Michael Johnson Email & Phone Number

California, United States

San Francisco, Ca, Us

Co-founded and led Hightail Media, transforming it into a premier boutique marketing agency with a focus on the video game industry. Established long-term relationships with industry giants like 2K Games, Twitch, EA Sports, and Microsoft. Oversaw all aspects of project management, from conceptualization to execution, ensuring projects are completed on time and within budget. Maintained strong relationships with key clients, understanding their unique needs and delivering customized solutions that drive results. Built and managed a talented team of creatives, fostering a collaborative environment that encourages innovation and excellence.Key Contributions:- Achieved a 50% boost in player engagement by spearheading project management for a $1.5M pioneering on-site livestream studio for NBA2K in the gaming industry.- Enhanced client satisfaction by 30% and drove a 50% increase in recurring business through effective cross-functional management as lead account manager for Meta and Facebook Gaming.- Expanded billable contracts from $150k to $1.5m within the first 4 years, augmenting employee headcount.- Orchestrated on-site livestream studio for Blizzard Entertainment, devising marketing strategies, yielding an 80% surge in pre-launch product orders.- Formulated social media content strategy for Facebook Gaming, driving a 120% increase in engagement within a year.

Atlanta, Georgia, Us

Dynamic board member with a passion for driving growth and innovation in the fast-paced world of SaaS tech startups. Leveraging a diverse background in project management, marketing, & advertising, I contribute strategic vision and business acumen to help shape the future of Statra. Committed to fostering a culture of excellence, collaboration, and continuous improvement, I actively engage with the executive team to drive the company's mission forward and deliver exceptional value to our clients.Duties:- Collaborate with fellow board members to define the company's strategic direction while providing valuable insights and expertise within new growth markets.- Actively participate in board meetings, offering informed perspectives on critical issues, market trends, and emerging technologies, ensuring alignment with the company's long-term goals.- Contribute to the development and refinement of the company's business model, ensuring scalability, profitability, and sustainable growth.- Provide guidance and support to the executive team, leveraging industry knowledge and networks to identify potential opportunities, partnerships, and strategic alliances.- Foster a governance framework that promotes transparency, accountability, and effective risk management, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements and industry best practices.- Engage with stakeholders, including investors, clients, and industry influencers, to enhance brand awareness and drive business development efforts.- Offer mentorship and guidance to the executive team, facilitating their professional growth and fostering a high-performance culture.

San Francisco, California, Us

Develop digital marketing and project management curricula with GGU and Outlier.org, aligning with Google and Coursera certifications to enhance student engagement. Deliver asynchronous courses across Outlier LMS, Yellowdig, and Coursera, including titles like PM 60: Google Project Management, BUS 60: Introduction to Business, and MKT 61A–B: Digital Marketing and social media I & II. Assess and provide feedback on student business plans and project proposals, while conducting office hours, mentoring students on industry insights, and leading discussions on contemporary issues relevant to the courses.

- Continued leadership role under Meta's new Community Director, focusing on Facebook Gaming's organic social media strategies.- Managed and coordinated Hightail Media's creative and marketing support for Meta.- Staffed and expanded Hightail Media to support the increasing demands of Meta’s projects.- Maintained a permanent presence at Meta’s Menlo Park offices, ensuring seamless integration and collaboration.Key AchievementsStrategic Leadership: Directed marketing efforts that significantly boosted Facebook Gaming’s organic reach and engagement.Team Management: Effectively managed cross-functional teams, ensuring high-quality deliverables and timely project completion.Client Relationship: Strengthened client relationships through consistent performance and strategic insights, leading to contract renewals.Innovation: Implemented innovative marketing strategies that aligned with Meta’s goals and drove community engagement.

On contract at Facebook handling gaming creators marketing with the partnerships marketing team. I was responsible for leading social media, creator communication, large-scale creator events and training. Part of the foundational team responsible for building our creator education platform, the Level Up Bootcamp.- Provided coverage for Sophia Tong, managing global gaming creator marketing efforts.- Embedded within Meta’s Menlo Park offices.- Led a team, including Hightail Media employees, to deliver marketing initiatives and creative projects.Developed and implemented marketing strategies that increased engagement and visibility for Facebook Gaming.

