Many celebrities today start businesses outside of their main field of work, but from celebrities selling their bathwater to owning over a dozen different companies, it makes you wonder, did they start their venture out of genuine passion or just for the profit?
One theme with celebrity-founded businesses is that many celebs sell their companies after just a few years or when they start profiting less. One example of this is the brand “Casamigos,” which was started in 2013 by George Clooney, Rande Gerber and Mike Meldman. Despite this brand supposedly being built on genuine passion, the trio sold the brand four years later in 2017, for one billion dollars, which makes you wonder how much passion they really had or if they were looking to make a quick buck.
Another popular trend is celebrities selling odd items for cash. One example of this was in 2001, when the band KISS sold what they called KISS Kaskets, which originally sold from anywhere between $3,900 to $4,700, which is around $7,100 to $8,550 in 2025. These KISS Kaskets were covered in photos of the band and the KISS logo, were waterproof and could be used as a cooler before being used for their intended use. Another example was in September 2020 when singer Travis Scott sold 3 foot pillows shaped like a McDonalds McNugget for $90. These examples highlight how fame can turn even the most unusual ideas into profit.
Many celebrities own multiple businesses; for example, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson owns five ventures and has partnered with three others, one of them being a production company. Kevin Hart owns seven, albeit one being a charity. According to People, the Kardashian family owns 21 business ventures spanning many industries, from beauty brands, SKKN, Kylie Skin, Kylie Cosmetics and the now discontinued Kim’s KKW beauty to Rob’s sock brand Arthur George. Kim Kardashian has founded or headed 13 companies alone. However, not all celebrities exploit their fame and start businesses purely for profit, such as actor, director and racecar driver Paul Newman, who started the food company “Newman’s Own,” best known for their salad dressings, where 100% of profits go toward charities benefiting children. Similarly, Dolly Parton started Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, a non-profit that gives books to children ages zero to five free of charge.
Ultimately, celebrity-founded businesses range from being clearly fueled by genuine passion and a desire to give back, while others seem to take advantage of their fame for quick profits. While it would be impossible to tell what each celebrity’s real motivation is, patterns such as selling when profits drop, bizarre products and owning many businesses suggest that many stars start businesses purely for profit rather than passion. However, examples such as Paul Newman and Dolly Parton ventures remind us that not all celebrities are exploiting their fame for profit, and some are trying to give back to the communities around them.
