Stars Who Made Millions From Side Businesses

Jessica Alba

Jessica Alba may have risen to fame in Fantastic Four, but her biggest blockbuster is off-screen. In 2011, she co-founded The Honest Company to create safe, eco-friendly products for families. What began as a mom-driven idea for natural baby goods grew into a lifestyle brand valued at $1.7 billion at its peak. Even after market shifts, Alba’s net worth sits around $200 million.

Rihanna

Rihanna may have 14 chart-topping hits, but her real money notes come from beauty and fashion. In 2017, she launched Fenty Beauty with LVMH, and the brand exploded into a $3 billion empire that changed the makeup game forever with its inclusive shades. Then came Fenty fashion, her role as Puma’s creative director, and suddenly, she was stocking your vanity and your wardrobe.

Michael Jordan

Michael Jordan isn’t just a sports icon; he’s the ultimate side-hustle king. Sure, he dunked his way to NBA legend status, but the real billions came from sneakers and smart business plays. His Air Jordan partnership with Nike turned into a cultural phenomenon worth billions on its own. Add in ownership of the Charlotte Hornets, and Jordan’s net worth soared past $1.6 billion.

Hailey Bieber

Hailey Bieber may be best known as a model and social media It-girl, but her beauty brand Rhode has made her a serious player in the skincare world. Launched in 2022, Rhode has quickly skyrocketed, with CreatorIQ ranking it the top-performing U.S. skincare brand by mid-2024. Thanks to Bieber’s social media. Rhode’s products sell out in minutes, with earned media value topping $30 million in a single month.

Elizabeth Banks

Elizabeth Banks has conquered acting, directing, and now… canned wine. In 2020, she became a major stakeholder in Archer Roose, a premium canned wine brand shaking up a traditionally stuffy industry. With her trademark wit and 4 million Instagram followers, Banks has made wine-in-a-can a cool alternative, even pulling off cheeky promotions like promising a live snake for bulk orders.

Jay-Z

Jay-Z has long lived by the line, “I’m not a businessman, I’m a business, man.” And he’s not kidding. While his rap career made him a superstar, his billions came from building an empire far beyond music. He owns stakes in Armand de Brignac champagne and D’Ussé cognac, sold a portion of his streaming platform Tidal at a $600 million valuation, and launched venture capital firm Marcy Venture Partners.

Ashton Kutcher

Ashton Kutcher may have made millions on That 70s Show and Two and a Half Men, but his biggest payouts came from Silicon Valley. Alongside manager Guy Oseary, he launched Sound Ventures and poured early money into Uber, Airbnb, Spotify, and more. That $30 million starting pot ballooned into a $250 million portfolio by 2016, proving Kutcher has as much of an eye for unicorns as he does for scripts.

Drew Barrymore

Drew Barrymore has been Hollywood royalty since childhood, but her entrepreneurial streak shines just as bright. With Flower Beauty, she gave fans cruelty-free makeup at accessible prices, and her Beautiful by Drew home and kitchen line at Walmart turned everyday essentials into stylish must-haves. Add in Flower Eyewear and her own magazine, and Barrymore has built a cheerful, relatable lifestyle empire.

Jon Bon Jovi and Jesse Bongiovi

Jon Bon Jovi is no stranger to arenas, but these days he’s filling glasses as well as stadiums. Alongside his son Jesse Bongiovi, he launched Hampton Water Rosé in 2018, teaming up with French winemaker Gérard Bertrand to create a fresh, drinkable wine. The duo has leaned on their rock ‘n’ roll roots with cheeky promotions (like a fake launch of “Hampton Water Water” for April Fool’s) while keeping growth strong with 40% year-over-year gains.

Emma Chamberlain

Emma Chamberlain may have started as a YouTube star, but her real flex is coffee. In 2020, she founded Chamberlain Coffee, and it’s since become a Gen Z obsession, showing up everywhere from TikTok tumblers to Whole Foods shelves. With cold brew singles, instant sticks, matcha, and a growing retail presence, the brand raised $7 million in 2023 to fuel its expansion.

