We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Hannah G a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hannah, we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?
When I was 20 I suffered a traumatic brain injury. I had to drop out of school because I couldn’t focus, my brain couldn’t connect words so reading became too difficult, and I was exhausted all the time. My emotions were constantly at the surface, waiting for my body and mind to become tired to the point of breaking down and crying no matter where I was or what was happening around me.
My throat was also damaged in the accident which weakened my vocal chords. I hadn’t done much singing outside of high school, but realizing that I may never be able to do it again lit a fire under me and made me want that ability back. I began taking voice lessons and after some time my vocal chords healed and my voice grew back even stronger. I believe this is where my love for performing came from. I always enjoyed being part of a choir in school, but there’s something exhilarating about being on a stage alone, where you are control the emotional reaction of a group of people.
After a few months of voice lessons, I was able to do that with my voice. I remember the first solo I ever performed was Charlie Chaplin’s Smile. While I was on stage, I remember looking into the audience and seeing my dad cry. That was a powerful moment for me. In that moment I saw that I discovered a gift that I may not have found had I not experienced that trauma.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I started performing stand up comedy in Los Angeles. My first open mic was the day before Halloween in 2015. Leading up to my dive into the comedy world, I had been working as a special education teacher–it was the most stress I’d ever experienced. As a way to keep my sanity I began writing a blog about teaching and living alone in LA. I started making people laugh with my writing and decided it was time for me to take the plunge and take these jokes to the stage. I started off on stage with a unique style of a combination of happy and awkward and it stuck. I’m so glad I found that release because I don’t think I would have been able to continue teaching without it. I moved back to Portland, OR in 2021 and found a home in the Portland comedy scene. Since moving back two years ago, have experienced some amazing things. I opened for Ryan Hamilton at the Newmark Theatre, I’ve made several appearances on stages in Las Vegas, I’ve performed with the touring comedy group Bored Teachers and I’m part The Teacher Show: a local teacher comedy show that was recently featured on OPB. Since returning home I have traveled to Seattle, Honolulu, Austin, Dallas, New York City, and Iowa for comedy shows.
When I began my stand up career, I was doing it for me, as an outlet. I loved making people laugh, but really, it was a survival tool for me. These past couple of years, though, have showed me how this gift can impact others. SInce moving back to Oregon, I get to perform in small towns for packed bars and venues and honestly those shows are some of the best because people appreciate you coming to their town to give them an evening of entertainment. While performing with Bored Teachers, a couple came up to us after the show and said it was their first big outing after their baby was born. That is definitely one of my favorite parts of all of this because I realize I’m no longer doing this for just me. I bringing something special to people who want and need to laugh. Everyone deserves that these days. And I love being able to do that for fellow teachers. We work in a thankless profession and I am more than happy to poke fun of it for a room full of teachers who deserve more than what they get on a daily basis.
I’m still teaching and I’m grateful for all the material the job has provided me, but I’m looking forward to the next chapter of my comedy career where I’m touring full time.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
1. My writing coach and manager, Lisa McFadden, was a huge support to me when I moved back to Portland. I was struggling to get booked and had developed negative thinking that was keeping me from reaching out and connecting with bookers. I just assumed people didn’t like me, when in reality I was just afraid of the rejection that can come from putting yourself out there. She asked me “why do you think no one likes you?” I didn’t have a good answer. She helped me understand that all of those things were just thoughts and no facts were attached to any of it. I began reaching out and after I did, I was constantly getting booked. Realizing that I actually had control over my thinking and that thoughts don’t have to control me was the breakthrough that I needed.
2. I have a very busy schedule and sometimes I would feel like a failure if I didn’t write for a certain amount of time everyday. Now I accept that sometimes life gets busy and not writing (or writing less than I planned for) isn’t going to end my career. And thank goodness I have a busy life or I would have nothing to write about.
3. I write in my gratitude journal everyday. No matter how small something seems, I now see it’s impact. I write about things that are currently happening around me and things that I have faith will occur in the future. And no matter what happens, I’m just so grateful that I discovered these gifts and have found a way to share them with others.
Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?
Lisa McFadden (@signmybook on Instagram) has been one of my biggest cheerleaders since the day we met at a comedy class in 2016. During the pandemic, I had completely given up on the idea that I could make it as a comedian. When I left LA I had quit teaching and was bartending in Portland. I started writing again but had no outlet. That’s when I began working with Lisa as a client. She encouraged me to reach out to bookers, coached me on how to think in a way that has attracted success into my life, and showed me how to get out of my own way. She is now my manager and a frequent entry in my gratitude journal.
Contact Info:
- Website: hannahgcomedy.com
- Instagram: @hannahgcomedy
- Facebook: Hannah G
- Twitter: @hannagcomedy
- Youtube: Hannah G Comedy
Image Credits
For photo 1: Emily Ulsh
