Meet Johnny Michael | Founder of Hi 👋 | HiJohnny.com

We had the good fortune of connecting with Johnny Michael and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Johnny, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
I’m originally from Clinton Twp, Michigan. Since that doesn’t sound too familiar to people I usually follow it up by saying something like… “you know how Eminem lived near 8 mile. I grew up by 16 mile. 8 miles away!” While Detroit often gets a gritty narrative, Michigan and the midwest has another reputation for being generally friendly. It’s also a super beautiful state with great lakes, lush greenery and awesome summers to play a wonderful game called golf. Being from the midwest, it’s common and polite to acknowledge people with eye contact and even greet them with a simple Hi. When I moved to Miami I felt and observed a noticeable distance between people and a clustering of groups from similar cultural backgrounds. At times it made me feel a sense of loneliness, like I was an alien observing a species who seemed to be unaware of each other. At the basic level, our eyes and hands are perfect tools to connect but it’s not always that simple is it? At the same time, Miami offers a lot of opportunity to meet interesting people, I find it is such a fun place to live because you’re thrown in the mix with people from all over the world. Maybe it’s because I’m from Michigan or maybe it’s because I’m naturally wired to get excited and curious about other people, I don’t know, but I get a little boost of joy when people smile and say hello. It can make you feel a sense of community, safety and pleasant peacefulness.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I currently focus my art and creative energy in a few areas… One of those areas is brand called Hi, which celebrates greetings from cultures around the world. Right now we sell some highly delightful and socially pleasant apparel. I envision lots of possibilities to entertain, tell stories, practice photography, write, design, develop art and connect with other artists and fun people through the Hi brand. Sticking with it, creating my own metrics of success and experimenting with long term projects and creative sprints have been key to keeping it going and growing. For example, right now I’m focusing on recording fun voiceovers and pronunciations of every possible way to greet… It’s been fun to learn and I try put one out every week. It’s gonna take a bit, but it’s a steady and repeatable process that I enjoy.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Coconut Grove & Coral Gables – that’s where it’s at. I love showing people around the Grove, taking them to cool spots like the Mayfair Hotel or down by the water to Regatta and a walk around the Marina. Checking out The Barnacle is a nice hidden gem too. There’s also great restaurants like La Bouchon and Amal and fun places to get a drink like Barracuda. I love playing pickleball at the Firestation courts and getting Key Lime Pie at the Fookem’s Fabulous stand. Breakfast spots like La Pain Q or Chugs are awesome too. It’s nice to get off the beaten path and get lost in the neighborhoods nearby too. In Coral Gables, The Biltmore is always a super fun place to drop in for golf, food or drinks. The ride around the gables under the tree canopy is something special in itself. The Venetian pool is a memorable gem for an afternoon. In the downtown area I like walking around Miracle Mile and The Plaza, or getting some good food on Giralda Ave at a place like Calista or trying what’s new… Pummarola Pizza and their fluffy neapolitan crust has my kind of pie. I recently had a great meal at Christy’s on Ponce De Leon and would love to take some people back there for a great meal. Miami beach and Key Biscayne are a must see too, but that’s a whole different story…

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I think I want to give a shoutout to comedy. As broad as that sounds, comedy has always been a compass in my life. Comedians like Jim Carrey, Jerry Seinfeld, Jerry Lewis, Lewis CK, David Letterman, Conan O’Brien have always been source material to study and learn from. They do such a wonderful job of taking important ideas like philosophy and observations and put them in potent little cocktail of hilarity and splash it right in your face. Funny is so refreshing and revealing. I’ve also had the pleasure to learn storytelling from some folks at Pixar and study the magic of the Walt Disney Company. Great comedy and great storytelling. Two things I’d love to shout out and talk about all day, they help make life make sense.

Website: https://happyinteractions.co/

Instagram: @happyinteractions

Youtube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkkc1-wgz4fZaZJtyhGealfcoT87VqXL1&feature=shared

Other: https://www.hijohnny.com/

Image Credits
Johnny Michael