Hollywood Entrepreneurs: 29+ Stars Who Run Their Own Businesses

Est. Net Worth: $390 Million*
Project(s): The Honest Company

Some celebrities become entrepreneurs because they are looking for an additional source of income to help maintain their luxurious lifestyles. Others do so in order to ensure their family’s future financial security. Jessica Alba entered the entrepreneurial world because, when pregnant, in 2008, there was little to no selection of decently priced eco-friendly natural baby products, and she sought to change that.

Jessica Alba - The Honest Company @TommyLeeDeals / Facebook.com

Founded in 2011, and originally launched as a diaper and baby wipe e-commerce subscription service, HNST sells “clean and natural” products, and now has a catalog that contains more than 100 products, and a valuation of approximately $2 billion.

Est. Net Worth: $80 Million*
Project(s): Once Upon a Farm

Through the statements she has made, partnerships she has forged, and charities she has donated to throughout her career, Jennifer Garner has made it quite clear that the health and safety of children are of the utmost importance to her. In 2017, Garner made an investment that would further solidify that notion.

@onceuponafarm /Twitter.com

Once Upon a Farm’s vision is to provide children with foods that are made using healthier ingredients than the current alternatives. In America, Once Upon a Farm has already managed to penetrate about 1.5% of households, and has a valuation of almost $30 million, which considering the, relatively, young age of the company, isn’t too bad at all.

Est. Net Worth: $180 Million*
Project(s): Latin World Entertainment, EBY Lingerie, Raze, brand partnerships with Walmart and other major brands

Prior to the years that she spent modernizing the television family, and long before she was judging whether Americans had talent, or not, Sophia Vergara first recognized the importance of business ventures outside of the film and television industries. Over the years, Vergara has worked with business giants such as Kmart and Pepsi, but it’s her recent endeavors that have set her up for future success. 

Sofía Vergara - Walmart Collections, Rooms to Go Furniture Line, Foster Grant Eyewear @MediaEyeTweets / Twitter.com

Sophia is currently collaborating with Rooms to Go on a signature furniture line and Foster Grant on a chic new line of eyewear. Vergara has even co-founded EBY, a subscription-based underwear delivery company, and assigned 10% of all net sales to go into helping poverty-stricken women start small businesses. For those who want to help out, please, see the Seven Bar Foundation.

Est. Net Worth: $30 million*
Project(s): Found Active

As one of the most booked models of the past decade, Kate Upton knows what it feels like to be constantly on the go while, at the same time, trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle. For that reason, she partnered with the wellness brand Found Active and HatchBeauty Brands, in order to promote its cosmetics and skincare products.

Kate Upton - Found Active @kateupton / Instagram.com

Let’s just say that, when the companies pitched their business model to the supermodel, the idea of investing in supplements that will help women’s immune systems, and cosmetics that are made for those on the go, was too good of an offer to refuse. 

Est. Net Worth: $45 Million*
Project(s): George Lopez Tacos

George Lopez is a famous actor, comedian, producer, businessman, and…taco connoisseur? Lopez has stated that helping his grandma in the kitchen is where some of his favorite memories about food are from. Following multiple successful decades in the entertainment industry, George Lopez decided to, finally, act upon the nostalgia, and he opened his own Taco joint.

George Lopez - George Lopez Tacos @TheSceneSD / Twitter.com

In a nod towards one possible future of the restaurant industry, George Lopez Tacos provides its patrons with a completely virtual experience. The chain is “delivery only”, with no pick-up or in-store dining locations, and is available only in select cities around the United States. This unique restaurant model should yield a much better cost of sales as there are far fewer operating costs.

Est. Net Worth: $80 Million*
Project(s): Fabletics, InBloom, King St. Vodka

Throughout an actor’s career, they are constantly betting on their own abilities in order to get a job. Kate Hudson decided to take that “bet on me” attitude to the business world, and while many Hollywood celebrities have been content enough endorsing, or investing in, existing products, Kate Hudson was thinking bigger.

@Fabletics/Facebook.com

Kate Hudson decided to bet on herself, and, in 2013, she co-founded the activewear brand, Fabletics. Almost a decade later, Fabletics has 90 retail locations, and, was estimated to have earned close to $500 million back in 2020 when the world fully embraced comfortable fashion for good reason. 

Est. Net Worth: $400 Million*
Project(s): Inglot, JLo Beauty, Jennifer Lopez Collection

JLo began as a Fly Girl on “In Living Color” in the early 1990s. More than 3 decades later she’s worth almost half of a billion dollars because of the belief that “business is an art just like anything else”, and by following the ideology that art cannot exist without it first being created, Lopez went out and created a business empire for herself.

JLo Beauty @JLoBeauty/Facebook.com

Having already invested in various companies throughout her career, a few years ago, Jennifer Lopez decided that it was time to create unique products and start building up her own portfolio. She was already a star, but when she founded the JLo Beauty line, she became a brand. JLo products are sold online and in stores all over the world. 

Est. Net Worth: $300 Million*
Project(s): F45 Gyms, Wahlburgers, Mark Wahlberg Automotive Group Car Dealerships, Municipal Apparel, Performance Inspired Nutrition

He has been a chart-topping rapper (with the Funky Bunch), a box office leading actor, and an award-winning producer (“Entourage”). These days, he’s all that and one heck of a savvy investor. Almost everything he touches seems to turn to gold overnight. He’s even produced and starred in two docuseries about his growing empire.

