Kendall Jenner admits to ‘making mistakes’ following ‘problematic’ tequila ad

Kendall Jenner spoke out about the challenges she faced in the initial days of launching her entrepreneurial journey two years ago.

The 27-year-old supermodel sat down with Forbes for their Under 30 Summit 2023 conference to reflect on her transition from a model to an entrepreneur with the launch of her tequila brand, 818, in 2021.

Jenner sparked backlash over accusations of cultural appropriation following a campaign shot in Mexico, where she had styled her hair into braids and featured a group of farmers distilling tequila.

“You face challenges, you make mistakes—knowing yourself and knowing how you handle things, and then moving accordingly, is super important,” she told the host during the conference.

“There's a learning curve to it all, but working with integrity and authenticity is always going to create positive results,” The Kardashians star explained.

She went on to list down the brand’s endeavors to become “socially conscious,” including making several donations to Mexico in different forms.

Elsewhere in the conference, the socialite dished on how her modeling career contrasts with her entrepreneurial journey, noting, “[In modeling], I was part of someone else’s vision, part of these amazing visionaries. I was their character and whoever they wanted me to be in that moment.”

“And so the shift into being a founder and owning my own business was a really cool way of getting to know myself again,” added Jenner.