Parting Shot

Griffin Johnson

COVID-19 has Impacted every facet Of the workforce, Including tiktok influencers who thrive on collaboration. “It’s really hard because people want content,” Griffin Johnson told Newsweek. Fortunately Johnson, who has more than 15 million followers across multiple platforms, lives with other influencers as part of a group called Sway House. “We’re all close, so I’m very blessed and fortunate.” Of the influencers, Johnson was perhaps the best equipped to deal with the pandemic: before Tiktok fame he was studying to be a nurse. “When it first started, I thought it would be something around the realm of the flu. But then it started getting really serious.” For him, it’s been about finding a balance. “I’m not perfect, but I try my best to restrict going out and being in contact with other people.” Even so, Griffin still has “a bunch of stuff in the works,” including a potential new reality show “based around taking viral content and adding inside jokes.” At the end of the day, “I view Tiktok as a business,” and the key to making it is to “make sure you’re doing something really, really different.”

How do you handle it when people question Tiktokers’ authenticity?

I understand it. Tiktok is a 15-second platform; they don’t really show personality or long-form content. For me, I converted this following to businesses, Youtube and even some of our own shows.

How do you avoid the drama that so often haunts Tiktok influencers?

I actually don’t. I used to try, but it just got to a point that it was just inevitable. People feed on the drama, so if you don’t stay in it a little bit, then you don’t keep your name relevant. Now I just make jokes out of it. It’s just like, whatever, another day.

You were studying to be a nurse?

I wanted to do anesthesia and nursing was a part of the mission, one of the stepping blocks to get where I wanted to be. I may end up going back.

How did you respond when the pandemic hit?

I’ve been living in a house where there’s some things that went down, some parties or whatever. I avoided all of it. I’m obviously aware of how serious it is. It’s just about being safe.

Where do you see your career 10 years from now?

Obviously, the social media fame doesn’t really last that long. I’m just using it right now to spin-off into business and become an avid entrepreneur and be well-known in the space of investing.

“The social media fame doesn’t really last that long.”