The Real Housewives franchise has come a long way in 17 years. Over the last two decades, Bravo has transitioned away from the “housewife” trope by adding more powerful, strong businesswomen into the mix. To honor the ladies who have transformed the franchise, here are five successful Real Housewives stars who are great businesswomen.
Bethenny Frankel (Real Housewives of New York)
Bethenny Frankel may be one of the most recognizable names to come out of the Real Housewives franchise. Since her first appearance on the show in 2008, Bethenny has created an empire. She is a New York Times bestselling author, a philanthropist, and the founder the lifestyle brand Skinnygirl. According to Forbes, Bethenny sold Skinnygirl liquor to Beam Global in 2011 for $100 million. It’s safe to say Bethenny has come a long way since Season 1 of Real Housewives of New York.
Jenna Lyons (Real Housewives of New York)
Real Housewives fans were shocked when Bravo announced that fashion maven Jenna Lyons would be joining the cast of RHONY for Season 14. It seemed surprising that such a big name in fashion would be open to sharing her life on reality television. The 55-year-old had dipped her toe into the reality TV space prior to RHONY. However, she always stuck to competition shows, where the distance between her personal life and professional persona could remain intact.
Unlike other Real Housewives stars, Jenna was a household name before she appeared on the network. She was the creative director of the women’s retailer J. Crew from 2010 and 2017, making her an extremely influential figure in the fashion world.
Lisa Vanderpump (Real Housewives of Beverly Hills)
All it takes is one look at Lisa Vanderpump‘s massive Los Angeles mansion “Villa Rosa” to surmise that the London native has done quite well for herself. Lisa and her husband Ken Todd are the king and queen of the restaurant world, opening several restaurants in L.A. and one in Vegas. The former Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star also has a nonprofit, Vanderpump Dogs, that helps dogs find loving homes.
Ubah Hassan (Real Housewives of New York)
The new cast of RHONY is made up of some pretty extraordinary women, one of whom is 40-year-old Ubah Hassan. Aside from being a successful model, she is also a businesswoman. Ubah created a popular hot sauce brand called Ubah Hot that has taken the food world by storm.
According to the brand’s website, Ubah Hot “adds flavor and brings a sensational taste of Africa to your palate.” The hot sauce has become so beloved that it even caught the attention of Oprah Winfrey. Oprah included Ubah Hot on her “Favorite Things” list in 2021. If she has Oprah’s approval, you know she’s the real deal.
Meredith Marks (Real Housewives of Salt Lake City)
Threatening to expose her co-stars’ secrets isn’t the only thing on Real Housewives of Salt Lake City star Meredith Marks’ to-do list. The 51-year-old is also owns and operates a luxury brand that sells jewelry, handbags, apparel, and more. Meredith spoke about her love for business in a December 2022 interview with Forbes, telling the outlet, “I’m a sick entrepreneur. I can’t control myself. I just like to create, I like to build, I like to grow things.”
“I have a very business-oriented background,” she continued. “I want to Law School and Business School at Northwestern, so I do understand that side of it. A lot of people don’t function in both worlds. So, I am able to crossover that. Even if I’m not the one running everything on the backside, I understand exactly what’s going on and no one is taking advantage of me.” Yes, girl!
Meredith expanded the products her brand offers in August 2023 with the launch of Meredith Marks Caviar. She celebrated the launch with an Instagram post, writing, “Happy National Caviar Day! Get ready to indulge in the finer things in life with our new and exquisite Meredith Marks Caviar Collection.”
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