Conversations with Hailey Croan

Today we’d like to introduce you to Hailey Croan.

Hi Hailey, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I was born and raised in a small town in Alaska, and growing up I never fully knew exactly what I wanted to do, but I always knew I was creative. I’ve loved events for as long as I can remember because my mom always made holidays, birthdays, and gatherings feel so intentional and special.

After high school, I moved to Georgia to experience life outside of Alaska and attend college. Due to some unexpected circumstances, I wasn’t able to attend the original university I planned on going to, but I ended up attending Kennesaw State University for Event Planning and Management to continue pursuing my interest in the event industry.

Later, I accepted a corporate role managing marketing outreach and social media. Through organizing events and networking around Atlanta, I had businesses start asking me to help create content for them as well. That’s when I realized it wasn’t social media management I loved most, it was content creation and storytelling.

I’ve always had an entrepreneurial mindset, and eventually I realized I could combine my love for events, community, and content creation into a business of my own, and that’s how my wedding content creation business, Hive Social was born!

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I believe that when something is meant to be, it will naturally unfold, and that’s exactly what happened for me and my business. But that doesn’t mean that starting my business didn’t take hard work, lots of time, and dedication.

I started Hive Social while I was still working full time – working 40hrs a week plus 10-12hr wedding days on the weekends is not for the weak! Starting Hive Social, I had to sacrifice time with friends and family, to grow my business to what it is today. I have an amazing support system around me cheering me on, however it was still hard to miss out on birthdays, family trips, and quality time that I cherish. That was probably the hardest part of starting my business, and I still struggle with that today the more that it grows!

Almost a year later, I have since been able to move on from my full time job, and work part-time, giving me more time and energy to focus on my growing business, while also having more time to spend with my friends and family!

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m a wedding & event content creator specializing in capturing candid, in-between moments in a way that feels intentional, emotional, and true to the couple’s story through iPhone content. I focus on documenting the day as it naturally unfolds so couples can relive the energy and the feelings they may have missed in real time.

What sets me apart is my approach. I have a very thoughtful process when it comes to how I capture and piece together content. I’m not focused on chasing trends or creating content just for views, I’m focused on storytelling. I want every piece of content to feel like it actually means something, not just something that looks good online.

What I’m most proud of is the trust and referrals I receive. When couples or other vendors recommend me, it means everything! It tells me they didn’t just like the final content, but they valued the experience of working with me and felt confident enough to put my name in front of someone else. That’s the part of my work I value the most.

Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
Entering this industry, I knew it was important to understand the flow of a wedding day, before identifying and marketing myself as a “Wedding Content Creator”. Beforehand, yes, I did have tons of experience in content creation, but I knew that wasn’t enough for this business and entering into the wedding industry.

The #1 most valuable resource for me, was other wedding creatives that helped guide me through my first few weddings before I started booking my own. I understand the importance of a wedding day, and how much intention goes into every detail, I needed to ensure I could match that level before offering my services. I’d like to shout-out Ruzin Cunningham Photography & Rooted Wildflower Photography for inviting me and guiding me through my first few weddings! I think it is important, as a wedding content creator to learn, not just the skill of content creation on a wedding day, but how to work alongside the media team, as well.

Another great resource for me has been The Vow Factor Podcast, hosted by Jesse Reichenbaum & Emily Cline – 2 amazing wedding content creators based out of NYC. I highly recommend this podcast to all my content creator friends, I have learned so much from them!

Contact Info:

• Website: In the works!
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hivesocialatl?igsh=MXV1aXRsdWFrbTBjYg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
• Other: https://share.google/oe1vvAj4F0SDTkQit