Hannah Forcier is a 27-year-old lifestyle content creator currently based in Philadelphia. I recently sat down with Hannah to discuss her videos and what is next for her.
This interview has been edited for clarity.
How do you define your job? Creating content is your job.
It’s been my job for seven years now. It’s been my full-time job for that long. I’m a content creator. For those who don’t necessarily know what that means — depending on their age. I’ll be like I’m a YouTuber or I’ll explain I post beauty lifestyle themed videos to post online a couple times a week.
You’re not like “I’m an influencer or an internet personality. I create content.”
Hannah: No. There was a time I did describe myself as an influencer. Now that’s not necessarily the word people use anyway, but I also don’t push products to people. I’m also like what am I influencing. I’m more just educating.
When did you start making videos?
When I was younger, middle school, that’s when YouTube was really picking up. For fun, I learned how to edit and film videos. I think I was 19 years old when I started doing it as a hobby. Then, a move to Los Angeles after making a group of small YouTuber friends. I did it less as a hobby and got into lives treaming, telling stories live and made money doing that. Then I decided to jump back into content creation for YouTube.
It started with my hair falling out seven years ago and then it became a career because I could make money off of it at that point.
How did you decide to go to Los Angeles? I know you now live in Philadelphia now.
I grew up in Northern New Hampshire in a very, very small town at the base of Mount Washington. I think everyone in my small town or small towns in general thinks that the only way out is to go to college or be super successful in something else, which is not something everyone can do.
Of course, my parents were freaking out because they’re like these aren’t real people. What if they’re creepy old men, I don’t know. It’s different because we’re all posting videos. I can see they’re all my age. I can see that we all get along and I felt like an outcast a lot of the time around my high school life anyway, so content creation became such a passion of mine. I could talk about videos and editing videos forever. That was the first time I found people I had something in common with, so a handful of them were going to move to Los Angeles. They needed someone else to also contribute money wise, so I packed up my car and I drove.
You started on this journey when you were 19.
Yes, moving to Los Angeles. 21 is when my hair loss video went viral and that became my career like overnight.
As someone who has followed you on the journey, I’ve seen you grow.
It’s so weird, a lot of people have seen different versions of me, especially in the beginning of your 20s, this is your first time really in the world and having that pivotal moment of having my hair fall out and hating myself, and then also getting a career out of it, and being subject to bulling online all the time it was crazy for young-20s.
You’re also rocking the short hair again.
I did it again.
This time by choice.
This time by choice and I’m loving it. It feels more like me than ever. It’s so interesting.
You’ve also had a big year. You came out and introduced the world to your girlfriend.
I been through a lot in the last year.
How do you decide what to share and what not to share? There has to be some part of Hannah that you don’t share with the world because that has to be private, but you are very open.
I am very open online. I word things as best as I can. I’ve learned my lesson from being 21-22 and dating and making that very public online for the first time ever. That’s not the move for me because although I am very open online that means anyone can ask me about anything. At a certain point, especially in dating it’s not my place to share about other people. Even though, it would probably do very well online. I’m not here for the drama. I learned that in my career. I do not do content creating for drama.
Your family is very involved. You recently posted a video of your mom in your fashions. You’ve had her on before. I’ve seen you on with your sister who has a different style.
She was a lot more alt than I was at the time. Now our styles are closer. My family is very included and is very supportive of my stuff. If anything my mom and I Facetime a bit or when I’m at home about sharing an online space. She is an author and she posts words of wisdom online, so it’s similar.
Since you mentioned your mom is an author, you have to share the love. Where can we find your mom?
Hannah: Her name is Rebecca L Matthews. They are Christian fiction novels that she writes at the end of the day, so whoever’s cup of tea that is.
Wow. That is probably very different from your audience, especially now.
It is. I do love to see when people recognize my mom in comments, even if they just recognize her as my mom.
She must be very proud.
She is. She sent me a photo the other day because when my video first went viral years ago, she would write down every week the subscriber number, so she still has the piece of paper keeping track of all of my followers.
That’s sweet. Also, you were going to cosmetology school. You graduated about a year ago. Also, you recently came clean that you had a whole team behind you.
Yup, for three years, they were posting as me.
What sparked that change?
The contract was ending anyway. During those three years, I was the one sitting down, filming, and coming up with video ideas. They were the ones editing the videos, posting them, and a lot of the time replying as me. It was very helpful when I was in school. It was very helpful during a period of moving from Los Angeles to Philly because I didn’t have time to edit.
While I was on the outside of that, I became a little too detached and I wasn’t as connect with my followers as I wanted to be. It wasn’t fun anymore. I think it’s because I felt like I didn’t have anything to do with it. When I’m in charge of everything, there is no end time to my day. I’m on my phone for fun anyway, scrolling on Tic Tok and Instagram, but I see the notifications of the comments and I should be checking my numbers. It’s me in the back of my head all the time telling myself I should be doing more.
A lot of your followers want you to come out with a line of hair color or wigs or open a hair salon. What are your plans?
My goal with going to cosmetology school was so that I had more knowledge to share online. While I was doing that and not really liking posting any more, I thought maybe this is my way out. I can go from being a content creator about hair to just doing hair and the content dissipating, or not being the focus.
I am looking for a place. I’m in no rush because as soon as I sign I’m going to be buying all the stuff to start a salon. I’m chilling, chilling and waiting. I’m really nervous. Officially, I’ve only worked in one salon. Working under people is not may favorite thing to do which is why I’m like maybe I should just open my own salon.
Also, creating content it’s whatever you want to do.
How was cosmetology school? In a lot of your old videos, people are not very nice in the comments and a lot of people are concerned about the health of your hair.
Oh my god. It’s so funny. Everyone is very interested in my hair all the time.
Most of your content is about hair though.
It is. My most recent comments are “Is your hair growing now because we want you to have long hair now?” It’s so weird. I did go to cosmetology school. I pass and got my license. I did learn a lot about keeping my hair healthy and how other people can keep their hair healthy. It’s what I was most passionate about anyway.
It’s not all about slathering on Olaplex when you need it.
No and actually Olaplex is too heavy for a lot of people’s hair to be honest. This is where this avenue of being a content creator and having all eyes on me is I can only share so much about myself. And I’m like this is what I use on me. This what works for me, but it is different for all hair textures, all hair types, and individual goals with their hair.
By opening a salon, I can fine tune and tailor individual stuff. That can even inspire me to say maybe I should share that online as well.
What do you want your fans and followers to know?
A lot of things are going to happen this year. I’m very excited to share this whole new chunk of my life, especially with this salon that I’m so excited about and I think everyone is going to have a lot more input than they think they will. I’m going to be asking what it should be named, how everyone thinks it should be set up. It’s going to be very collaborative because my followers are the ones who got me here in the first place.
