Conversations with Kalani Lin

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kalani Lin.

Hi Kalani, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My name is Kalani Lin. I’m 23 years old and a creator, video editor, and entrepreneur based in Los Angeles.

But it hasn’t always been like this.

I grew up in the Bay Area and spent the first 18 years of my life pretty trapped in a bubble. The Bay Area’s school systems are notorious for their academic competitiveness and pipelines into computer engineering, tech, or medicine.

I was lucky enough not to have extremely strict parents, but it came as a double-edged sword. They gave me a lot of freedom to do what I wanted—but that also meant I had to push myself to figure out what I wanted to do.

I was an okay student, averaging A-‘s throughout high school and college. But there was something about it that never felt exciting. I always felt “average” at school. I often compared myself to the “smarter” kids and, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t do as well as them.

So there was always this curiosity— what was I good at?

I think it’s really important for anyone to figure out their strengths and weaknesses, and then double down on the strengths.

My parents have always told me I’ve loved money. Whether it was the red envelopes we got for Chinese New Year or some extra change I found in a vending machine, I’d always have the biggest smile on my face when I had some cash.

At an early age, I realized money gave me freedom— freedom to do what I wanted, whether it was to buy Lego’s at Target or grab boba tea during the week.

Anyways, when I was 13, I loved arcades— especially claw machines. My parents thought they were a scam, but once I won my first prize, they let me keep playing. I started winning hundreds of plushies that year.

Long story short, I realized these plushies had “market value.” Some were worth more than others, and I began reselling the prizes I won on eBay. That gave me money to play again. This is where I learned the basics of ecommerce—taking photos, listing items, negotiating, and shipping orders.

Then it was onto the next hustle.

When I got to high school, I got into fashion, basketball, and especially sneakers. During this time, “hypebeast” culture was huge. People were camping out for sneaker releases, and Kobe’s, Yeezy’s, and Jordans were going for thousands of dollars.

I wanted to expand my wardrobe and sneaker collection without using my parents’ money. So I started reselling.

I bought my first pair of Jordans in 2017 (Royal 1 Highs) for $170 and flipped them for $350 on eBay—minutes later. That’s when I had a realization: if I could do this at scale, I could make a lot of money.

This ended up being one of my most lucrative hustles. I learned how to get hundreds of pairs on release dates, moved into wholesaling, and even made long-term investments in certain SKUs. I continued this through high school and into college.

My whole life, I thought the path to success was to study hard, get into a good college, work a 9–5 for years, save up, and retire. But through these side hustles, I realized it’s possible to do something you love and make good money from it. That’s a simple principle I carry with me today.

Eventually, I got tired of sneakers and wanted a change. While going through college, I gave in to the pressure of getting a summer internship and worked at a notable firm. Unfortunately, I really disliked it. I felt like I lost my purpose. It was one of the lowest points of my life.

But it was also a wake-up call—and it pushed me to do what I really wanted to do, and pursue an itch that I’ve always wanted to satisfy: Make videos.

At that point, I had already posted a few TikToks and saw some success. After that internship, I doubled down.

I haven’t looked back since.

Today, I’m signed with a management company that helps me with brand deals. I work as a video editor for a YouTuber, create my own content, and operate as an agency— helping brands grow with short-form content.

The downside is that I usually work at least 12 hours a day, but it’s all for something I truly love.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Definitely not, everyday has new challenges but I love it.
I know the harder something is to do, the harder it is to copy.
A big struggle is putting hours and hours of work into something and not even knowing if it’ll pay off. Whether it’s a video, or learning new skills, I’ve learned to always keep my long term goal in mind

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I make videos, mainly short form content about tech & luxury products
I am a video editor
I help brands and companies grow through Meta & TikTok ads with short form content (ideation, scripting, finding creators)

What makes you happy?
I think I’m quite simple, good food, good people, and good work makes me happy.
I’m super grateful and fortunate to be surrounded by amazing friends and family, and have the freedom to work on projects I love to do

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.tiktok.com/@kalani.lin
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kalani.lin/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@kalanilin