Badass Q and A With: Badass Living Senior Editor, Hattie Weber

SHARE

Hattie Weber is a senior editor at Badass + Living. A 2015 college graduate, Hattie is a Texan residing in New York City. Her life experiences – from being a traveler to a debutante to an office manager – have given her a great understanding of her fellow millennials. Hattie has been published in Thought Catalog‘s “More Than 20 Minutes Of Reading: Everything You Need To Read About The Brock Turner Case & Controversy.” Her dedication to those she cares about and her unapologetic honesty are what make her a badass.

What is your morning routine?

I typically wake up around 7:45AM and get ready for work. I brush my teeth, get dressed, throw my blanket over my bed and pretend that it’s made, pretty standard stuff. I grab breakfast on my way to work, strawberry Greek yogurt and a diet coke, then eat at my desk and begin my day. It’s not really until 10:30AM that I’m actually awake and functioning.

What is your evening routine?

I get home around 5:30PM and I like to take a few minutes to unwind. I watch some TV or flip through a magazine before deciding on what to have for dinner. After dinner I’ll usually shower, relax with my boyfriend, then get in bed and read. I just started The Swans of Fifth Avenue and I’m really excited about it.

What is your idea of success?

Being happy. I think that having money is nice but being truly successful means that you feel fulfilled and excited about what you are doing day-to-day.

What has been your greatest achievement thus far?

It’s definitely a tie between being Senior Editor for Badass + Living and having my piece published in Though Catalog’s new book. Seeing my name along side other writers is truly amazing and being part of Badass + Living is what got me there. Being senior editor here is something that is so amazing to me because this magazine is something truly inspiring. I am grateful for the empowerment and confidence it has given me. I believe that working on Badass has helped me to become the Badass that I am – and a published one at that!

What has been your biggest failure and how did you overcome it?

My biggest failure was going into my first job and behaving like an intern. I got lunch for people, I kept quiet, and I waited to be told what to do. I got stuck in an intern-rut. I overcame this by slowly gaining the confidence to tell people ‘no’ and by learning to prioritize. I’m a team player, but sometimes my work has to come before what someone else wants. 

What do you feel is the biggest mistake people make when starting a business? Did you make it?

I think the biggest mistake someone can make when starting a business is not having a clear process and goal to reach. Without that concrete decision of, ‘this is what I want, this is how I’m going to do it, and this is where I want to be,’ then chaos will ensue. While I have not started a business myself, I assisted in the launch of Badass + Living and I saw the clear vision and structure of the company come to life.

What is the trait you most admire in others?

Confidence.

What is your biggest professional pet peeve?

People who have no respect. If someone talks down to me or anyone else – regardless of if they are in a higher or lower position – I lose my mind.

How do you define a great leader?

I think a great leader is someone who encourages others to take charge. A leader isn’t necessarily a boss and definitely isn’t someone who barks orders at people. A leader is someone who is able to see the skills that their team possess and encourage them to step up and utilize those skills while steering the team toward their goals. 

If you could have dinner with anyone (living or dead) who would it be and what would you like the topic of conversation to be?

I think I would cry from sheer joy if I could ever have dinner with Sir Paul McCartney. I would love to talk about what his life was like during the height of Beatlemania. That’s an open invitation, Paul! Let me know when you’re free!

Who is the most badass woman you know and why?

Brenda Della Casa. Have you met Brenda? She’s the epitome of a badass. She knows what she’s talking about, she doesn’t let anyone talk down to her, she encourages those around her, and she does everything she can to help people. She’s a no-nonsense leader with a badass spirit.

What is your best negotiating tactic?

While I don’t have a ton of experience with negotiation, I think the tactic I typically use is to try and convince the other party that they will benefit from doing what I want.

What’s your best networking secret?

I might be able to get away with this because I’m so young, but if I’m at an event where I don’t know anyone I put on my best scared or lost Bambi look until someone comes and talks to me. It typically works.

How do you stay organized throughout the day?

I write everything down. I have lists for the lists I need to make. If I don’t write it down it’s not going to get done.

What advice would you go back and give your younger self?

Don’t be so scared of everything! You’re a smart girl and you know what you’re doing. Speak up and be brave.

Phone call or email and why?

Email. I’m a Millennial; unless I’m calling my best friend to catch up or my parents to say ‘hi’ the phone is not my friend.

What are you most proud of in your life?

I am most proud of the confidence I have gained since moving to New York. I am very proud of being able to use my voice when I was once too nervous to ever speak up.

What qualities do you believe make someone a great team member?

I think the qualities that makes someone a great team member are similar to those that make someone a great leader. Being able to recognize the strengths and weaknesses in a group are vital to organizing who does what and making sure that everything runs smoothly. Being able to work well with others and meet your own personal deadlines are pretty important as well.

What is the fastest way to turn you off in an interview?

Asking me about money in a first interview. I know that a future employer needs to know what I want to make but when they’re first feeling me out they should focus on who I am and what my skills are, not if I’m going to be a cheap employee.

How does someone impress you on an interview?

I’m actually really bad at this. I am not good at bragging about myself, but the way that I impress people in an interview is by telling them who I was and who I am. I tell them about how I used to be very quiet and timid but that now I am a confident Badass.

Where do you get most of your information?

Oh, from everywhere. From social media, theSkimm, Inc, Glamour, Elle, Cosmo, Vanity Fair, Vogue, and especially from friends. I am a big believer in hearing opinions of people who have differing views and then doing my own research to form my own ideas.

What apps could you not live without?

Google maps. I would be so lost – literally and figuratively – without my virtual maps. And probably Spider Solitaire, I get really bored on the subway. 

What is the best lesson you learned from your worst boss?

Being honest and organized is so important. I cannot stress it enough how important it is. If you are disorganized, the company feels like it is falling apart and if you’re not 100% transparent your employees feel like you’re hiding something important from them.

What do think are the three most essential lessons you have learned in business thus far?

1 | You’re going to make mistakes and that’s okay, just learn from them.

2 | Be organized. Seriously. Just take the time to get organized and it’ll make your entire week better.

3 | Learn everything you can from everyone you meet.

What is your professional motto?

Be the best you that you can be today but be open to growing tomorrow.

Who is your business crush?

Is it wrong to say Brenda Della Casa again? I kind of idolize her.

Where would you like to be professionally in a year?

I would like to still be the senior editor at Badass + Living. I would like to continue to grow in this position and gain the skills to run every aspect of the magazine: managing contributors, pitching to new writers, continuing to share my own work, and to know how to run the different social media channels.

What do you regret most?

My biggest regret is not sharing my writing with anyone when I was younger. I was always embarrassed by my work but as soon as I had a little support and encouragement I gained the confidence to share with everyone and I just wish I had done that sooner.

How do you define happiness?

Happiness is very difficult to define in a general sense. To me, happiness is many things: sitting on the couch watching my favorite show, drinking a good glass of wine, being hugged, accomplishing something I never thought I would finish, sharing a piece of my writing that I am proud of, and much, much more. Happiness is the small things, the big things, and everything in between.

What is your best remedy for FOMO?

Is it bad that I don’t suffer from FOMO that often? I have a pretty good life and great friends that I see regularly so I never really feel like I’m missing out.

What makes you badass?

I’m very open and honest. I’m unapologetically honest. I want the people I care about to be happy and I’ll do anything I can to help them. I am a badass because I give my all in everything I do and I’m always on the top of my game.

 

Facebook: Hattie Weber

Instagram: HattieWeber

Categories: Badass Profiles

SHARE

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *