Hi! I’m Hilary Rowland, the person behind all of this feminist fabulousness (jk).
As an equal rights activist, my purpose is to help educate and inspire women on the critical issues of self-esteem and female leadership. In keeping with these goals, I decided to use Urbanette® profits to help women in developing countries become entrepreneurs.
In a two-dimensional digital world, I’ll do my best to give you an idea of who I am.
- I launched the first ever online “magazine” back during my summer holidays in 1994. Yup, you’re looking at it 😉 Here’s a bit of the magazine’s (and my) history. A year later I also launched New Faces, the first ever online portfolio and job casting website.
- I’m very happily married to my soul mate (they exist!) We got engaged in a month and married in four months. I guess when you know, you know!
- Yes, I know a lot of Hollywood movie stars and heartthrobs (Ryan Gosling, Gerard Butler, Jim Carrey, etc.)… You’ll be able to read about that in my memoir, coming out in 2025.
- My mother is a whip-smart and highly opinionated artist, businesswoman, and advice-giver. My father was an investigative journalist and is now an author and professor of business ethics and philosophical thinking. They both passed along their activist and artistic strengths (obsessions) to me.
- I hate wasting time in salons, so I cut and color my own hair. It’s much easier than it looks!
- Richard Branson has been a mentor and a constant source of inspiration. Follow his blog here.
- I was a geek in high school (kinda still), and had a hard time fitting in.
- I wish that the world were like Shallow Hal, and that people’s outer representations reflected how much love and empathy they have in them.
- I have green eyes with a ring of amber, and I’d love to use that eyelash enhancing stuff, but I’m afraid it’ll turn my eyes completely brown (and I recently realized that castor oil does the same thing without the side-effects!).
- I love animals (which is why I’m vegan) and know that my life wouldn’t have been the same without my cat. (Rescue, don’t buy!)
- I have way too much clothing, though I bought it almost all on eBay (my strategy let me score designer duds for about 90% off!) I love a bargain!
- I’ve been an entrepreneur since I was a teenager, and so I’ve never had a ‘real’ job.
- My brain is always running and if I wasn’t super busy I’d probably be bored silly.
Check out the most recent articles I’ve written, comment below with your thoughts, or skip back to the homepage to see the latest.
A few personal articles to start with:
- Advice For My 20-Something Self
- 5 Things I Learned From Having Cancer
- How I Fell in Love in Mexico
- Hilary’s Tips: 10 Ways I Made My Wedding Easier
- 5 Reasons I Love Being a Vegan
- Why We’re Not Having Kids
Check out hashtag #HilaryRowland for pics and videos on all the social media sites. xo
Your life is very inspiring. You worked hard for your dreams, and you deserve all your achievements today.
Thank you! I certainly do work really hard, but it’s enjoyable work, so I don’t mind!
Wow! Is your husband a contributor at Forbes too? Cmon! You’re such a lucky woman here. Your life is almost perfect!
Ha! Nobody’s life is perfect… I’ve had a lot to deal with (like cancer, for one), but I think a positive outlook makes all the difference. ❤
Seriously? You’re a geek when you are in high school? Well, it doesn’t look like you were. You’re beautiful, and adventurous woman, plus you have an amazing social life.
Your parents must be so proud of what you have achieved in life. You’re such a very talented, and inspiring person plus, you helped a lot of people from the third-world country.
1995??? Urbanette online was established in 1995??!!! Wow! We are at the same age. HAHAHA
It was not the same name by this time. She was just 15. That’s crazy :p
When I was a teenager, all I think was how can I survive high school life, and you were already an entrepreneur that time. I’m in my 20’s, and I think I should make a move to innovate my career.
How’s your life in Lyon? I heard that Lyon is a very nice place to live, but the cost of living there is expensive, right?
Actually, she says in this article that it’s not expensive: urbanette.com/moved-nyc-france
It sounds enviably lovely!
I am in ❤ with Europe — especially France. The quality of life is so high here, and it’s so much less expensive that cities in North America.
I wanted to go to France since I was a child, that is one of my dreams. I envy you because you already lived in France, but in a positive way of envy. Lol.
I wish I am as dedicated as you. At a very young age, you started to fulfill your dreams, and here you are now. Keep it going, Hilary! You inspire a lot of women around the world.
“You’re already an entrepreneur since you were a teenager?
When I was in my teenage life, I have no goals ni life, and the party is life. “