Hustle Culture’s Finest, Steph Mi, Shines at MTV VMA’s Red Carpet

Steph Mi unapologetically works the multi-faceted entertainment industry to her advantage

BY: ANSA WOO

Athlete entrepreneur, creative marketing extraordinaire, and Sports Illustrated swimsuit model, Steph Mi, was spotted at this year’s 2023 VMA red carpet, strutting her stuff.

And it could honestly mean anything and everything for this multi-talented mastermind.

Steph Mi – VMAs

Nothing Steph Mi has done in the public eye ever seems to be without careful thought and expert timing. Her huntress mentality, work ethic, and uncanny ability to pull off her own campaign stunts, has earned her influencer status on social media, countless highly sought-after modeling clients, and a self-made female empowering athletic community.

Steph’s recent choice of representation, Arsenic Agency, could also be at least partially credited for her continuing rise. Arsenic is a powerhouse in social media, whose prerogative is to amplify the influence of top creators. They have collaborated with household names including Diplo, Skrillex, Atlantic Records, and W Hotels.

Between flying her social media handle over the grandstands of the Kentucky Derby, her humble Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pageantry beginnings, and becoming nothing short of a recognizable force, it’s no shock this stunner recently popped up at this year’s 2023 MTV Video Music Awards.

Steph Mi’s ease within and ability to think unconventionally is perhaps her sharpest weapon of choice. This balance of left and right brain, paired with her confident drive has led her to pull off several ingenious marketing stunts. Perhaps most noteworthy (so far), Mi launched her short-form video series, Golf With Mi. The series hails from Mi and her mother’s shared love of golf. The sport serves as a relationship bonding point for her and her mother. As an American of Korean descent myself, like Mi, I deeply acknowledge how difficult it can sometimes be to live in a multicultural family. Points of connection are always incredibly important. Steph also has dual insight into the golf community as both a casual hobby golfer and a competitive athlete having participated in the North American Golf Championships.

Just, don’t expect quiet golf claps and breathy commentary below 30dB. Golf With Mi is fresher, sassier, and female-centric. Her self-produced series is meant to inspire women in sports and prove there is also room for those who want to be involved but are feeling shy. Golf as of late remains a male-dominated sport. “77% of golfers are men and golf courses that allow women often restrict the days and times when women can play, or have separate holes for women.” – Forbes Magazine. However, if anyone can take a swing at these odds it’s Steph. Golf has all the components to be quite accessible and inclusive. Mi notes, not everyone can just go and play football tomorrow, but a lot of us can participate in a round of golf. Golf is a place where you talk, you can talk business while you play.

Though it’s hard to predict what’s exactly up her sleeve for tomorrow, there is no secret sauce to Mi’s success. Steph Mi has been navigating and working in the entertainment business since she started modeling at 14. By 18, she had competed in pageants as well and was steadily booking work. When social media started “becoming a thing” Mi caught on quickly that this was a super tool to display her portfolio and gain global visibility. Mi went against given advice, trusted her intuition, and posted what she thought would serve her. “Interviews, hosting, traveling the world… Anything you could freaking think of- I was doing it off of social media,” says Mi.

Mi to this day is unrelenting, often saying no to anyone trying to control the brand image she has created. Steph doesn’t believe women need to remain in specific archetypes and that the rest of the world should just get with the program. It’s always a gamble to be a visionary but in Mi’s case, it seems to be paying off. Her understanding of the entertainment world structure and successful use of creative marketing has us all asking what her “end goal” is. Clearly, a small empire has been culminated through her various and far-ranging efforts. When asked this question directly, Mi paused and I could practically see the gears turning behind her eyes, “I want to be me, I want to be who I am… and (be able to) do anything… be everywhere.”