Cameron Diaz

Cameron Diaz stepped back from Hollywood, but she stepped right into the wine business with Avaline. Launched in 2020 with Katherine Power, Avaline focuses on clean, additive-free wines that resonate with health-conscious drinkers. In just a few years, Avaline became the No. 2 organic wine in U.S. retail and one of the top-selling celebrity wine brands overall.

Gal Gadot

Gal Gadot traded Wonder Woman’s lasso for a fork and a box of mac and cheese. In 2021, she co-founded Goodles, a nutrient-packed take on the classic comfort food, offering 14 grams of protein per box and a mission to “Make, Be and Do Gooder.” By 2023, the brand had already raised $13 million in Series A funding and was available at Target, Walmart, and Costco.

Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga has conquered music, movies, and now makeup with Haus Labs. Launched in 2019 and revamped with Sephora, the brand has exploded thanks to viral hits like the Triclone Skin Tech Foundation, which beauty TikTok simply couldn’t stop raving about. By 2023, revenue was soaring between $75–100 million, with Haus Labs expanding across Europe through Sephora.

Jennifer Garner

Jennifer Garner’s wholesome image found the perfect partner in Once Upon a Farm, the organic baby and kids’ food company she co-founded in 2017. What started as pouches and smoothies has grown into a brand bringing in over $100 million in annual revenue. Inspired by her own family farm in Oklahoma, Garner ties the company to her philanthropic work with Save the Children and her investment in Angel City FC.

Selena Gomez

Selena Gomez may light up the screen in Only Murders in the Building, but her real blockbuster is Rare Beauty. Launched in 2020, the vegan, cruelty-free brand is now valued at $2 billion and stocked in makeup bags worldwide. Gomez also tied the brand to her advocacy, launching the Rare Impact Fund, which has raised over $15 million for youth mental health. Beyond beauty, she co-founded Wondermind, a mental health platform, and invests in ventures like Gopuff.

Kevin Hart

Kevin Hart may be Hollywood’s hardest-working comedian, but his business portfolio is just as stacked as his stand-up calendar. In 2022, he launched Gran Coramino tequila with legendary distiller Juan Domingo Beckmann, quickly turning it into one of the country’s top-selling celeb liquor brands. That’s just one lane: Hart also founded vegan fast-food chain Hart House, co-created supplement brand VitaHustle, and teamed up with Fabletics Men.

Sara Blakely

Once upon a time, Sara Blakely was hustling fax machines by day and sewing shapewear prototypes by night in her tiny Atlanta apartment. Fast forward, and her brainchild Spanx has become a household name (and a billion-dollar empire). Even after Oprah gave Spanx her golden stamp of approval, Blakely kept grinding, literally tripping over boxes of product piled outside her front door.

Dwayne Johnson

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has turned charisma into cold, hard cash. His tequila brand Teremana launched in 2020 and now sells over a million cases annually, racking up awards and expanding into global markets. But he didn’t stop there. He co-owns energy drink line ZOA, dove into men’s grooming with Papatui (exclusively at Target), and even flexed his sports muscle as part-owner of the United Football League.

The Kardashians

The Kardashians turned reality TV fame into one of the most powerful empires in pop culture. Kim leads the pack with Skims, now valued at $4 billion, while Kylie became the face of beauty mogul-dom with Kylie Cosmetics. Khloé’s Good American, Kendall’s 818 Tequila, and Kourtney’s wellness brand Poosh prove that every sister has her own lane and momager Kris is the mastermind to keep it all in the right track.

Blake Lively

Blake Lively may be Hollywood glam on the red carpet, but in business she’s all about the buzz. First came Betty Buzz, her sparkling non-alcoholic drink brand, followed by Betty Booze, a line of low-alcohol cocktails that’s already expanding globally. Sales have exploded with four-digit growth since 2021, and Betty Buzz even landed a sponsorship with Wrexham AFC; the UK football club co-owned by husband Ryan Reynolds.