Ever wonder why you don't see some of your favorite celebrities on screen or onstage anymore? Well, it might be because a lot of them have stepped back as entertainers since launching their own brands and companies. Believe it or not, a number of today's celebrities have made the bulk of their fortunes by being savvy businesspeople. That's right, a whole bunch of actors, musicians, and models are super successful entrepreneurs who used their fame to help them launch companies that are positively raking in the dough.
From fashion brands to booze companies, a number of celebrities have segued their fame into business success, and used their famous names to drum up interest in the consumer ventures that are making them seriously wealthy. Some celebrity-owned businesses you might be well-acquainted with — and have probably even patronized — while others on this list might be a bit surprising.
That's because there are celebrities who use their recognizable faces to grow their businesses, and there are others who choose to stay behind the scenes. One way or the other, quite a few major celebs have launched incredibly successful businesses that have taken their influence and incomes into the stratosphere. Here are some of the most successful celebrity entrepreneurs.
Jessica Simpson
Jessica Simpson never quite reached the success of her peers, Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera, in her singing career, but she was able to successfully transition into the role of business mogul years ago. She launched her fashion brand, the Jessica Simpson Collection — which is most well-known for its shoes — in 2005, and in less than two years, it was declared a billion-dollar company. These days, Jessica is worth about $200 million, far more than the average pop singer.
Jessica Alba
The Jessicas are really killing it in the business world. Jessica Alba, who is best known for movies such as Fantastic Four and Sin City, founded The Honest Co. in 2011, and has worked tirelessly to grow the natural baby care products business. In May 2021, Honest, which is now one of the most recognized brands in the industry, went public, and Jessica herself is currently worth about $200 million. Not too shabby for an actress who hasn't actually done all that much acting.
Rihanna
Oh, Rihanna. Little did we know when we first heard her Caribbean-tinged vocals when she released "Pon de Replay" in 2005 that the Barbadian beauty would one day be a legit beauty mogul. She hasn't released an album in half a decade, and that's because she's been busy becoming a billionaire with her brands Fenty Beauty and Savage x Fenty, her popular lingerie line.
Ye
No matter what anyone says, Ye, who used to be known as Kanye West, is a man on a mission. He's said many times that he's always been passionate about fashion and design, and in the end, his innovative looks for Yeezy are what made him a billionaire. He's currently worth $1.8 billion, making him the richest rapper in the world — but it's his multiyear deal with Adidas to design Yeezy sneakers that's his most lucrative business. Most of his kicks retail for between $200 and $300 a pair, but routinely sell for $400 and up on sites like StockX and GOAT.
Kylie Jenner
Reality TV star and influencer Kylie Jenner started selling lip kits in 2014, and within just a few years, she was so successful that she expanded her business to offer a full line of makeup and skin care products under the label Kylie Cosmetics. In 2019, she sold the bulk of the company to beauty mainstay Coty Inc., and made $540 million off the deal, putting her current net worth at about $620 million. And she's still raking in a significant portion of the revenues. That's saying a lot for someone who for many years held second rank to her older sisters.
Khloé Kardashian
Khloé Kardashian hasn't reached the upper echelon of wealth that her younger sister Kylie has, but her fashion company, Good American, which she launched in 2016 — selling just jeans at the time — is doing well. The company makes roughly $15 million a year. Not all of that goes to Khloé, but it's still her most significant source of income next to her reality TV gigs.
Kim Kardashian
Kim Kardashian, on the other hand, is now the richest of all the Kardashian-Jenners. She started it all, so that's no surprise, but what is a surprise is that in 2021, she officially reached billionaire status. That's thanks to her makeup brand, KKW Beauty (which is currently rebranding), and her apparel line, Skims, which focuses on shapewear, undergarments, and loungewear.
Kate Hudson
In 2013, actress Kate Hudson launched the activewear company Fabletics, using a subscription-based model, and it quickly became a success thanks to enticing incentives for new customers, high-quality fabrics, and the fact that the company drops brand-new designs every month. Kate is currently worth about $80 million, and that's in large part because Fabletics may be worth up to $5 billion. Rumor has it that Kate is hoping to take the company public soon.
Robert DeNiro
Hollywood legend Robert DeNiro is said to be worth about half a billion dollars, and yes, a lot of that comes from his work in the film industry. But years ago, he made a very smart move when he convinced Chef Nobu Matsuhisa to open a restaurant with him. Nobu New York opened in 1994, and now Nobu is one of the most well-known, high-end restaurant chains in the world, with more than 47 locations and more than a dozen hotels.
Ryan Reynolds
We've likely all seen actor Ryan Reynolds' cheeky Aviation Gin ads at this point, but what you might not know is that Ryan has built what's being called a "business empire." He sold Aviation to spirits manufacturer Diageo in 2020, and was said to have made a ton of money on the deal considering that the company was reportedly worth more than $600 million at the time. The year prior, Ryan purchased a low-cost cellphone company, Mint Mobile, which is reportedly doing quite well. Ryan's also an avid investor, so while movies and gin have made him most of his money, he's a savvy businessman all around.
Chrissy Teigen
Former model Chrissy Teigen is a foodie through and through, and once she was no longer interested in walking the runway, she fully embraced her passion for cuisine and launched her company, Cravings, which is where she's made a hefty portion of her fortune. Under her brand, she has produced multiple cookbooks, a cookware collection, a line of seasonings, and more. Although it's not clear how much Cravings is worth today, Chrissy herself has a net worth of about $75 million.
Jennifer Garner
Unless you follow Jennifer Garner on social media, you might not know that she has her own line of baby food. It's called Once Upon a Farm and offers organic cold-pressed baby food pouches that are sold in the refrigerator sections of stores like Target. Jen is worth about $80 million right now, and while a lot of that is from her work in Hollywood, she doesn't act all that much anymore, and Once Upon a Farm is surely a nice supplement to her income.
Dr. Dre
Once a prolific rapper, Dr. Dre's net worth is steadily approaching the billion-dollar mark. He launched Beats Electronics in 2006, and it became a subsidiary of Apple in 2014 for a hefty payout of $3 billion. The company is of course best known for its headphones, which ushered in the trend of wireless, over-the-ear headphones.
Bethenny Frankel
Skinnygirl alcohol bottles are still lining store shelves everywhere, more than a decade after reality TV star Bethenny Frankel launched the brand. In 2011, she sold the majority of the company, which produces low-calorie, ready-made cocktails, for a hefty sum (reportedly, $100 million). Thanks to that major windfall, Bethenny is now worth about $70 million.
George Clooney
Hollywood A-lister George Clooney launched his tequila brand, Casamigos, in 2014 to much acclaim. It's widely considered one of the best tequilas available in America, and that's exactly why he was able to sell it for $1 billion less than four years later. That sale, plus his work in Hollywood, has boosted his net worth to about $500 million. But George is still involved in the company and making money from it.
Gwyneth Paltrow
Gwyneth Paltrow's lifestyle brand, Goop, became her primary source of income years ago — she hardly acts at all anymore. Goop was launched as a website in 2008, and has since evolved into a company that's valued at about a quarter of a billion dollars, which has helped Gwyneth herself reach a net worth of about $75 million.
