Francesca “The Billion Dollar Baby” Hennessy and her sister-manager Hannah sit down to reveal what life is really like building a professional boxing career as a family. From growing up in a boxing household to handling pressure, dyslexia, discipline, brand deals, training camps and balancing work and sisterhood, this episode gives a rare behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to rise in the sport.
00:00 Dyslexia, different learning styles and early challenges
00:45 Introducing Hannah and Francesca Hennessy
01:20 Life working together as sisters
02:30 Growing up in a household built around boxing
03:40 The pros and complications of mixing family and business
05:00 Trust, communication and knowing each other inside out
06:10 Why Francesca needs space after training and long days
07:20 Training intensity and limitations on events and appearances
08:35 Brother Michael’s boxing journey and influence
10:10 Family memories growing up in the sport
10:40 Why Francesca chose not to fight back then
11:15 Dad’s legacy as a boxing promoter and manager
13:20 How family work ethic shaped their drive and ambition
15:00 Hannah’s growth in business and confidence
16:20 Francesca’s pro debut and public pressure
18:05 Proving herself beyond her father’s reputation
19:20 Making an impact with her famous ring walks
20:50 Why ring walk preparation matters
22:00 Importance of giving fans full entertainment
23:20 Life during Fight Week and behind-the-scenes dynamics
24:20 The family team atmosphere
25:10 Why having the right emotional support matters
26:00 Sham’s role in documenting the journey
27:20 Building a tight-knit team
28:40 Training structure, conditioning and nutrition
30:00 Balancing health, routine and the reality of the sport
32:00 Sacrifices, missed celebrations and staying disciplined
33:45 Boxing as a dangerous career and taking preparation seriously
35:10 Growing into her own business identity
36:30 Moving past the stigma of dyslexia
38:00 The importance of learning styles in education and sport
39:40 Female representation in boxing and inspiring young girls
41:00 Breaking stereotypes with beauty sponsorships and brand alignment
43:00 How HLD helped build Francesca’s confidence and personal brand
44:50 The importance of personal relationships between talent and management
46:20 Fight announcement – next bout on BBC
47:10 Final sign off and outro
Managed is a podcast/ digital show interviewing industry leaders across media, business, sports and more who found success at a young age.
Hosted by talent agency owner Hannah Holland who founded HLD in 2019 at 24 years old, she has witnessed the struggles and less than Instagram-worthy realities of building a business to a 7 figure success at a young age.
Follow Hannah Holland: https://www.instagram.com/hannahroseholland/
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/managedpod/
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@hldtalent2655
TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@managedpod
HLD TALENT: https://hldtalent.com