MMentee Spotlight
with Hannah Makonnen
What was your creative path - how did you get to where you are?
I started out as a freelance arts and culture journalist, which gave me the foundation to eventually build PLACE. That experience involved a lot of cold pitching and using every conversation, every piece of media I consumed, as a way to spot broader cultural patterns. I learned how to translate those observations into timely, meaningful stories that resonated. It meant spending five years being deeply tuned in to culture — and I’ve come to believe that understanding culture is really about understanding people. And when you understand people, you can create anything.
Where you are now - what are you currently working on?
I am now the founder of PLACE, the discovery and ticketing platform for London’s culture and third spaces (see the link!). We launched Feb 2024 and have had over 40K active users on the platform, 5K social following and sold thousands of tickets. Whether it’s a chess club, art club or run club, you can find your people, your plans and your PLACE.
What part did MM play in this journey?
I was lucky enough to win the Mentoring Matters grant of £2000 in December 2023! That was really an incredible launch pad for my business. I didn’t use it for anything extravagant like a launch party or marketing etc, it simply helped keep the business alive in its early days while I was still figuring out how to make money. I was obviously also a part of the mentoring scheme (first cohort represent) and that experience taught me literally everything I know about journalism. I’ve met some of my closest friends through MM, having that ecosystem and the support and care from Laura throughout my career... you won’t find this anywhere else. THANK YOU MM.
What are you most proud of?
Right now, I am most proud of my resilience.
Tell us a bit about some of your ambitions/goals.
The goal is for PLACE to be synonymous with culture across every city in the world.
The best piece of advice you’ve received.
Don’t start that magazine. lol. This was from my mentor at the time, I came to her saying it was my dream to start a magazine (go figure) and she was like, “what’s your angle?”, “what’s unique about your magazine format?”. At the time, the only thing that would have been unique about it, is that it would have been made by me. Which while cute, is not sustainable. I think she saved me time and the ability to redirect my energy to a project that would be sustainable.
I still plan to start a magazine, but under PLACE, something that has the USP (Unique selling point) she was talking about.
The best piece of advice you’d give others.
Just start and start small. Dream your biggest dream and strip it down to something small and actionable. Whether that’s one feature, one product, one Tiktok. The learning you will get from starting is something no funding can buy.
Why does Mentoring matter?
It’s the first stepping stone to understanding the industry and rips away the mystique around it. Knowledge is power HIGH KEY.
To find out more about Hannah
Insta | Website | PLACE insta