Kim Kardashian has had a career spanning multiple industries. Now, she's worth over $1 billion, according to Forbes calculations.
Getty/Dimitrios Kambouris
Kim Kardashian's net worth is reportedly $1.2 billion as of July 2023, according to Forbes.
She's in talks to buy back a minority stake in her beauty company, the Wall Street Journal reported.
From founding beauty companies, to clothing lines, to her own private equity firm, here's a look at the career of Kim Kardashian.
Kim Kardashian is worth more than $1 billion, according to Forbes as of July 2023. She wasn't always at the helm of a billion-dollar business empire, though. Kim Kardashian in 2022.
Araya Doheny/Getty Images
She launched brands including Skims and SKKN along with monetizing a massive social media following and catapulting into one of her generation’s most notable names. Kim Kardashian says she might be more "covered up" in Skims campaigns as she gets older.
Kevin Mazur/Getty Images
But Kardashian's fame predates her own business endeavors Defense attorney for O.J. Simpson, Robert Kardashian sits in a court in Los Angeles Friday, June 9, 1995.
AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian, Pool
Her family's first moments in the spotlight were when the patriarch of the family, Robert Kardashian Sr., was in the public eye as O.J. Simpson's lawyer.
Kim Kardashian's first solo appearance in the world of entertainment came as a stylist for singer and actress Brandy Norwood in 2004. Brandy Norwood
AP
Source: Cosmopolitan, People
Her skills as a stylist also landed her a spot on TV's "The Simple Life" with Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie from 2003 to 2006. Kim Kardashian and Paris Hilton
Stephen Shugerman/Getty Images
Source: IMDb
Kim told Variety that her career as a businesswoman actually dates back to before she appeared on TV Kim Kardashian West has 114 million Instagram followers.
David Livingston/GettyImages
She said it started in high school when she was working at a boutique and in her dad's office. She said she discovered eBay while she was working at Robert Sr.'s office and loved shopping.
Source: Variety, Biography
Robert Sr. reportedly told her she could buy five pairs of Manolo Blahnik shoes as long as she paid him back plus interest
Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images for The Girls' Lounge
Source: Variety
The shoes were $700 heels in a style worn by Jennifer Lopez in one of her early music videos.
REUTERS/Brendan McDermid
"Everyone had to have them," Kim told Variety.
Source: Variety
She told Variety that she saw the opportunity to make money and capitalized on it
Ethan Miller/Getty Images
Kim said she called up a store, bought five pairs of the Manolos for $700 each, and resold them on eBay for $2,500.
She said she became so "obsessed" with the return that she began to sell off her own clothes that she no longer wore.
Source: Variety
In 2006, Kim and her sisters, Kourtney and Khloe, opened their first DASH store in their hometown of Calabasas, California
Chris Polk/Contributor/Getty Images
The concept behind the store — a sort of consignment shop — was pretty similar to Kim's love for reselling.
Source: Variety
In the following decade they opened more locations, including one in Miami and one in the Soho neighborhood of New York City DASH Miami opened in May of 2009.
Gustavo Caballero/Contributor/Getty Images
Kim announced they'd be shutting DASH doors in April 2018 as the sisters continue to work on their own brands and families.
Source: Fashionista
Kim said her original idea for the reality show, "Keeping Up with the Kardashians," was to bring attention to the DASH brand
Bauer-Griffin/Contributor/Getty Images
Source: Variety
"I was thinking, this might not last very long, but we'll grow a great business and expand online," she told Variety
Ray Tamarra/Contributor/Getty Images
"I thought it would be great press. I didn't think it would turn into what it turned into."
And it turned into something huge
Philip Ramey Photography, LLC/Contributor/Getty Images
In 2018, Complex ranked "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" one of the best reality TV shows of all time, behind only MTV's "The Real World."
Source: Variety, Complex
Shortly before the first episode of the family's reality show, "Keeping Up With the Kardashians," aired in October 2007, Kim became the center of a scandal that some say catapulted her career
E! via UniversalPlaybackTV/YouTube
Source: IMDb, The Hollywood Reporter, Biography
In February 2007, a sex tape with Kim and Ray J — Brandy Norwood's brother whom Kim dated from 2003 to 2006 — surfaced and made its way into the news
Patrick McMullan/Contributor/Getty Images
Kim sued the entertainment company distributing the tape at the time.
Source: Cosmopolitan, BET, TMZ
She reportedly settled the case for $5 million
E!
