Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael Higgins Jr.
Hi Michael, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I started my entrepreneurial path shoveling show in Philly at a young age. Over the years I sold both legal and illegal products to make ends meet.
I received my first business license, when I was in the Navy, stationed at Naval Air Station Oceana. At that time, I felt like I was going through an identity crisis. Thoughts like, “Am I just a squared away sailor,” use to often come to mind. Two things happen in a short period of time. One, I got the idea to start selling women’s and men accessories. The other idea came when I was at my parent’s house looking through some notebooks. In this one notebook, I read a story about my past that was really good, but wasn’t finished. Once I put that pen to paper, I was hooked like a grandmother on a soap opera.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
I have seen the ups and downs of life. I’ve been homeless and a couch surfer. I’ve had days where I would walk miles to make $30 in sales. Police harassment and neglect. Mental and physical health issues stemming from the military, that I still tackle to this day. I had to lose money, to find out that you are a better book editor, than most. And it took years of life lessons to manifest what’s in my books.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about what you do?
As you might have guessed I’m a writer. I’m the author of Warnock Uncut and Unconscious Wealth Building. Poet of Why You Gotta Weigh It. I also ghostwrite. But my writing skills also benefit my students at the Aviation Institute of Maintenance, where I’m an aviation maintenance instructor.
I’m proud of all my books for different reasons. Warnock Uncut, because it was the first book I released and I love comedy. Unconscious Wealth Building, because it was a promise I kept to my little cousin that I would create a book that would help the youth. Finally, Why You Gotta Weigh It, is a poetry book that took extreme hutzpah to release. That poetry book really put my feelings and past on front street. My writing skills and bravado, also got me awarded Instructor of the Block, which is an honor.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
My mentor is TD (He doesn’t want me using his government), he is someone I bounce creative and life choices off of. He is also the first black man I personally knew that was balling on a high level and he decided to let me in his circle, which I’m grateful for to this day.
Ms. Penny, from Prince Hall Elementary School, was the first person that just let me do my own thing. She was my 1st-grade teacher and just let me run wild with my thinking. She cared about what I was interested in, not pushing an agenda.
Lastly, Teri Woods, who called me and told me was on the right path. If you haven’t read her books you are missing out.
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