I made a Hi: how to video… It’s pretty obvious how I do it. But why not. Here’s how. See the magic. :)
Ideally, it would be awesome if this becomes a friendly thing that ignites social media with positive waves. Ideally, I’d sell Hi gear across the globe and make a little extra pile of money and I’d be able to get more financially independent, making passive streams of income with a flourishing e-commerce business. It would also be really neat to walk around in the world and see these friendly fashion statements on people as they put a little signal of positive energy into the world. Just like the wave at stadiums, let’s start a wave. Who’s waving with me?
My plan with the Hi brand is to keep making fun stuff — keep collaborating with creative and good people. Also importantly, keep investing money into it wisely. It’s a labor of love and time and it should stay that way for a bit. Keep the growth organic. Learn skills, experiment, and use low-cost solutions to build it. The beauty of the internet right now is how easy it is for me to create a product and market those ideas. I can host a website with Squarespace, I can put products up with Printful and create videos for social media channels. The tools to create and publish products have never been easier or cheaper for individuals. You just need some skills, time and creativity.
I’ve also been honing in on the idea that when creating anything: whether it’s writing, creating a video, or a product — there has to be some sort of value tied to it. There has to be something in it for the person on the other end. Whether it’s something they learn, something that says about them, or simply the joy of entertainment successful projects and ideas serve other people. Maybe it could help introverts meet people. Or maybe it just becomes a cool form of social status to own one. Who knows? It would be awesome to see Hi shirts become part of the culture. I also wonder if there’s a way to create a friendly community around the brand. Something that introduces people. Is there a way to plan events so friendly people and fans of Hi can meet?
It’s also got me reflecting that maybe there will one day be value in sharing my process and thoughts along the way. Maybe one day if this Hi thing ever succeeds and I’m a story of financial, business and creative success the thoughts and inspiration can be put into a valuable book. The book would be full of ideas and things from this blog and provide rocket fuels of creative energy for people looking to make a dent of their own, make their mark with a brand, or tell a story and make a difference with art. Maybe that’s the purposeful thing I need to latch onto. That’s my Simon Sinek Why. I created a project. I told a story and I created a thing with a mission to make the world (both digital and IRL) a little more human and friendly.
This video was super fun to make. I went out to the skate park in Haulover Park with my friend Tucker. There are chimpanzees that ride skateboards better than me and I’m too old to fall, so I stuck to flat surfaces and the longboard and tried my best not to break any bones. While shooting we met some really kind and cool kids at the park. They were interested in what we were doing and they were pumped to get in clips waving and having a good time. I got to hear young hip teenagers say things like, “I’m gonna help you make a crispy video!” and then watched him wheel by me on a bike with one foot on the seat and one hand on the handlebar like a circus act. And indeed, we got some pretty sweet and crispy video clips without witnessing any coconuts get cracked. Good times.
INSTAGRAM CUT GOES HERE