Source: NBC2
While the tape wasn't technically part of her career path, she did tell Oprah she's "not naive to the fact" that it helped launch her into fame
Neilson Barnard/Getty Images
Source: Oprah's Next Chapter
"I think that's how I was definitely introduced to the world," she said
Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images
Source: Oprah's Next Chapter
At the end of 2007, Kim posed for Playboy, and the shoot was captured on the first season of "Keeping Up With The Kardashians"
Rob Loud/Contributor/Getty Images
She said she was so nervous that she had to sit down with the magazine's founder and then-editor-in-chief, Hugh Hefner, who she credited with helping convince her to pose.
Source: People
In 2008, E! gave fans of the reality show a second season
"Keeping up with the Kardashians"/E! via IMDb
Source: IMDb
In 2009, Kim released a three-DVD workout plan called "Fit in Your Jeans by Friday"
Fitinyour Jeans/YouTube
Source: "Fit in Your Jeans by Friday", IMDb
In a promotional video, she calls it "so high-fashion and so stylized, it's very me"
Fitinyout Jeans/YouTube
Most of the outfits have an "'80s, futuristic" look, as described by Kim herself.
Source: "Fit in Your Jeans by Friday"
She said she developed it because people were continually asking her how she kept her curves in shape
"Fit in Your Jeans By Friday"/Kim Kardashian
She said that while working with a few trainers, she found a routine that worked for her, and built the videos around the method.
Source: "Fit in Your Jeans by Friday"
The DVDs are split up by physical focus — there's "Ultimate Butt Body Sculpt," "Amazing Abs Body Sculpt," and "Butt Blasting Cardio Step
Fitinyour Jeans/YouTube
She said they were inspired by her love for doing workout videos with her sisters in their teenage years.
Source: "Fit in Your Jeans by Friday"
In 2009, Kardashian co-founded a fashion subscription service called ShoeDazzle
Gustavo Caballero / Contributor/Getty Images
It provided members with a curated selection of accessories and shoes for around $40 a month.
By 2012 the service had acquired 10 million members and expanded into women's clothing, too, according to TechCrunch.
In 2013, the service merged with one of its biggest competitors, rival fashion subscription service JustFab.
The opening of DASH Miami in 2009 brought about a new reality spinoff: "Kourtney and Kim Take Miami"
"Kourtney and Kim Take Miami"/E!
Source: IMDb
The series lasted for three seasons — but Khloe headlined season two instead of Kim, although Kim did appear in the season
"Kourtney and Khloe Take Miami"/E!
Source: IMDb
Also in 2009, Kim appeared in "Deep in the Valley
"Deep in the Valley"/Persistent Entertainment
The romantic comedy had a 26% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It was produced by Persistent Entertainment.
Source: Rotten Tomatoes
Kardashian Glamour Tan was released onto the beauty market in April 2010
Amazon
It's a self-tanning gel created by the three sisters and was — at the time — exclusive to Sephora and cost $34. In 2019, there was a tube going for $79 on Amazon.
Source: Cosmopolitan, Glamour, Amazon
Six months later, Kim made her debut in the perfume world with her eponymous scent
LighthouseBeauty1/YouTube
Source: Cosmopolitan
In 2011, reality TV viewers got to watch what happened as Kourtney and Kim opened their third DASH retail store in Manhattan's SoHo neighborhood
E! Entertainment/YouTube
Source: IMDb
At the time, Kim was newly married to NBA player, Kris Humphries
Jason Merritt/Getty Images
The pair lived in a suite at the Gansevoort Hotel with Kourtney, her then-boyfriend Scott Disick, and their son Mason Disick.
Source: Cosmopolitan
Their wedding was broadcast into the homes of people all over the US as "Kim's Fairytale Wedding: A Kardashian Event"
The event reportedly brought in $18 million in licensing fees, endorsement deals, and broadcast deals for Kim.
Source: NBC2
But 72 days later they were divorced
laptoptabletspc.blogspot.com
Source: NBC2
Kim debuted a music video at the TAO nightclub New Years party in 2011 for her song "Jam (Turn it Up)"
Synthpop/YouTube
It was commercially released in March of that year.
A New York Daily News headline following the song debut called Kim "the worst singer in the reality TV universe."
Source: Cosmopolitan, Billboard, New York Daily News
A portion of the proceeds reportedly went to St Judes Children's Research Hospital
Ethan Miller/Getty
Source: Cosmopolitan, Billboard
She told Andy Cohen she gave herself a hard time about the decision to do a music video for a long time
"Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen"/Bravo TV/YouTube
"I can't believe I did that," she said. But, she had fun.