As an Account Executive at Frontline Productions, I managed large-scale productions and client relationships, acquiring essential skills that would later contribute to founding my own marketing agency, Hightail Media. My role involved overseeing the full lifecycle of projects, from concept to delivery, ensuring client satisfaction and project success.Key Contributions:- Project management: Produced and managed large productions for clients such as 2K Games, MavTV, AmeriGas, Audi, tvONE, and SanDisk, ensuring projects were completed on time and within budget.- Client relationship management: Developed and maintained strong client relationships, understanding their unique needs and delivering customized solutions.- Strategic planning: Created detailed project plans with firm deadlines for each phase, ensuring alignment with project scope and client expectations.- Conflict resolution: Addressed and resolved conflicts related to priorities, tasks, resources, and requirements to ensure smooth project execution.- Process optimization: Implemented solutions to minimize inefficiencies within production processes, enhancing overall productivity.- Team leadership: Demonstrated decisive leadership abilities in managing teams and projects, fostering a collaborative environment that encourages excellence.

Arlington, Va, Us

Met Jeb Ory while trying to connect with Marco Arment (of Instapaper and Tumblr fame) at WWDC. It didn't take long to realize that Jeb's a brilliant guy, so we started working together. I was involved with the company until it's first seed investment. Left when company received seed funding and relocated from California to Kansas City, MO.Highlights:- Part of a team that managed SaaS product line life cycle from strategic planning to tactical activities.- Took ownership of signed projects, managing and troubleshooting all aspects in conjunction with all cross-functional teams.- Fostered the adoption and creative use of Phone2Action by film companies, lobbying groups, elected officials, and advocacy groups.- Developed & designed sales and marketing collateral (website, whitepapers, product landing pages, datasheets) to solidify brand identity and positioning while creating brand awareness to assist in capturing highly qualified leads and close deals.- Supported multiple new business sales calls while highlighting problem-solving selling points for each specific client.- Created and presented webinars about product releases, cross-selling campaigns to partners’ customers, and onboarding and introduction to Phone2Action.

Started with one client (19 Entertainment) and grew the business by specializing in identifying and developing talent languishing on rosters of major labels and management companies. Eventually we grew into producing music for film and television. Sold the business after finishing my MBA.Some fun facts from this era of my life:- Successfully collaborated with Jay Frank (Senior Vice President of Country Music Television) and David Z (Prince, Fine Young Cannibals) to develop Shannon Bex (from MTV's Danity Kane) as a pop country artist.- Worked cross-functionally with 19 Entertainment and Sony/BMG marketing teams, by identifying talent (A&R) and then acting as writer/producer for selected sub-top 10 talent.- Produced and wrote the music for an Emmy-nominated television ad in 2010.- Speaker at SESAC Nashville’s songwriter series.Other selected clients include: Warner Records, CBS Radio, Participant Media, Clear Channel Media, Red Light Management, Boreman Entertainment, Toby Mac, Keith Urban, Gerald Levert, Robert Lockwood, Jr., ATTIK, Toyota, Francis Ford Coppola’s American Zoetrope, Universal Television, Walt Disney Records, American Greetings, MTV, and Reebok.

- Created and developed a SaaS education platform utilized in healthcare, higher education, and corporate environments.- Secured a successful publishing agreement with Aspen Publishers in Boston, MA. in 2007.- Managed a team of creatives responsible for creating all software platform, design, animation, storyboarding, and audio.- Verified and managed media asset deliveries, including metadata, artwork, and video files, including issue handling and resolution (internally and externally).

- Developed and successfully implemented turn-around business strategy that leveraged our location and lower costs to obtain major label clients from Sony/BMG, Universal, Warner, and Provident Records.- Managed talent with local radio stations and label relations to program content and promote artists such as Tori Amos, Lifehouse, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, and Fountains of Wayne.- Managed the fundraising and construction of $1.1m Studio A buildout.Worked with local Cleveland artists such as - The Black Keys ("Magic Potion" album) - Bone Thugs N Harmony ("Art of War" Album)National - Regina Spektor - Elliott Yamin ("Wait for You" single) - Dave Matthews ("Eh Hee" single) - Tori Amos ("Royce Hall Auditorium, Los Angeles, CA 4/25/05" album)Soundtrack - The Godfather (The Coppola Restoration) - Bram Stoker's Dracula (Special Edition) - The Outsiders: The Complete Novel - Apocalypse Now Documentary "Heart of Darkness"

Elected representative for Ward 4 in Avon, OH while a sophomore and junior in undergrad.

B.S.B.A, Business Management, Marketing, International Business

Master Of Business Administration - Mba