Success Comes to Those Who Do Just a Little Bit More (Hope Georgiou from HG Media)
Transcript:
Mike: Hey Hope, how are you?
Hope: I’m good! How are you, Mike?
Mike: I’m doing wonderful, thank you so much for asking. I’m back in Arizona, and it’s actually quite chilly out right now. I’m kind of missing San Diego, not gonna lie—I’ve been out there many times, and the weather is always gorgeous.
Hope: I know! We have sun right now—it was pouring rain yesterday, and it’s a little chilly, but nothing compared to what other people are feeling right now. So, I feel like I can’t complain. It’s been good.
Mike: Were you born and raised in San Diego?
Hope: Originally I’m from the Los Angeles area, about 45 minutes outside of the city. I moved to San Diego about a year and a half ago—actually, it’s coming up on two years. It goes by so fast! I still go back and forth to L.A., but I love it down here.
Mike: Yeah, it’s absolutely amazing. I love the culture down there. It really is a great city.
Hope: It is. I can’t complain!
Mike: One thing I found really interesting is that when you went to college—you actually earned two bachelor’s degrees in business and marketing. Was that always the goal when you started college? Or was it more like, “I’ll get these degrees to cover a wide range, and figure things out later”?
Hope: Yeah, you know, I think about this a lot, especially talking to friends or people younger than me who are transitioning from high school to college. You don’t realize how one little checkbox on a college application can change your life down the line.
Interestingly enough, I applied to most universities under political science. I originally wanted to go into the legal field and become a corporate lawyer—specifically business law, maybe patent law. I didn’t know exactly what yet, just that I had a general interest in it.
I ended up going to Loyola Marymount University (LMU), and entered with a major in entrepreneurship. It was a great program, but it was tailored more for students who already had an idea and were there to bring it to life. I didn’t have the idea yet. So I pivoted into marketing and business law, turning that into my second degree. I got the best of both worlds—a creative side with marketing and a legal foundation with business law.
And it’s funny, I recently went back to LMU to speak to a class and someone asked, “How much do you use your business law minor?” I told them, you’d be surprised how much it comes up—understanding contracts, negotiations, and so on. Those classes really do matter.
Mike: That’s amazing. I totally agree. I went to college for computer information systems because I always knew I wanted to be an entrepreneur. I thought it would be useful to have that tech and business knowledge. I ended up going into the entertainment industry—total curveball—but having that background really helped. Whether it’s building websites, solving tech problems, or just staying organized, it’s come in handy so many times.
Hope: Oh absolutely! People always ask, “When am I ever going to use this stuff?” And I say—maybe you won’t, but school teaches you how to learn and how to be disciplined. In life, there are going to be things you don’t want to do but have to get through in order to get where you want to be. That discipline builds character.
Mike: I’m sure it was also a thrill to go back and speak at your alma mater.
Hope: Oh yeah! I told my professor, “I guess this is how you know you’ve made it—when your old professors reach out and ask you to talk to the class.” I remember when guest speakers came in while I was a student, they seemed so far ahead in their careers. I try to remind students—it wasn’t that long ago that I was sitting where you are. It’s not that disconnected.
Mike: Were you working at the same time you were taking classes?
Hope: Oh yeah, I’ve always worked. I was tutoring before I was 16, and once I turned 16, I got a job immediately. At LMU, I worked retail, was a tour guide, and just kept busy. In my junior and senior year, I started interning—first in fashion marketing, and then I got an internship at Studio71. That internship led to my first full-time job out of college.
Mike: And within three years at Studio71, you went from intern to senior manager. That’s incredible.
Hope: Thank you! I still have a great relationship with the people there. I truly credit them with laying the foundation for my career. I remember in my internship interview, my soon-to-be manager said, “You have no experience in this industry. Why should I give you this job?” And I said, “I’m hungry for it. If you don’t give me the opportunity, someone else will.” I’m just really thankful they took that chance on me.
Once someone opens the door, what you do after that is all on you. I made sure people knew who I was. I took initiative and didn’t need to be micromanaged. That’s a trait that takes you far.