Source: "Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen"
In 2011, she launched a jewelry collection called Belle Noel for the department store Bloomingdale's
George Pimentel / Contributor/Getty Images
The line of costume jewelry never took off with customers and fizzled out.
In 2011, the sisters released a clothing line with retailer Sears aptly dubbed Kardashian Kollection.
Jason Merritt/TERM/Staff/Getty Images
Source: Cosmopolitan
They came under fire with the line when they were accused of working with abusive employers to make their clothes.
Stuart C. Wilson/Stringer/Getty Images
Source: StyleCaster
And in 2013, the brand was said to be "flopping big-time"
Sears dropped prices on items to less than $10. It officially folded in 2015.
Source: StyleCaster
But of course, that wasn't the only thing Kim had going on at the time
Amazon
In April 2011 she launched Gold, her second fragrance.
Source: Cosmopolitan, Amazon
And her third fragrance, "Kim Kardashian Love," was released for her wedding to Kris Humphries in 2011
E! Entertainment/YouTube
Source: Cosmopolitan
There were only 979 bottles sold — 1,000 were made, but 20 were reserved for her bridal party and one for herself on her wedding day
E! Entertainment/YouTube
Source: Cosmopolitan
In the summer of 2012 Kim launched her fourth fragrance, "True Reflection"
Amazon
Source: Cosmopolitan
The launch party in Hollywood benefitted Dress for Success, a charity organization
LighthouseBeauty1/YouTube
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
In November 2012, Kim and her sisters launched Khroma Beauty — a full range of cosmetics products The upcoming Khrome (with a "K") Beauty line.
Screenshot via Khrome Beauty
Source: Teen Vogue, Cosmopolitan
The name was changed to Kardashian Beauty after another established makeup company called Kroma Beauty took the sisters and their lawyers to court Kim Kardashian and friends pose in the lobby during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Fall 2007 February 6, 2007 in New York City
Katy Winn/Getty Images
This came after Khroma was threatened with a different lawsuit from LA-based company Chroma Beauty.
Source: Teen Vogue
The line didn't last, and a former employee of the family said the real problem was likely the lack of involvement
Jamie McCarthy/Staff/Getty Images
While Kim and Kylie are now heavily involved in their beauty brands, Khroma was a licensing deal.
Source: Fashionista, Teen Vogue
In 2014, Kim released her iPhone and Android game "Kim Kardashian: Hollywood"
Glu Mobile
Source: Cosmopolitan
Just in the first five days, the game reportedly grossed $1.6 million
Kim Kardashian: Hollywood/Screenshot
Source: The New York Times, Business Insider
As of August 2018, the game was bringing in around $8 million in a quarter for the Glu Mobile company
Kim Kardashian: Hollywood
Source: Variety
Kim was on the cover of Paper Magazine in November 2014
Paper Magazine
She posed naked for a cover story called "Break the Internet: Kim Kardashian."
While the story didn't literally break the Internet, Kim did end up winning the first ever Webby award named after the achievement: The Break The Internet Award.
Source: Paper Magazine, Merriam Webster, The Webby Awards
In 2015 Kim published "Selfish" — a small coffee table book filled with 448 pages of selfies she had taken between 2006 and 2014
Michael Loccisano/Getty Images
Source: Cosmopolitan, The Atlantic
The book landed on the New York Times Bestseller list
Amanda Edwards/Contributor/Getty Images
Source: Cosmopolitan, Rizzoli
The launch of Kimojis for iOS in December 2015 was huge for Apple's App Store
App Store
She reportedly told Rolling Stone that she'd only work with Kanye-approved graphic designers to develop the emoji.
Source: Cosmopolitan, Grazia
On the day of the launch, Apple's App Store reportedly crashed
AP
Kim tweeted, "Apple, I'm so sorry I broke your App Store!!!"
Source: Grazia, Kim Kardashian West Twitter
In May of that year, Kim tweeted about her new children's clothing line with then-husband Kanye West called TheKidsSupply
Getty
She wrote, "For the past few years Kanye and I have made almost all of our kids clothes and we have collaborated on a new kids line!"
Source: Twitter, Vogue
The entire first collection was reportedly inspired by Calabasas and included dresses, chokers, hats, sweatpants, and more
Kids Supply/Instagram
Later seasons included itty-bitty Yeezys, the luxury lifestyle sneakers developed by Kanye West and Adidas.
