journey truly is the most rewarding aspect of it all when it comes to entrepreneurship. When you are hearing words of affirmation from those you love it is soul-awakening, and then you hear it from a stranger, about how interested they are in everything going on behind the scenes and at the forefront, it is eye-opening.
When I speak on growth, I am talking about the number of days and weeks it took me to publish upeditorial.com and establish my brand with influencers, celebrities, and industry professionals like designers for people like Gigi Hadid, Cole Sprouse, and the mastermind behind the Mirror Palais clothing line, etc.
When I go into detail as I have been in this response or if I mention that I have my own magazine, people tend to wonder just how I spread out my time. That is a serious question that I have to think twice about sometimes. I dedicate Sundays to writing out articles, or sending out topics to writers, for the week. But, I will honestly edit the pictures I take for the monthly issues any time I have. I am waiting for class. I am editing. I am on the stairs at the gym. I am editing. I just woke up or am about to go to bed? I am editing. I think that paints the picture, but when I make that transition from college to the real world, I plan on dedicating full attention to this fulfilling journey I get to live out. As for the shoots with cover stars, I will reach out and we will plan a time that suits both of our schedules to give us a full day to bring the vision to life that has been stored in my brain since I was a little girl.
I was the girl in elementary school who picked out her outfits for the entire week and embraced the coordinating sets from beloved stores like Justice. Clothes are something we all have in common; every morning we all wake up and have the opportunity to represent who we are, how we are feeling, or what season of the year we are in. To notice that each and every one of us have this one thing in common feels all too comforting.
My brain works in a different way- that is the best description I can emphasize. Cover stars I work with always reflect at the end of the interview when I ask how they felt during the shoot, and they all respond with either “I would have never imagined these paired together, but I felt insanely confident in the outfit” or “I never branch out like this with my style, so Hannah brought me into a whole new world.” Fashion is my method of communicating love and inspiration to the best ability I can.
Writing this out after connecting with Josie Stein, the Marketing Intern for the Big Idea Center, is a full circle moment as I met her through our business organization. We unite in the BIC as much as possible and I typically go there every day during the week that I can- even if it is just for matcha and not to sit down and do work. Pitt recently introduced the new center to the campus, and it is a hidden treasure.
If I had the opportunity to talk to students interested in making a name for themselves or how to go down a path they feel ardently tied by heart, I would tell them dreams are the greatest advice you will ever receive. Listen to them. Love on them. Lean on them. They are leading you, do not feel like you have to lead them.
As I take my dreams into my own hands, I have certain desires that are in the works and that I want to be in the works. Increasing my following on social media (@upeditorial) and sales with the digital monthly issues is my short-term milestone marker. As for the near future, I am eager to invite and collaborate with A-list celebrities and anyone who aligns with the morals of ÜP. I would say we are on the way!