Years ago, Academy senior Quinn Jones trusted his gut and took a gap year rather than enter an electrical engineering program as a freshman. Since then, Jones followed his intuition to the Academy and then to launch a badass accessories company with his partner (and fellow IYA senior), Ysabella Delgado. For Jones, success follows the heart. Read on...

Tell me a little bit about your journey to the Academy?

I was committed to UC Berkeley for Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, and a couple weeks before move-in, I got an overwhelming feeling that it wasn’t right. I decided to withdraw and take a gap year. During that gap year I heard about the Academy, and it seemed like the right place to be!

What piece of advice have you implemented in your day to day life?

Just because something is done a certain way traditionally, it doesn’t mean that it’s the right way for you. I struggle with ADHD and anxiety, and I always felt like an outsider when popular solutions/advice just didn’t click at all with me. Treat yourself to taking the time to explore what works best for you and make a path for yourself that fits into the way you need to live.

Do you have a role model? Why do you look up to them?

My parents! They have had so many different careers and owned and excelled at each one. They’re now running their own music-tech business and absolutely killing it. They showed me that there’s a million different ways to find success in the world.

Describe one thing most people don’t know about you?

I really love playing music, I was raised by two musicians and it has always been a huge part of my life, but a lot of people don’t know that because I don’t really pursue it in an academic setting, but I collect and play a lots of instruments and it’s my go-to stress reliever.

What’s one thing your parents taught you that you’d like to share?

How important it is to listen to your heart.

What is the biggest risk you have taken, and was the result what you wished for?

Probably starting my business Kikay with my girlfriend Bella who’s also in my cohort at IYA. A lot of people warned us of intermingling our lives so much and starting a business while being full-time students, which is honestly advice I just ignored. In hindsight I see how it could have gone badly, but it has just always worked from the beginning. Now, over two years later, we’re still working our dream jobs and have built an amazing life for ourselves. 

What would you say is your defining achievement thus far?

Kikay. It has grown so much in the last two and a bit years, but I have always been so incredibly proud of what Bella and I created, even when we were starting out with just a handful of products and customers. Now we have created an incredibly friendly, badass and diverse community that I really believe is a positive force in the world.

If you believe in an idea you have don’t let others’ opinions affect it, just go for it. 

How have you evolved over the past four years?

I grew out my hair and now it’s past my shoulders! In all seriousness though I learned to stop doing things because other people do them or because there is a status quo placing an expectation on you. I’m at a point in my life where I do what makes me happy, and no one can say otherwise. Also, I used to think I was really allergic to cats but I adopted a cat named Jax last year and he is the love of my life. 

As long as it keeps making me happy I want to keep working on my business. I have no plans on doing anything else, and so far it’s worked out!

My girlfriend and business partner Bella. She is an infinite source of creative energy and gets things done. She is also a huge mental health advocate and is the main reason that I started to look more into what was going on in my own head, something that I am extremely thankful for. 

EALC150: Global Chinese Cinema. It’s a GE but you get to watch so many amazing films in it and learn about a world that you don’t really get taught about in American school. In general I think exposure to a different perspective on history and culture is indispensable. 

Holbox, it’s like 2 blocks away from USC, cheap, and incredible. Get the Baja fish tacos.

If you had to get a tattoo what would you get and why?

I have a couple tattoos, but the next one I get will most likely be a botanical on my left tricep. 

Years ago, Academy senior Quinn Jones trusted his gut and took a gap year rather than enter the electrical engineering and computer science program. Since then, the accessories entrepreneur’s risk has paid off!

Senior Spotlight: Quinn Jones

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