20 celebrities who have made bank as business owners

Rihanna’s made bank through her music and multiple fashion lines, such as Fenty. By far, her most lucrative venture has been Fenty Beauty. The singer’s eponymous beauty brand, which is known for its inclusive shade range for face products, turned RiRi into a billionaire. 

While most people see Jay-Z first as a musician, he might see himself first as a businessman. He’s had his hand in multiple worthwhile ventures throughout the years, including having a minority stake in the Brooklyn Nets and investing in JetSmart. The billionaire famously founded the record company Roc Nation and purchased the music streaming service Tidal. 

There’s tons of money to be made in the beauty industry, especially when you already have a large platform to promote it. Ask Selena Gomez, founder and owner of Rare Beauty. The cosmetics brand is currently estimated to be worth over $2 billion, and it only started selling products in 2020. 

Ryan Reynolds might be a marketing genius. The famed comedic actor has a creative hand in most businesses he invests in, like Mint Mobile and Aviation Gin, and it’s paid off big time for him. Reynolds is also a co-owner of Wrexham A.F.C., and his efforts have resulted in major publicity for the club. 

People might still think Kim Kardashian has no talent, but she clearly has perseverance. The mogul has owned many businesses throughout her career, and she kept at it until she found the one that made her a billionaire: Skims. 

Before Kim Kardashian became a billionaire, her little sister Kylie Jenner reached the milestone. Though she’s since lost the esteemed status, Jenner still has plenty of cash in her accounts, and it’s all thanks to Kylie Cosmetics, her eponymous beauty empire that all started with the famous Kylie Lip Kits. 

Though he’s no longer a billionaire, Kanye West did make loads of cash from his bygone stake in his Adidas deal. West also has a minority stake in his ex-wife Kim Kardashian’s business, Skims, and he still owns his fashion brand, Yeezy. 

Diddy has been in the celebrity entrepreneur game for years. The rapper owns Combs Enterprises, and under it are companies like Combs Spirits, which houses Ciroc and DeLeon Tequila — though he has since been dropped by Diageo due to recent troubling allegations — Bad Boy Entertainment and Sean John. 

Dr. Dre has the Midas touch. The rapper and record producer has proved that he doesn’t just know how to turn a hit record, but he can also make bank in business. Dre co-founded Death Row Records, and he founded Aftermath Entertainment and Beats Electronics. 

LeBron James is one of the few athletes who has reportedly crossed over to billionaire status. The NBA’s all-time highest scorer, James has a hefty business portfolio. James owns several businesses without much name recognition, and he has a stake in businesses that almost everyone has heard of, including Blaze Pizza and the Boston Red Sox. 

Before LeBron James was even close to becoming a billionaire, another GOAT already was. Michael Jordan has famously been part of the elite club for a decade now, largely thanks to his former majority ownership of the Charlotte Hornets and his lifetime deal with Nike (and his Jordan Brand, which pays him out annually). 

Jessica Simpson isn’t in the public eye the way she was in the 2000s, and that’s because she’s busy running a billion-dollar business. Simpson owns The Jessica Simpson Collection, resulting in a substantial net worth for the star. 

It’s common knowledge that Oprah Winfrey is a billionaire, but how did she get there? It wasn’t just giving away her favorite things on television in the middle of the day (though that helped). Winfrey is a media mogul whose production company, Harpo Productions, rakes in a lot. Winfrey is also part owner of several other businesses. 

Not every celebrity named Jessica has transitioned from being an entertainer to being a business owner, but the ones who’ve done it have done it well. Jessica Alba co-founded The Honest Company in 2012, and she’s slowly but surely getting her wide range of products into millions of American houses ever since. 

Goop is many things, including a cultural phenomenon. The wellness brand, founded by Gwyneth Paltrow, started as a newsletter for the actress to share her health secrets, and it’s turned into a famed business worth hundreds of millions. It may be a bit controversial, but it’s valuable. 

There was a time in the 2010s when Fabletics was inescapable. The athletic wear brand capitalized on Hudson’s involvement with the company, making her uber-rich. The star already had millions from her acting career, which certainly padded her net worth. 

Snoop Dogg took the old saying about doing what you love and finding a way to make money to heart. The rapper famously loves smoking weed, and he’s made lots of money by selling CBD products. Snoop also co-founded a venture capital firm that funds businesses that sell cannabis. 

Mark Wahlberg has his hand in multiple businesses. The savvy entrepreneur has made money through multiple production companies — his restaurant chain, Wahlburgers; a water business; a nutrition company; and more. It’s safe to say he’s got multiple streams of income. 

If you’ve been wondering why you don’t see Ashton Kutcher acting as much as he used to, it’s because he no longer needs the money. Kutcher has earned millions through his venture capital firm. Now, if you see him playing a role in film or television, it’s a role he really wanted to play. 

Reese Witherspoon isn’t just an actress. The Southern belle has made millions through her production company, Hello Sunshine, responsible for projects like Where the Crawdads Sing, Gone Girl, and Big Little Lies. Witherspoon sold the majority stake of the business, earning her beaucoup bucks.