10 Celebrities Who Own Billion Dollar Empires

While many see fame as the end-game, the most successful celebrities see fame as an opportunity to capitalize off of their own success. As a result, it has become increasingly popular for celebrities to branch out from their main line of work.  Doing this has allowed them to add considerable amounts of money to their fortune.  Whether it be actors turned to designers, or athletes turned to entrepreneurs, these celebrities have found their niche in more than one area.  In fact, some have found so much success, that their empires have earned figures which have greatly surpassed their initial income.  Here are 10 celebrities who own billion dollar empires.

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10. Jennifer Lopez

Jennifer Lopez’ music career may not be as successful as it once was; however, that doesn’t mean that she isn’t still bringing in the bucks.  Aside from her work as an American Idol judge, J.LO is also a savvy business woman. In 2012, she launched her own fragrance line – Glow – which quickly became America’s best selling fragrance.  According to sources, Glow has brought in upwards of $2 billion in sales, and shows no signs of slowing down any time soon.

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9. Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen

Best-known for their role as Michelle Tanner on the popular 90s sitcom, Full House. Unlike most former child stars, twin sisters Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen began thinking about their financial future at an early age. In 1993, the Olsen twins founded their own entertainment company, Dualstar, which released several films starring the sisters, along with other Olsen twin themed merchandise.  Before the company shut down in 2007, it was reportedly bringing in over a billion dollars.

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8. Paris Hilton

Paris Hilton was once one of reality TV’s biggest stars.  However, in more recent years, she has become a well established business woman who has created a fortune apart from her family’s hotel empire.  Hilton currently owns her own fragrance and fashion line which have each brought in over $1 billion dollars on sales.

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7. Jessica Alba

Jessica Alba is best-known for her skills as an actress; however, the 33 year-old star has refused to limit herself to just one source of income. In 2012, Alba and her business partner founded The Honest Company which focuses on non-toxic household products.  Just three years in, the company is already average sales of over $1 million, and has an estimated value of $1 billion.

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6. Jessica Simpson

In the early 2000s, singer Jessica Simpson had gained a reputation for being extremely ditzy.  After making a comment that she thought buffalo wings came from buffalos, fans began to wonder if Simpson had the smarts to survive in the world.  However, Simpson has since proven that she is much smarter than anyone could have ever imagined.  In 2005, Simpson launched the Jessica Simpson collection, a clothing line which reportedly brings in $1 billion each year.

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5. Britney Spears

Britney Spears was once dubbed the princess of pop, but a string of bad choices and personal struggles led to issues in her career.  However, Spears has refused to let her dynasty die, and in 2004 she launched her first perfume.  Over the years, Spears’ fragrances have gained worldwide popularity, and as of 2014, Spears’ perfumes have earned approximately $ 2 billion all over the world.

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4. Kathy Ireland

Since gaining mainstream fame in the early 1980s, Kathy Ireland has shown the world that she is much more than just a pretty face.  In 1993, Ireland began a sock line for Kmart, which instantly became a best-selling hit.  As a result, Ireland was given her own clothing line with the company. Ireland has found continued success in the business world, with her licensing company, Kathy Ireland Worldwide, earning more than $1 billion each year. Ireland is considered the world’s richest model, and has been referred to as the “Prototype for model-turned-mogul,” by Forbes Magazine.

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3. Michael Jordan

Widely considered the greatest basketball player of all-time, Michael Jordan has created a dynasty both on and off the court.  During his years as a player, Jordan earned several endorsement deals which added to his fame and his wealth.  In 1984, a pair of sneakers was designed specifically for Jordan (Air Jordans), and a year later the shoes hit the market for public consumption.  The Jordan brand has since become a worldwide success, with sneakers and other athletic apparel being released on a regular basis.  Now more than 30 years later, the Jordan brand has earned more than $1 billion dollars.

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2.  Dr. Dre

Dr. Dre became “hip-hop’s first billionaire” in 2014 when he sold his hip-hop headphone brand, Beats by Dre, to technology powerhouse Apple. According to sources, Apple paid an incredible $3 billion for the company which was founded in 2006.  This deal marked Apple’s biggest purchase in nearly a decade, and made Dr. Dre the richest man in hip-hop, surpassing long time businessman Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs.

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1. Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Winfrey rose to fame in the early 1980s for her work as an early morning talk show host. By 1986, Winfrey had become such a fan favorite, that she landed her own talk show. The Oprah Winfrey Show, which aired for 25 years, is the highest ranked talked show in United States history, and helped Winfrey achieve worldwide fame.  As a result of the show’s early success, Winfrey was able to start her own production company, Harpo.  Over the years, Winfrey’s business ventures have led sizable fortune that has made her one of the richest people in the United States with a net worth of $3 billion dollars.

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