Meet Hannah Schwartz of Start with Hannah

Today we’d like to introduce you to Hannah Schwartz.

Hannah , we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
It all starts with an idea.
Then you fail at least 25 times.
Then you find gold.
I found gold.

I began Start with Hannah as a strategist helping entrepreneurs to start and grow their businesses. I was in awe of the drive, ambition, and endless risk entrepreneurs were willing to take. I signed my first 3K client in 2 weeks and within 6 months I was on stage at CIBC for a fully sponsored event hosting my business. Within 2 years I had been hired to teach hundreds of entrepreneurs how to discover their business foundations and goal set. Within 3 years I had been on stages hosting sponsored events with Uber, TD, Scotiabank, The Forum, RBC, and more.

Throughout it all, I was privileged to see the behind the scenes of all businesses—from six-figure earning agencies, to famous musicians, to the newest trends in the entrepreneur world. This intel offered me first-hand insight into the world of business and the issues that arise across all industries. I realized connection is everything. Not just networking or getting in the “right rooms.” I mean, making real connections will get you further in your career—it’s inevitable. I like to say, you can have the best idea, the best business, the best music, but if you aren’t connected, you’ll never grow.

So I thought for a long time about this concept. Why are people not making connections—real connections? And I realized it was simple: behind every door an entrepreneur, musician, or creative walks through, there was a big red sign saying, “It will cost you $$$$.” Every event – ticketed. Every promotional opportunity – big fees. Every event vendor spot – table cost.

Getting connected is more than meeting someone at just one event. Getting connected is the opportunity for you to connect with others, and others to connect with you, often. But if every opportunity for connection is behind a dollar sign, there’s no wonder people aren’t getting connected.

This is exactly why I am currently building the first-ever website connecting people to the events they crave, the products they love, and the music they can’t stop listening to – all local, all curated, all worth knowing about, and all with member pricing. How? By offering entrepreneurs, musicians, and creatives free promotion. You read that right, and I’m just getting started!

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?
The road in entrepreneurship is never linear. Here is a shortlist of some of my biggest “mistakes.”
I have 100 custom-printed mugs sitting in boxes in my closet from an idea that didn’t work.
I hired a lawyer to write up legal documents for an idea – the idea never launched.
I hired a marketing team for big money – let’s just say I could have gone on a nice vacation instead.

But without the struggles, the nights of crying, the feeling of failure, I would never have pivoted into the ideas that worked. I like to say, “trust the pivot” – the idea that business concepts don’t have to hit success on the first go-around. That reiterating, pivoting, and adjusting is all part of the entrepreneur adventure.

One day I called up my colleague who owns a print shop and asked her to custom-make me a sticker that said “trust the pivot.” Now I keep one of the 100 custom mugs from that failed idea years ago on my desk with my old logo, old branding, and a sticker that covers it all that says “trust the pivot.”

Because in business, success isn’t measured by launching one idea and hoping it makes you a millionaire. It’s measured by your drive and determination to trust the pivot.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
What I do & specialize in:

Right now, I’m building something new in the entrepreneur industry — a platform where connection turns into e-commerce.

Start with Hannah is a first-of-its-kind platform that brings together the best events, products, and talent in one place — all curated, all local, all worth knowing about. Think of it like the intersection of an event calendar, a marketplace, and a magazine — where everything you see can be attended, purchased, or experienced right off the site.

For entrepreneurs, musicians, and brands, it’s free promotion that actually gets you paid — visibility, sales, and local reach without paying to play.
For members and shoppers, it’s access to exclusive pricing, perks, and insider experiences on everything they see — from concerts and pop-ups to products and restaurants.

It’s local business reimagined: where people discover what’s happening in their city, shop what they love, and support real talent — all in one connected ecosystem.

Connection isn’t just the goal — it’s the model.

This is needed in every city, globally — and Start with Hannah makes it possible. The platform gives cities, brands, and creators everything they need to get connected fast, turning local opportunity into global visibility.

