Black creativity is the bedrock of American culture. To celebrate this legacy, Lexus and Complex partnered to create The New Guard: a three-part editorial series highlighting the new visionaries engineering a future we’ve yet to see—but will no doubt benefit from. For the second installment of The New Guard, we highlight J Mulan. Refusing to leave her hometown of H-Town for “greener” pastures, a la New York or Los Angeles, the 30-year-old entrepreneur nurtured the burgeoning talent already at her disposal and as a result, was able to launch her own agency. It’s that grit and resilience that make Lexus, a brand committed to excellence, proud to spotlight Jaleska “J Mulan” Holman, one of Houston’s finest.
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J Mulan understands better than most that no one is “self-made.” While industry standards in media and entertainment require a rigid approach to achieving the American Dream—one that hinges success on hyperindividualism under the pretext of pulling oneself up by the bootstraps —J Mulan has created an ecosystem where community and collaboration are king.
“It’s non-negotiable,” J Mulan says during a virtual interview. “My community is what created me. They raised me, showed up for me, and believed in me long before I truly believed in myself.”
J Mulan was shaped by a wealth of social diversity, moving between constantly changing schools and pursuing casting calls around the country. It wasn’t long before she recognized that her Texas hometown, “Bayou City,” already held a world of burgeoning Black genius waiting to spill into the mainstream.
What it lacked was the artistic engine and industry access it deserved. Her deliberate emphasis on connection and on celebrating her community soon became a full-time dedication to nurturing other creative entrepreneurs and cultural architects alongside her own journey.
That’s how the J Mulan Agency was born. The marketing and creative agency specializes in artistic management services, creative direction, and “culture-shifting” branded experiences.
“Growing up, most of my mentors were long-distance,” Mulan says. “ I’d never met them in person and had to fill in the gaps myself. So I knew how important it was to bring younger people into the fold while I was learning.”
J Mulan embodies the kind of resilience where excellence isn’t a challenge, but the starting point and the standard. Read up on the guiding principles behind J Mulan’s vision and how she uses them to engineer creativity in others.
Rule No. 1: Trust Your Own Timing
Be true to yourself, always. Don’t let instant-gratification culture rush you into doubt or imitation. Your timing is your timing.
“Everyone wants success right now,” J Mulan says. “And if it doesn’t happen immediately, people start to feel like they’ve failed. That’s when doubt creeps into your system. You can’t let that happen.”
In a world obsessed with instant gratification, believing in yourself and the work that you do is non-negotiable because it necessitates personal focus, discipline, and timing. Success isn’t linear, and rushing to imitate others only creates doubt and disconnection.
Your lane, your pace, your purpose.
Rule No. 2: Build and Tend to Your Village
Community isn’t a buzzword; it’s the blueprint. J Mulan credits every meaningful milestone to the people who raised her, believed in her, and showed up before there was anything to gain.
“Nobody is self-made. I honestly hate that term, because no one gets anywhere alone.”
Real relationships require care, consistency, and intention. Trends fade. Villages endure, okay?!
Rule No. 3: Keep It 100
Success without care isn’t success at all. J Mulan rejects transactional or ruthless ambition and any model of achievement that requires stepping on others.
“You can look at yourself in the mirror and be proud, knowing that you didn’t hurt people to get where you are.”
Mean what you say. Do what you commit to. Build in a way you can stand on.
Rule No. 4: Stay In Your Lane
Creative doesn’t have to mean chaos. Clarity comes from resisting comparison and committing fully to one thing at a time.
“Don’t look left and right, trying to copy what’s working for someone else. Creatives are often good at many things, but that doesn’t mean you should do everything at once. Focus, finish, then expand.”
Focus builds legacy.
Rule No. 5: Honor The Journey
The moments that feel the hardest often hold the most freedom. J Mulan sees waiting seasons not as delays, but as incubators for hunger, courage, and the kind of originality that can’t be manufactured.
“Those were some of my most powerful seasons. I had that dog in me. I was hungry. I had wild and creative liberation. So enjoy being underestimated. Enjoy being free enough to just be you.”
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J Mulan’s business strategy is simple: community over capital. Deep down, she knew if she took care of her people, they’d take care of her, and it proved true. With a delightful determination to become successful without sacrificing kindness, J Mulan embodies all the elevated standards that make her a businesswoman to be reckoned with, and she has the character and kindness to match.