New gen bosses is a new series created to guide and inspire more people to go out there on their own, either as new business founders or freelancers. And what better way to do that than to ask the ones that already succeed at it? We want to know about big fuck-ups and even bigger successes, and the risky decisions they had to make along the way. We want to be the last little push you needed.

Job title: Co-founder and creative director
Industry: Fashion
Company founder or freelancer: Founder
Company name: Hunza G
How long have you been doing it: 5 years
Age: 32
Location: London

What pushed you to start on your own?

I thought it was a great concept and was worried if I didn’t do it, someone else would. It’s much easier to push yourself to start something on your own if you really believe in it. I sort of 100% just thought this is a great idea… even if it hadn’t worked I wouldn’t have regretted it or thought I had been wrong to try and make it happen.

What was the very first thing you needed to do to set everything up?

Register the name and buy the domain Hunza G.

What was the riskiest decision you had to take?

How much money to invest in the production—a chicken and egg situation. If you don’t have enough fabric then you can’t fulfil people’s orders, but you also don’t want to buy tonnes and be left with too much. I have seen many friends’ companies go under because of bad luck when it comes to taking the risk of where, what and how much to invest in different aspects of a business.

What was a skill you didn’t foresee needing that you had to learn?

Being a boss and being good at managing people. I really enjoy people, I am not a difficult person to work for but being a boss actually requires a different set of skills. It requires patience, diplomacy, encouragement, even when most frustrated… it’s been really eye-opening.

Everywhere around us, new gens are founding businesses and redefining their careers. New gen bosses is here to inspire those who might want to do the same, this time with extra tips, some lols from those who have been there, done that, and £20 in your new ANNA business account if you dare to take the leap.

At what moment did you realise that this was going to work out?

I actually went into it really believing in it, in quite a strange way, as I am slightly pessimistic in general. But I guess when we got some big stores and I started to go on holiday and see random people wearing Hunza G on the beach.

What did you spend your money on?

A good team of people being paid enough—no interning or minimum wage—I just don’t believe it incentivises people and creates a good vibe.

What was your biggest fuck up?

A couple of people I employed when I had no experience in hiring people. I didn’t interview people properly and just sort of took lucky gambles—some worked, some didn’t.

What was your biggest success?

Instagram! The outreach it gave us to different countries, people, ages—it’s so accessible for everyone and it’s free!

What do you know now that you didn’t know then?

That often, people aren’t either good or bad at things, they need the right encouragement and mentor in order to get the best out of them.

What are three tips you would give someone who wants to start on their own?

One: Speak to people and get lots of advice—don’t take it all as gospel—but equally don’t sit in silence thinking you should just do it all on your own or that someone might steal your idea. I got some of the best advice from people who had started brands recently, years ago, in different countries etc…

Two: Don’t spend lots of money before you have made any, you can do things in stages, like soft launch something and work out what you would change before having spent a tonne on branding you don’t like, colours people don’t buy etc…

Three: Accept that you need to just focus on work for a couple of years and less on the socialising and partying!

Feel like you would have never hired the wrong person? There’s only one way to find out. Take the leap, open an ANNA business card completely free of charge for the first 3 months and get £20 in it, too.

Want to discuss taking the leap with other new gens? You’re in luck! We’ve created New Gen Bosses, a Facebook group to continue and expand the conversation started through this new series.

New gen bosses is a new series created to guide and inspire more people to go out there on their own, either as new business founders or freelancers. And what better way to do that than to ask the ones that already succeed at it? We want to know about big fuck-ups and even bigger successes, and the risky decisions they had to make along the way. We want to be the last little push you needed.

Job title: Photographer
Industry: Fashion and portraiture
Company founder or freelancer: Freelancer
How long have you been doing it: 5 years
Age: 26
Location: Los Angeles, California

What pushed you to start on your own?

I blame being raised as an only child for a stubborn sense of independence. I struggled with making images that weren’t ‘my own’. Two years ago, this frustration and lack of satisfaction pushed me to save up one month’s rent, pack up my car, and drive to LA. Somehow I’m still here.

What was the very first thing you needed to do to set everything up?

Truly, I just needed human connections. It was humbling when I realised that I wasn’t going to be successful with the stubborn independence I mentioned. It’s impossible for me to make art unless I have humans to collaborate and grow with. Making friends in Los Angeles is difficult, but when you find the right team, everything falls into place.

What was the riskiest decision you had to take?

I had enough money to live in Los Angeles for one month, but I did it anyway. This city loves extravagance, but Trader Joe’s frozen dumplings really saved me.

What was a skill you didn’t foresee needing that you had to learn?

I didn’t expect to interact with so many difficult personalities through this process. There will always be a human that you cannot connect with, a human that won’t speak to you respectfully, a human that doesn’t value your work. The biggest lesson for me was learning to stand up for myself and not compromise on my value.

Everywhere around us, new gens are founding businesses and redefining their careers. New gen bosses is here to inspire those who might want to do the same, this time with extra tips, some lols from those who have been there, done that, and £20 in your new ANNA business account if you dare to take the leap.

At what moment did you realise that this was going to work out?

My favourite memory so far is seeing my cover of Playboy on my friend’s coffee table. Things felt right, yet wildly humbling.

What did you spend your money on?

Trader Joe’s and film processing.

What was your biggest fuck up?

One time my camera was on the ‘emergency setting’ and I shot 40 rolls of film underexposed by 2 stops. That kind of fuck up will teach you to check the emergency setting every dang time.

What was your biggest success?

Oof, this is hard to answer. I’m very proud to have shot the cover of TIME. The amount of respect and reputation the publication has, and the fact that they trusted me to make something. Working with Lil’ Nas X felt like making history. I mean, he did make history. I got to capture that.

What do you know now that you didn’t know then?

I used to think that if you were technically capable, you could be a great photographer. I’ve learned now that my technical ability has become 0.01 per cent of my images. That part is second nature. The rest of my work is my connection with the people I’m photographing. (I’m sure a lot of tech nerds are rolling their eyes at this. Sorry.)

What are three tips you would give someone who wants to start on their own?

One: There will always be a backup plan. Failure is a concept relative to your perspective.

Two: Trust your gut. Trust the images you feel proud of. Trust your intuition. This work is yours.

Three: Stand up for yourself (respectfully, of course). Being an artist is painfully personal. Do not let someone make you feel less than because of the incredible gift you are utilising, nurturing and demonstrating. You’re strong, but you’re also graceful.

Feel like you wouldn’t have to survive on frozen dumplings? There’s only one way to find out. Take the leap, open an ANNA business card completely free of charge for the first 3 months and get £20 in it, too.

Want to discuss taking the leap with other new gens? You’re in luck! We’ve created New Gen Bosses, a Facebook group to continue and expand the conversation started through this new series.