In two weeks, What Cheer‘s John Henry Müller, the Omaha designer behind the grassroots campaign “I live in Omaha,” will jump in a moving truck with his family and head west to San Francisco. After living in the Midwest their entire lives, Müller said today on his website that it’s now time for he and his wife to “explore and gain new perspectives.”
The announcement comes four months after Müller and his team at What Cheer decided to close down their consulting business and team up with Bay Area startup Pack, an About.Me for dogs. Müller will join the startup’s founder, Megan Casey, in the company’s California office, but What Cheer’s Alex Gates and John Hobbs will remain in Omaha. At month’s end, What Cheer will also vacate its spot in The Mastercraft—they were the building’s first tenant in 2010.
“Leaving Omaha was a difficult decision,” said Müller, who’s been a part of the Omaha startup community before it came together for its first BarCamp in 2008. His post today reflects on that event and others, noting that watching the progress achieved by Omaha since he started his company six years ago has been “incredible.”
“Now is the right time for me both personally and professionally to see some new things and meet some new people,” he said. “San Francisco is our next stop, but it won’t be our last.”
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In what appears to be an ode to his 2009 creation “I live in Omaha,” Müller stylized his announcement (below) with the same color and font of his popular grassroots campaign.
“Omaha’s brightest days are in front of it. I am excited to cheer it on from the sidelines,” he said.
Although Müller’s website doesn’t have the ability to comment, his 10:30 a.m. tweet carrying the news has more than a dozen replies.
Hey everyone! I’m moving to California! johnhenrymuller.com
— John Henry Müller (@johnhenrymuller) March 18, 2013
Farewell party Sunday
Müller’s brother and sister-in-law, Daniel and Lauren Muller, are hosting a “Hello & Goodbye” open house from 7-10 p.m. on Sunday at The Mullers photography studio in Benson (6066 Maple Street). “Anyone who wants to drop by” is welcome to attend, Müller said in an email today.
Müller’s announcement
Note: Since 2009, Silicon Prairie News has teamed up with Müller and What Cheer to bring an extra element to Big Omaha, such as their SPDO game in 2011. They’ll be involved again this year.
Credits: Photo from John Henry Müller on Facebook. Screenshot from johnhenrymuller.com.
