By: Kaylon Coleman

Last Thursday, Feb. 19, I had both the privilege and the opportunity to conduct my second high-profile Q&A style interview, this time with CEO of Hypland, Jordan Bentley. The event, titled Passion to Paycheck: In Conversation with Jordan Bentley, was hosted by the Umoja Center for Pan African Student Excellence as part of their Black Liberation Month events and festivities.

Bentley is a Class of 2024 Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree and the visionary founder of Hypland, a global streetwear brand redefining the intersection of anime, gaming and fashion. What originally started out as a hustle in high school has since cultivated into a multimillion dollar business, spawning high-impact collaborations with iconic franchises such as Yu-Gi-Oh!, Hello Kitty, Naruto and One Piece. In 2024, Hypland opened its first flagship retail store in the heart of LA’s Little Tokyo. Bentley’s work has been featured in publications like Forbes, Complex, Hypebeast and more.

Before the actual Q&A started, I was able to converse with Bentley about various topics including relationships, gaming and, of course, anime. It was during this time when I realized just how down to earth Bentley truly is. If there’s one thing I want to highlight from our interactions, it’s Bentley’s character. Throughout the entirety of Bentley’s visit, he took the time to ask the name of every person he encountered, and truly seemed to care about the conversations at play. 

After some thoughtful conversation and riveting chess matches between my co-facilitator Stanley Checa-Valdez and Bentley, it was time to set up for the event. It was then that I started to feel the weight of the assembly start to build. Seeing flocks of people shuffle in, secure their complementary goodie bags graciously provided by Bentley and reserve their seats, it felt like the spotlight was pointed at me. I’m generally good about public speaking, but this felt real, like an actual spectacle. However, the combination of meeting Bentley beforehand, plus the crowd starting to fill with those I love made my nerves dissolve almost entirely.

After introductions were made, the panel was on its way. The Q&A consisted of 12 questions split between me and my co-facilitator in which we asked Bentley a variety of questions spanning from his apprenticeship under Virgil Abloh, to his time on Sweet Life: Los Angeles to how hustling chips in high school equipped him with the practices he’d then go on to utilize running a multimillion dollar business.

Bentley provided thoughtful and insightful pieces of advice that anyone — not just business students — could walk away with. One key takeaway was to try, try, try. The best way to figure out your passion is to try everything. If it doesn’t work out, hey, at least you tried. Failure isn’t definitive. Instead it’s a tool. It’s a building block that either takes you one step closer to your goals or helps align you with what your goals truly are.

Another key takeaway from the panel was to build relationships. Bentley reflected on how the biggest thing he took from college was the relationships he built and the different perspectives he gained therefrom. He challenged students to leave their comfort zones and to seek connections outside of their circle. As a journalism student this heavily resonated with me as it’s cemented into us that networking is half the battle of the college experience. 

This advice transcended just personal relationships as well. Bentley mirrored the “closed mouths don’t get fed” sentiment when the panel transitioned to Q&A from the audience and a member inquired about a potential internship opportunity. Bentley respected the hustle, saying opportunities go to those who ask and promised to connect after the event.

To close out the night, Bentley along with all of the Umoja Center Staff went out to dinner in Eureka and we were able to talk a little more afterwards, with him stating that if we ever need anything his line is always open and to feel free to reach out anytime. 

Kaylon Coleman is a senior journalism major with a concentration in news and a minor in communications. He is the life and arts editor for LJ, Marketing and Communications lead for the Umoja Center and a part-time radio DJ and merch manager for KRFH. If you have a topic you want him to discuss, email him at kc403@humboldt.edu.