Mike: I love that answer. They were probably just testing you—internships are for gaining experience, not requiring it. But I really love how you responded with that hunger.
Hope: Yeah, and rejection is part of the game. I’ve always been in spaces where rejection is common—sports, modeling, acting. I’ve faced a lot of "no's" since I was young, and I just learned not to take it personally. Rejection is redirection.
Mike: Speaking of redirection, when did you decide it was time to go off on your own?
Hope: I think I always knew I would. When I entered college, I had an entrepreneurship major because I knew that path was for me—I just didn’t have the idea yet.
At Studio71, I was managing Snapchat’s beta programs. I was responsible for running this whole program and keeping the client happy. It lasted two and a half years. That experience made me realize—Snapchat is a white space. People don’t understand how to use it effectively. But I do.
So I gave myself an end date—December 2023—and started preparing to launch HG Media, which focuses on digital marketing with a specialty in Snapchat. That platform was my foot in the door, and it gave us a niche to stand on.
Mike: I really admire that you gave yourself a hard deadline. That’s so important when you’re trying to make a leap like that.
Hope: Exactly. Without it, you can just get too comfortable. Corporate jobs are safe. But I knew I wanted to take the leap and I wanted to be intentional about it.
Mike: What were some of the things you learned early on that you didn’t expect?
Hope: I expected it to be hard—and it was. The biggest shift was that there’s no buffer anymore. No manager to fall back on. You are the one bringing in business, handling legal, accounting, operations—everything.
And in this space, there’s no clear blueprint. The creator economy is still new and evolving, so you have to figure things out as you go.
Mike: What’s been the hardest part—getting brands?
Hope: 100%. Creators already see the value, but brands can be hesitant. They’re concerned about budget and bandwidth. And sometimes they make assumptions about their audience that aren’t backed by data.
Another issue is that many brands work with too many agencies, and the messaging gets lost. If you can work with just one or two agencies that understand your brand deeply, you’ll see much better results.
Mike: I assume the same goes for creators working with too many agencies?
Hope: Definitely. And creators need to be cautious. We’re seeing a lot of agencies present creators they don’t even represent. By the time a deal gets to the brand, it’s gone through so many layers, the price has tripled and the creator loses the deal.
Ask questions. Make sure you’re protected. And always have contracts in place.
Mike: And creators also have to do their part—show up, follow through, communicate.
Hope: Exactly. We’re extremely selective about who we represent. Quality over quantity. And we look at work ethic and communication more than follower count.
Mike: Same here. That’s actually part of why I started this podcast and used to run events—to vet artists. Communication and mutual respect always come first.
Hope: Exactly. And brands are getting smarter. They know that viral views don’t mean long-term value. They’re looking for sustainable creators who build communities and brands.
Mike: Yes! And I always say: give more than what’s expected. That builds trust and makes brands want to come back.
Hope: 100%. That’s how I went from intern to senior manager. Always go above and beyond. Be the person who solves problems, not just presents them.
Mike: Let’s wrap up with a few fun questions.
What was the last concert or movie you went to?
Hope: Tate McRae! I’m her biggest fan. My boyfriend and I went, and we were probably the oldest ones there, but she was so good.
Mike: I used to run a “Guilty Pleasure” music show. Do you have a guilty pleasure of your own?
Hope: Definitely The Bachelor. It just started again, and I watch every season. My friends and I have a Monday night ritual—it’s the best.
Mike: If you could give just one piece of advice, what would it be?
Hope: Be the person who does just a little bit more. That extra effort goes a long way. Also—never bring a problem without a potential solution. Even if it’s not perfect, it shows you tried.
Mike: Love both of those. Thank you so much for being on the show, and congrats on the one-year anniversary of HG Media!
Hope: Thank you so much, Mike. I really appreciate it. I hope this episode helps someone out there. I’m always open to connecting and helping others the way others helped me.
Mike: Of course. Thank you.
Hope: Awesome. Thank you!