Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennifer Torres
Hi Jennifer, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I started exploring entrepreneurship at the age of 16. My first business was a handmade customs business, which included keychains, lanyards, apparel, cups and more. My first “big step” in business as a high schooler (17 years old) was redesigning a new Senior class t-shirt that I ended up selling to more than half my graduating class of a little under 600 students. It went against the ASB design, so it was a big deal considering no one wanted the original class shirts and opted towards ordering one from me instead. I made around $5000 and that’s where my “business hustle” began. Shortly after graduating, I created an islander influenced Christian clothing brand that really paved the way for my understanding in being a small business owner. I also started my own business offering private piano lessons around San Diego, which really became my full time for a good couple of years. It wasn’t until 2020 that I started Hella Kulit, a Filipino car aesthetics and streetwear brand that was fueled on the nostalgia of a Filipino childhood. I originally started it for fun as a way to rediscover my Filipino roots. But after less than 6 months, the brand completely blew up and next thing I knew, I was doing event pop ups from small car meets and Filipino festivals up and down So Cal, to large car shows in Las Vegas. I worked my way up to moving out of my mom’s house and eventually getting a temporary commercial office space until my husband and I were able to get a small space of our own!
I remember someone getting excited to meet me and my sister when we just so happened to be at a Jollibee! It was probably the hardest thing to wrap my head around that someone was even excited to meet me – like a celebrity, I guess? We continued to learn how to make content on Instagram and Tiktok, which helped our popularity a ton. The product that really helped propel us forward was when I created the first Filipino tsurikawa. In Japanese car culture, tsurikawas are “subway handles” that kids would put on their cars, also known as “drift charms” or “Oh crap handles.” Haha. This went viral on Tiktok and Instagram and resulted in selling out of our first 100 prototypes in less than an hour. We have sold more than 3000 tsurikawas as of today.
My business wasn’t just a part of my life – it was my life. There was a point where I felt like I lost myself truthfully, causing me to take a step back around year 3 to re-center myself. Currently, I’m now at a stage where I have a healthier relationship with my businesses, allowing for a better balance of work and home life. I still teach piano and have continued to build that business, Hella Kulit is still alive and well, and I also get to spend more time serving at church, spending time with my husband, and finding ways to build my faith both through my business and life in general.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It wasn’t always a smooth road. As I mentioned, I definitely lost myself along the way. I got caught up trying to act and be someone I wasn’t in an attempt to keep new people and friends around me. I never grew up with a lot of friends, but I didn’t realize that the position that I had created for myself would cause people to want to be around me for their own benefit. It wasn’t something that I was used to and it took me a while to realize it. Once I did finally realize it, it really took a toll on my mental health. I didn’t like the new person I was becoming, but I didn’t know how to stop without feeling like everyone wouldn’t want to be friends with me anymore. I felt stuck. I was also mentally and emotionally drained from working late nights on my business, making time to socialize (I have a tiny social meter), all while dealing with family issues since my parents were always in chaos. It was always so hard to focus on just one thing.
Another struggle I faced was learning to not allow failure to discourage me. My first brand wasn’t the most profitable, but it taught me a lot. After my first big event, I hardly made $200 and I had invested a couple thousand. I remember my dad telling me to give away all of my apparel to the homeless and he would give me a few thousand to start again to create something “people would actually like.” It hurt my feelings so much to hear this and it felt like the biggest slap in the face. I never took my dad’s offer. Instead, I wanted to prove him wrong, which I eventually did with Hella Kulit. I now understand that my dad knew that comment would spark a fire under me, though it was pretty mean. But it was definitely one of the core memories that helped me to strive to build something better and not give up construction just because the first building blocks collapsed. I also learned to not take people’s opinions to heart, but to take everything that people say with a grain of salt.
I also struggled with going against the grain of work for my family. As immigrants from the Philippines, it was a big deal to my parents for me and my siblings to go to college and work some sort of high paying job. Education was a huge thing for my dad. Something he would frequently say was, “I’m working so hard so you guys can go to college and get a good job.” After I had forced myself through community college to get a general business degree, I was so tired of school and awkwardly told my parents I didn’t want to pursue a Bachelor’s Degree because I felt like it was a waste of time if I would never have to show my degree to anyone. This idea, of course, was met with disapproval. However, I convinced my dad to allow me to try to make my own money teaching piano and drop out of college. The agreement was that if I couldn’t make a stable income from teaching piano, I would have to go back to school. Let’s just say that I made sure I wouldn’t have to go back, and that’s how I ended up teaching piano full time for a good while, making very decent money.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Hella Kulit / Quest Music SD?
I am the owner and founder of both companies below.
Hella Kulit is a Filipino car aesthetics and streetwear brand based in San Diego, CA that caters to the Filipino car community and beyond. Our products are designed to give you a laugh while triggering the nostalgia and core memories of a Filipino childhood, even if that meant running from the flying tsinelas (slippers). The Tagalog word, “Makulit,” can be considered as “annoying, irritating, or pesky,” while still being said with endearment. Growing up, a lot of us Filipinos were used to our parents calling us “kulit.” I’m most proud of the fact that our brand is able to resonate with nearly all Filipinos of every background, regardless of where you were born or if you speak the native tongue. Though we’re considered a car brand, we still have something for the whole family. Our most notable items include animated Filipino style peeker decals, our signature Filipino Tsurikawa car handle, and our “Drive Safe, Anak” apparel. Also, a portion of every car air freshener we sell is donated every month to non-profit organizations that help in the fight against human trafficking locally and globally.
Quest Music SD is a mobile music academy that specializes in one-on-one, in-home music lessons throughout San Diego. Our instructors travel to your house weekly for lessons, and not only do we focus on proper learning and technique, but we highly value creating long term relationships and friendships with our students and clients. We believe music is not only a hobby, but an outlet for students of every age. We pride ourselves on the fact that our clients stay with us for years to come, and a lot of our students that come from other studios mention that our academy has rekindled their love for music because of our teaching styles and the atmospheres our instructors create for their students. I have had some of my students for 8 years now and it has been the biggest pleasure watching them grow through their musical journey, and through life itself.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
I read the Bible daily, which really helps set the tone for my days.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://hellakulit.com
- Instagram: @hellakulit
- Facebook: facebook.com/hellakulit facebook.com/questmusicsd