Mark Wahlberg @styleupblog / Pinterest.com

Wahlburgers (2014-2019) focused on the chain of close to 60 burger joints that the Wahlbergs own, while Wahl Street, on HBO, takes a closer look at all of the brands that are in Marky Mark’s portfolio. Making protein bars and powders, Performance Inspired Nutrition is part of a sector that’s been valued at close to $7.5 billion worldwide.

Est. Net Worth: $125 million*
Project(s): Flower Beauty, Flower Home, and Beautiful by Drew Barrymore

Drew Barrymore’s empire began to grow when she was still a young girl, who was, herself, growing up as well. At, not even 7 years old, Drew starred in “E.T.”. When she was 20, Barrymore began her own production company. Over the next 10-15 years, Barrymore expanded her business and branched out into beauty supplies.

Drew Barrymore - Flower Beauty, Flower Home and Beautiful by Drew Barrymore @highlanddesigngallery / Pinterest.com

Prior to her 40th birthday, Drew Barrymore entered into a partnership with Walmart to sell her Flower products in its stores. The products that include fragrances, makeup, and other accessories are all quite affordable, as are the reading, prescription, and sunglasses that are sold by Flower Eyewear. It looks like starting from such a young age gave Drew Barrymore a step up on the competition.

Est. Net Worth: $225 Million*
Project(s): Meaningful Beauty, Cindy Crawford Home, Ladder

One of the biggest names to grace the modeling world, Cindy Crawford, has traded in the make-up artist’s chair for one opposite the other chairpeople of Meaningful Beauty, the anti-aging skincare line that she co-founded, but beauty products aren’t the only venture that Crawford has undertaken. Her line of home goods, Cindy Crawford Home, brings in $250 million annually, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Cindy Crawford - Meaningful Beauty, Cindy Crawford Home, Ladder @Ic3sis / Pinterest.com

In a move to enter into the multi-billion dollar wellness and supplement industry, in 2019, Cindy Crawford joined forces with, Olympic gold medalist, Lindsey Vonn, “The Terminator”, and former Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and 4-time NBA Champion, LeBron James to launch, the sports nutrition brand, Ladder.

Est. Net Worth: $1 Billion*
Project(s): Kylie Cosmetics, Kylie Baby, Kendall + Kylie clothing line, the Kylie Shop official merchandise, Kylie Skin

As a 19-year-old back in 2016, Kylie Jenner launched Kylie Cosmetics. To say the line was a success would be a horrible understatement. In its first year and a half of operations, the cosmetic line’s retail sales topped the $400 million mark. By year 3, the brand was valued at $1.2 billion, and Kylie was the world’s youngest self-made billionaire.

Kylie Jenner - Kylie Cosmetics @wwd / Pinterest.com

In November 2019, Coty purchased the majority stake in Kylie’s cosmetic line, leaving Jenner with a nice paycheck, and a handful of other brands to manage. Kylie Jenner might not be the youngest of Hollywood’s entrepreneurs anymore, but she is definitely one of the most well-known, and wealthiest, of the lot.

Est. Net Worth: $180 Million*
Project(s): The Outset

As the face of L’Oreal Paris, and one of the celebrity models for The One Fragrances campaign by Dolce & Gabbana, it was really only a matter of time before Scarlett Johansson was faced with the opportunity to start her own beauty brand. If anyone’s been wondering why Scarjo hasn’t taken on any new beauty deals as of late, there’s the answer.

Scarlett Johansson ©Andrea Raffin / Shutterstock.com

Scarlett Johansson’s skincare brand, The Outset, was launched in March of 2022, a concept that Scarjo has said is meant for everyone, or, at least, “everyone who wants their skin to look its best with minimal effort.”

Est. Net Worth: $200 Million* (Combined)
Project(s): Proudly Baby Care Brand, Wade Cellars

Gabrielle Union and Dwyane Wade didn’t just start a family when they tied the knot in 2014, they started an empire. In the years that they’ve been married, the two have been involved in creating clothing lines, shoes, and hair care products. They’ve written a children’s book together, and, most recently, they’ve launched their very own children’s skincare brand.

@people/Twitter.com

“Proudly” is a line of skincare products that have been specially designed for children with melanin-rich skin, and is the first brand of its kind that “caters to the unique skincare needs of children of color that are so often overlooked in the mass market.” “Proudly” products hit the shelves back in the spring of 2022.

Est. Net Worth: $40 Million*
Project(s): This Saves Lives, Happy Dance CBD, Hello Bello

From healthy and affordable snack bars to CBD health products without taking time away from her family or her acting career, Kristen Bell has managed to branch out from the entertainment industry and create a few brands of her own. Each one of Bell’s products has a focus on health, affordability, and sustainability.

Kristen Bell - This Saves Lives, Happy Dance CBD, Hello Bello @TheDieline / Twitter.com

This Saves Lives is a line of gluten and GMO-free health-focused snack bars, and 1% of Happy Dance CBD product’s profits is donated to a project that helps women, who have served prison time, rebuild their lives, but, most impressive of all of Bell’s brands, is one that she co-founded with her husband, Dax Shepard, Hello Bello, a plant-based line of affordable baby products.