The best part? Connecting your city to local talent, opportunity, and products is effortless. All it takes is one person to represent their city — and it could be you. It’s that simple.

It pays to be connected.
Atlanta — are you next?
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What I’m Most Proud Of

I’m most proud of the reach Start with Hannah has had and the impact it’s made in Toronto alone, one of Canada’s main stages for entrepreneurship and music. In just a few short years, the brand has become known for building connections that create real results. Five minutes on stage at one of my events landed a speaker an opportunity with TD Bank. One introduction led to product placement for an entrepreneur in a major luxury hotel. Another hosted a $3K event for just $300 through Start with Hannah connections. That’s what I’m proud of — making it possible for entrepreneurs to build impactful businesses faster through connection.

Every year, Start with Hannah hosts the entrepreneur event of the year — Champagne & Lipstick. It’s an evening that celebrates entrepreneurship by bringing 100 guests together in an unforgettable room, where 20 guests are celebrated and are each invited to pop a bottle of champagne. It sells out every year — not just for the fun, but for the opportunity to connect. The event has partnered with major brands including TD Bank, GoodLife Fitness, Canopy by Hilton, and MAC Cosmetics.

One of the biggest goals of my career was to become a sponsor and partner for entrepreneurial initiatives — and this year, I had my Oprah Winfrey moment. In front of 100 event guests, I signed a giant cheque as the largest partner of the Elliance Business Impact Award, a national initiative funding the unfundable in Canada. Supporting women in entrepreneurship who are often overlooked by traditional funding systems.

Both moments represent everything Start with Hannah stands for — celebration, opportunity, and connection. From champagne to giant cheques, it all comes back to one thing: creating spaces where entrepreneurs are seen, supported, and connected.

Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
I launched my business with one concept: No matter where you’re starting from, you can start here — at Start with Hannah.

It’s evolved into so much more than a strategy and consulting business. It’s now an opportunity outlet for entrepreneurs, creatives, and freelancers to get connected and build stronger businesses.

If you’re just starting out, here are my top three pieces of advice, shaped by years of working with entrepreneurs from the ground up:

1. Surround yourself with new friends, colleagues, and people in your arena.
I don’t mean find people who inspire you or chase rooms with big brands — I mean find people you can talk to every day about your ideas, concepts, failures, and wins. Having people around you who get it will change everything. Creative people need spaces to share their own ideas and hear others’ too. Drive is contagious. Ambition is contagious. Motivation is contagious. Find your people.

2. You don’t need funding, grants, or large piles of money.
Actually, I urge you not to go after funding in your first year. Not only can it be a waste of time, but the most important part of starting something new is trying it out — seeing if you like it, learning how to adjust it, and figuring out how to convert customers. Once you’ve found a system or clear concept, then consider funding — but treat it as a tool for ROI (Return on Investment). If you receive $3,000 in funding, how can you turn it into $6,000? Most people waste their funding dollars. Instead, use your creativity and see what you can do with the tools available to you today.

3. Talk about it before you’re ready.
This is a big one. So many people are scared of being embarrassed, of someone stealing their idea, or of not being perfect yet. But the moment you start talking about your idea — especially with people you trust — is the moment you’ll start taking action on it.

If you’re starting a business and looking for people doing the same, I host a space for you called Start with Community — a great place to get your start.

Pricing:

• Start with Hannah Membership is only $21+tax/month – becoming a member gets you discounts, vip expereinces, and perks on all listings for events products and services listed and promoted
• SWCommunity is $57/month (doesn’t need to be listed)
• no fee for a listing and promo of an event, product, or service

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.startwithhannah.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startwithhannah/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannah-schwartz-215ab451/

Image Credits
Photocredit for the photos are a mix between
Shot by Dwave https://www.instagram.com/shotbydwave/
and
Michele Crocket Photography https://www.instagram.com/michelecrockettphotography/