We’re looking forward to introducing you to Kyle Arana. Check out our conversation below.
Good morning Kyle, we’re so happy to have you here with us and we’d love to explore your story and how you think about life and legacy and so much more. So let’s start with a question we often ask: What do you think is misunderstood about your business?
The most misunderstood thing about my business is the assumption that I’m just creating and selling hats, that it’s easy because there’s one style and I just change up the designs. In reality, it’s anything but simple. Manufacturing is a detailed and unpredictable process with endless moving parts, and there are always challenges. Some batches come in perfect, while others arrive with major issues that have to be fixed before anything goes out.
What people don’t always see is the amount of time, patience, and care it takes to bring a product to life and keep the quality consistent. Early on, a lot of people encouraged me to take on investors and scale quickly, but that never felt right to me. I wanted to grow Soulbyrd in a real, organic way that stayed true to my vision and protected the integrity of the brand. That decision has paid off. I’ve built a loyal clientele with little to no returns, which, to me, says more than any sales number ever could.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Soulbyrd is a feel-good accessories brand built around creativity, connection, and self-expression. What started a few years before the Palisades fires has evolved into something that carries a lot of meaning for me — a brand that I rebuilt with even more heart, purpose, and joy after starting over.
Soulbyrd is known for its clean, elevated trucker hats with a playful twist — designs that mix humor, confidence, and a colorful spirit. I’ve always wanted it to feel effortless yet full of personality, something that connects with people who appreciate authenticity and uplifting designs that make you smile.
What makes it special to me is how personal it is. Every part of it was built from scratch, from sourcing and quality control to packaging and photography, and it’s grown completely organically, one customer at a time. Right now, I’m expanding the collection and relaunching Soulbyrd with that same creative, good-energy vibe that’s always been at the heart of the brand.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: What was your earliest memory of feeling powerful?
My earliest memory of feeling powerful was when I was sent away at sixteen from my home in Santa Barbara, California, to an all-girls boarding school in a small town in Utah. My parents wanted to pull me away from the Montecito party scene that was so tempting for kids back then. At the time, it felt like my whole world was being turned upside down, but instead of resenting them, I started to see it through their eyes.
I realized I had a choice, to turn that experience into a victim story or to use it as a source of strength. I chose strength. By letting go of any grudge and focusing on what that experience gave me, I found a kind of clarity and gratitude that ended up being really powerful. Life gives us constant chances to decide how we see things, and that choice can completely shape the direction we go. For me, that moment was the first time I understood what it meant to take something difficult and turn it into fuel.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Yes, there have definitely been times in business when I was faced with challenges that made me question how I would keep going. One of the first was after I had been building excitement on social media for the arrival of my very first drop. I had announced the date, launched the collection, and was so proud to finally share it, and then the hats arrived completely misshaped because of how they had been shipped. I can’t describe the panic that came over me in that moment.
Luckily, I found a way to reshape them, and with a lot of hard work and help from a few people I hired, we worked through more than 1,200 hats and resolved the issue. That experience taught me a lot about problem-solving, patience, and resilience.
Then came the Palisades fires. I lost my home, my community, and my entire business inventory, more than 2,000 hats that I believed were covered under my homeowner’s insurance, but unfortunately, they weren’t. I felt completely deflated, living out of a hotel room for over a month and a half, filling out endless insurance paperwork, trying to prove every item that had been in my home, which became a full-time job. On top of that, I was faced with the overwhelming reality of figuring out how to rebuild Soulbyrd, where to store inventory, what to do about a fulfillment center, and whether I could even start over. It was emotionally exhausting. But instead of giving up, I made the choice to move forward. Rebuilding Soulbyrd became part of rebuilding my life, and that’s when I realized that giving up was never really an option for me.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What do you believe is true but cannot prove?
What I believe is true but can’t prove is that there’s something much bigger guiding us, a kind of unseen rhythm that connects everything. I’ve always had a strong intuition, an inner knowing that seems to sense things before they unfold. I notice patterns and synchronicities that feel far too aligned to be random, and I’ve learned to trust them.
After the fires, when it felt almost impossible to find a new home due to the high demand from relocating families, I ended up discovering this small, light-filled house tucked away at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac in Beverly Hills. The street had a name connected to angels, and every time I typed it into my phone, an angel emoji would appear. It felt like a little wink from the universe. The house had everything I’d been hoping for, right down to a long yard for my dog to run and play. I truly felt guided there.
It’s one of many moments in my life where I’ve felt that presence, those gentle reminders that something bigger is helping to align the pieces. You can’t prove it, but once you start seeing life that way, it’s hard not to believe that we’re being guided more than we realize.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. When do you feel most at peace?
I think peace is a state of mind, and it really depends on what I’m craving at the time. Sometimes I feel most at peace being with my kids and having my dog, Truffles, on my lap, enjoying those easy, chill moments. Other times it’s being out with close friends, having a great dinner, laughing, and just soaking in all that good energy. And there are times when I find peace in movement, boxing, walking, or doing something that feels good for my body and clears my head. For me, peace isn’t one specific thing, it’s about being fully engaged in whatever space I’m in.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.soulbyrdla.com
- Instagram: @soulbyrdla
- Facebook: soulbyrdla
- Other: TIK TOK: @soulbyrdla
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