The blockbuster exits

A pivotal moment in the shift from endorsement to ownership came in 2007 when 50 Cent banked $100 million from the sale of Vitaminwater to Coca-Cola. He famously opted for an equity stake in the health drink instead of a standard fee, a move that changed celebrity business forever. Since then, payouts have ballooned into the billions.

Dr Dre offloaded Beats to Apple in 2014 for a bumper $3 billion, while George Clooney's Casamigos fetched $1 billion in 2017. During the pandemic, Ryan Reynolds and Conor McGregor parted with their respective drinks brands for around $600 million apiece. And last year, Hailey Bieber struck a $1 billion deal for her skincare line Rhode.

The cautionary tales

For every blockbuster success, there's a reminder that celebrity moguldom can be fragile. Martha Stewart ended up selling her lifestyle powerhouse in 2015 for a fraction of its former value following legal woes. Jessica Simpson's fashion label was generating $1 billion a year in the early 2010s, only to tumble into bankruptcy before she bought it back in 2022. Meanwhile, Logan Paul and KSI's much-hyped Prime Hydration has pretty much crashed and burned.

Others have seen their business fortunes unravel along with their reputations, with Kanye West and Sean 'Diddy' Combs among the starkest examples.

Now let's take a look at today's biggest celebrity business empires.

11. Cristiano Ronaldo's CR7

Few athletes have monetized their fame quite like Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portuguese soccer icon, who happens to be the most-followed individual on social media, has built CR7 into a global lifestyle brand spanning fashion, fragrance, and hospitality. In 2025, it was valued at a cool $1 billion, according to the Portuguese Institute of Administration and Marketing (IPAM).

Among the celebrity-led brands approaching the $1 billion valuation mark or worth at several hundred million dollars are LeBron James' SpringHill Company, Jessica Alba's The Honest Company, and Gwyneth Paltrow's Goop.

10. Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen's The Row

Former child stars Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen have discreetly built one of fashion's most respected labels. Founded in 2006, The Row has become synonymous with billionaire-worthy quiet luxury. Eschewing logos and hype, the brand focuses on quality and commands prices that would make your eyes water. It secured a $1 billion valuation in 2024.

Victoria Beckham has also successfully pivoted from showbiz to high-end fashion, with her eponymous label reportedly pegged at around $700 million last year.

9. Dwayne Johnson's Teremana and other ventures

Dwayne Johnson's tequila brand Teremana anchors a fast-expanding consumer empire. Launched in 2020, it has been valued between $2 billion and $3.5 billion, with Johnson reportedly holding a 30–40% stake, potentially worth over $1 billion.

The Rock has since branched into energy drinks with ZOA, with Molson Coors acquiring a majority stake, and men's grooming line Papatui. With Teremana driving the numbers, Johnson has parlayed blockbuster fame into serious beverage and lifestyle muscle.

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8. Jay-Z's Roc Nation and other ventures

Jay-Z embraced ownership years before it became the norm. After launching Rocawear in 1999 and selling the brand's rights for $204 million in 2007, he founded Roc Nation, now a heavyweight in entertainment and sports management. He later bought streaming service Tidal, offloading it in 2021 for roughly five times what he paid.

The hip-hop legend's portfolio also spans the 40/40 Club chain of sports bars, a venture capital firm, and premium drinks. He sold 50% of his champagne brand Armand de Brignac to LVMH in 2021, and Bacardi acquired a majority stake in his cognac label D’Ussé for $750 million (£559m) in 2023.

7. Kylie Jenner's Kylie Cosmetics and Kylie Skin

Kylie Jenner was one of the first Gen Z celebrities to convert social media clout into a beauty juggernaut. In 2019, she sold a 51% stake in Kylie Cosmetics and Kylie Skin to Coty for $600 million, valuing the business at $1.2 billion at the time.

Jenner retains a substantial ownership stake and has reportedly explored regaining greater control. Despite post-pandemic turbulence in the beauty sector, the Kylie brand remains among the most recognizable celebrity-founded cosmetics lines globally.

6. Kathy Ireland's kiWW

Erstwhile supermodel Kathy Ireland may not dominate headlines today, but she has quietly built one of the largest celebrity-founded licensing businesses ever. The erstwhile cover star launched Kathy Ireland Worldwide (kiWW) in 1993 with a sock line at Kmart. It has since expanded into fashion, homeware, furniture, beauty, and more.

A real money-spinner, kiWW reportedly turned over $3.1 billion in 2021 alone.

5. Selena Gomez's Rare Beauty

Selena Gomez has turned personal vulnerability into commercial power, all while challenging unattainable beauty standards.

Launched in 2020, her Rare Beauty line instantly shook up the cosmetics industry with its emphasis on inclusivity and mental health advocacy. By 2025, the vegan and cruelty-free brand was valued at $2.7 billion. It continues to go from strength to strength, recently smashing sales records.

4. Rihanna's Fenty Beauty & Savage X Fenty

Rihanna's three-comma fortune was built less in the studio and more in the boardroom. She co-founded Fenty Beauty with LVMH in 2017 as a 50-50 joint venture. A major hit worldwide, the inclusive cosmetics brand was valued at around $2.8 billion in 2021. And while the number has slipped back since then, Fenty Beauty is reportedly still worth upwards of $2 billion.

Amazingly, Rihanna has built a second billion-dollar brand. Her Savage X Fenty lingerie label reached unicorn status in 2021 when it was pegged at over $1 billion.

3. Michael Jordan's Jordan Brand (Nike)

Michael Jordan may not own the Jordan Brand, but his deal with Nike remains one of the most lucrative royalty arrangements in history. The basketball icon reportedly earns around 5% of Jordan Brand sales, translating to roughly $300 million a year.

With the brand generating an estimated $7 billion in annual revenue, those royalties now account for the vast majority of Jordan's lifetime earnings. It's not equity ownership. But as commercial partnerships go, few in history have proved more valuable.

2. MrBeast's Beast Industries

Jimmy Donaldson, aka MrBeast, now boasts a sprawling corporate ecosystem thanks to his YouTube stardom. The content creator's holding company Beast Industries, which spans media, tech, and snacks, is reportedly worth $5 billion.

Launched in 2022, his Feastables became one of the fastest-growing snack brands in the US, landing in major retailers and hitting hundreds of millions of dollars in annual revenue. Beyond chocolate bars, the MrBeast portfolio now includes streaming hit Beast Games, fintech app Step, analytics platform Viewstats and a whole host of other creator-led ventures.

1. Kim Kardashian's SKIMS

After cutting her teeth in business during the noughties with her LA DASH boutiques, Kim Kardashian launched a string of beauty brands. Following several early ventures, she sold a 20% stake in her KKW Beauty line to Coty in 2020 for $200 million, before starting up SKKN by Kim, which was shut down in 2025. The reality megastar also found time to set up a private equity firm. But shapewear proved the masterstroke.

Founded in 2019, her wildly successful SKIMS brand hit a $5 billion valuation in November 2025 and is approaching $1 billion in annual sales.

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Now take a look at the world's richest Gen Z stars