Source: Vogue, Quartz, HighSnobiety
Also in 2015, Kim made $500,000 for one sponsored Instagram post about a morning sickness pill
Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images
Source: INSIDER, STAT
Kim got back into the beauty business with KKW Beauty in 2017
kimkardashian/Instagram
The first product: a $48 contour kit that sold out in minutes and racked up more than $13 million in sales.
Source: Fashionista
She went on to produce more products for the line, including a fragrance that made $10 million in one day
Presley Ann/Getty Images
Source: TMZ
Her minimalist approach to the marketing process worked in her favor
KKW Beauty
She didn't spend money on traditional advertising — instead, she turned to her devoted social media following. And it worked.
Source: Fashionista
People bought her perfume without even smelling it first
Kim Kardashian West/Instagram
Source: Fashionista, TMZ
Kim also employed similar marketing tactics when she launched her shapewear line, SKIMS Solutionwear, in 2019
Skims/YouTube
Source: Insider
The line was originally called Kimono
SKIMS/YouTube
The name generated backlash as some audiences said it disrespected Japanese culture.
Kim changed it to SKIMS around two months after the initial product announcement.
Source: Insider
In January 2020, Kim announced that the line will be sold at Nordstrom beginning in February
Scott Olson/Getty Images
The department store is the first traditional retail outlet to sell SKIMS.
Source: Insider
For the past few years, Kim has also been speaking at and even headlining conferences
Vivien Killilea/Getty Images
She was at Glamour's Women of the Year Summit, Create & Cultivate, the #BlogHer16 Conference, Re/Code, and more.
Source: Forbes, WWD, TechCrunch
She's had a hand in a wide variety of businesses and continues to build out her brands — both personal and professional
Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images
Although the line between the two is a bit smudged.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter, TechCrunch
In 2019, Kardashian announced that she had been studying up for the 2022 bar exam
Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images
"It's never too late to follow your dreams," she wrote on Instagram.
Source: INSIDER
Kardashian told Vogue that she was inspired to study law after she helped Alice Marie Johnson get released from prison in 2018. Kim Kardashian and Alice Marie Johnson.
NBC
Source: INSIDER, Vogue
Kardashian publicly championed Johnson's case and met with President Donald Trump in 2018 to seek clemency for Johnson Kim Kardashian West leaves the West Wing after meetings at the White House in 2018.
Carlos Barria/Reuters
Johnson was then a 63-year-old grandmother who was serving a life sentence for non-violent drug offenses.
Prison reform has been a cause that Kardashian continues to champion
Michael Cohen/Stringer/Getty Images
She even said that she'll sometimes take on sponsored Instagram posts — ones that she wouldn't have otherwise considered — in order to fund her efforts.
Source: CNBC
At The New York Times DealBook conference she commented more on her philosophy on paid posts
Michael Cohen/Stringer/Getty Images
She said if a paid post opportunity comes her way, even one that's "off-brand," she thinks: "'O.K., well this can fund x amount of people behind bars, that can help free them with simple legal fees that they just can't afford ...'"
Source: CNBC
Kardashian reportedly apprenticed at a San Francisco law firm
POOL / Getty
Robert Shapiro — a lawyer who worked with Kim's father on the O.J. Simpson murder trials — told TMZ that he thinks Kim has skills that will help her as a lawyer, and that she'll have a job offer from his firm if she passes the bar.
Source: Insider
In 2021, Kim announced that she passed the "baby bar" exam on Instagram
"I failed this exam 3 times in 2 years, but I got back up each time and studied harder and tried again until I did it!!!" she wrote.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Kim Kardashian (@kimkardashian)
In 2022, Kardashian announced Skky Partners Kim Kardashian's Skims campaign includes two "The White Lotus" actresses.
Jordan Strauss/Associated Press
She said the private equity fund that would focus on investments in consumer and media companies along with the hospitality, luxury and digital and e-commerce sectors.
Kardashian co-founded the firm with Jay Sammons, a former partner at Carlyle Group, who previously invested in popular brands like Beats By Dre and streetwear company Supreme.
Now, it appears that Kardashian is in talks to buy back a minority stake in her beauty brand Kim Kardashian launched SKKN by KIM in June 2022
Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images
She would buy back part of the brand, which has since rebranded in SKKN by Kim, from Coty, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Source: The Wall Street Journal
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By: [email protected] (Rachel Askinasi,Lakshmi Varanasi) Title: How Kim Kardashian built her business empire. She's now worth more than $1 billion. Sourced From: www.businessinsider.com/photos-kim-kardashian-west-career-evolution-2019-2 Published Date: Wed, 12 Jul 2023 21:38:59 +0000
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