Most successful celebrities today own a business apart from their respective fields. Be it music, acting, or sports, the different types of business ventures they own might surprise you.
Just like their careers, a majority of these celebrities also have very successful business ventures. Some celebrities have taken a break from their ever-successful career in their reactive field to focus more on their businesses. Here is a list of 10 such celebrities who have excelled not only in their respective fields of work but also in the business ventures that they have taken up.
- Ryan Reynolds
- Hugh Jackman
- Rihanna
- Dwayne ‘The Rock‘ Johnson
- Gwyneth Paltrow
- LeBron James
- Reese Witherspoon
- Ashton Kutcher
- Jessica Alba
- Drake
10. Ryan Reynolds
One of the A-list actors in Hollywood, Ryan Reynolds, is loved by almost everyone for his excellent movies and also for his charm and wit as a person. Born on October 23, 1976, Reynolds has proven his talent as an actor-producer and also as a skilled businessman. Reynolds is regarded as one of the highest-grossing film actors of all time, with a worldwide box-office collection of over $5 billion.
Like most of his colleagues, Reynolds owns or is a part of multiple business ventures. Maximum Effort, a production company, is one of his notable ventures.
Ryan Reynolds launched the company in January 2018. Even though the company was acquired by MNTN Software in 2021, Reynolds still remains the driving force behind the growth of the company.
In November 2019, Reynolds acquired a stake in the American mobile virtual network operator, Mint Mobiles. As per the available reports, Reynolds owns around 20% to 25% of Mint mobiles.
The Welsh football club Wrexham AFC was purchased by Ryan Reynolds and his fellow actor Rob McElhenney in September 2020, according to the Wrexham Supporters Trust.
In September 2020 the news about Ryan Reynolds and his fellow actor Rob McElhenney purchasing the Welsh football club Wrexham AFC was made public by the Wrexham Supporters Trust. The club is the world’s third oldest football club, and until now, Ryan Reynolds has been a proud owner of the club with such a rich history.
Reynolds was also interested in Aviation American Gin, which prompted him to acquire a stake in the company in 2018. Reynolds was very interested in the company and wanted to take it to new heights.
Later in 2020, Diageo, a multinational drinks company based in England, bought the company for what was said to be $610 million.
9. Hugh Jackman
Even though he has been a part of some of the biggest movies in Hollywood, Hugh Jackman is best known for his portrayal of the superhero Wolverine in the ‘X-Men’ series. Jackman held the world record for ‘longest career as a live-action Marvel character’ until his record was surpassed by Toby Maguire in 2021.
Among Hugh Jackman’s successful business ventures, one of the most notable was his coffee brand, “Laughing Man Coffee.”’ The coffee brand was born after Jackman’s trip to Ethiopia, where he met coffee farmer Dukale. After getting to know the farmer and the difficulties that he faced, Jackman decided to help him. Gradually, they both started working together, and the Laughing Man Coffee Company was born in 2011. The business aimed to help farmers from developing countries by paying them a decent amount for their products. Keurig Green Mountain acquired the company in 2015.
Hugh Jackman also took on the role of producer when he started a film production company named Seed Productions along with his wife, Deborra-Lee Furness. The company was associated with the famous production house, 20th Century Fox. Producer John Palermo was also associated with Seed. The production company was shut down after a few years, and Jackman stated that he wanted to focus more on his acting career.
8. Rihanna
The Barbadian singer is regarded as the second-best-selling female musician of all time, and she has also demonstrated her talent as an actress and, more recently, as a successful businesswoman. During her successful career as a musician, Rihanna has collaborated with some popular artists like Drake, Jay-Z, Shakira, and a few more.
Rihanna had been taking a break from the music industry and concentrating on her business ventures. It had been approximately six long years since she released her song ‘Lift Me Up’ in 2022.
Just like her music career, Rihanna is also very successful in almost all of her business ventures. Among her multiple establishments, one of the most notable is Fenty, the fashion branch launched by Rihanna in 2019 under LVMH, which is a luxury fashion brand based in France.
Before launching the clothing line, Rihanna started her own beauty line, Fenty Beauty, in association with the same company. According to Forbes’ reports, Rihanna owns 50 percent of the brand Fenty Beauty. She is also the owner of Savage X Fenty, which is a lingerie brand launched by Rihanna in 2018.
The brand gained wide popularity for its inclusive products, which were applicable to people of all skin tones and body sizes. The brand was featured at New York Fashion Week in 2019 with appearances by some of the top models in the world and performances by some of the biggest musicians.
She has also released different signature perfumes under the names Reb’l Fleur, Rebelle, Nude, and Rogue.
7. Dwayne ‘The Rock‘ Johnson
One of the richest actors in the world, Dwayne‘ The Rock’ Johnson entered Hollywood after his career as a professional wrestler. He is also one of the highest-grossing actors, with his movies making a sum of $10.5 billion worldwide.
Along with his successful movie career, Johnson also has some successful business ventures that significantly contribute to his net worth. Among his business ventures, the Seven Buks company, which he co-founded along with Dany Garcia, remains the major one.
The company assists in the creation of original content for all forms of media platforms. The company is also behind some of the most popular movies, like Jungle Cruise, two installments of Jumanji, Skyscraper, and many more.
Dwayne Johnson is also the owner of Teremana Tequila, the tequila brand he launched in 2020. The brand made a mark in the market with record-breaking sales in the first year of its launch. Some media sources reported that Teremana was the fastest-growing spirit brand ever.
Apart from all this, Rock also released an energy drink brand under the name “ZOA Energy” in the year 2021. The drink is said to increase immunity and elevate the consumer’s energy level.
6. Gwyneth Paltrow
Winning some of the most prestigious awards in the entertainment industry like the Academy Award, Golden Globe, and Emmy, Gwyneth Paltrow has proven her talent as a wonderful actress. With tremendous success in her multiple business ventures, Paltrow has also proven that she is skilled and one of the most successful businesswomen in the world today.
Some may be surprised to learn that Gwyneth Paltrow is the founder of Goop, one of the most successful women-led lifestyle brands. Even though the company has faced a few negative criticisms from people based on their bizarre scented candles and adult toys, the business has grown to be a huge success and is estimated to be worth $250 million.
The wellness and lifestyle brand was launched by Paltrow in 2008, and she started the brand with something as simple as a newsletter. According to Paltrow, she wanted to choose a name for the company that had two o’s and had no particular meaning but could mean anything.
The brand kept growing, and it subsequently opened an online store in 2012. The brand includes products of a wide variety, like makeup and skincare lines, a fashion line, fragrances, scented candles, gluten-free vitamins, other supplements, furniture, a home decor range, and a few more.
5. LeBron James
LeBron James, considered one of the greatest basketball players of all time, plays for the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA. In his basketball career, James has won four NBA championships, four NBA MVP awards, four NBA Finals MVP awards, three All-Star MVP awards, and two Olympic gold medals.
With such an incredible and successful career, LeBron James is also the highest-paid NBA player. As of 2022, James is estimated to have an annual income of around $124.5 million. As per the latest updates, James became the first NBA player to be included on the billionaire’s list by Forbes.
LeBron James also makes a lot of money from a few successful businesses he owns. This is in addition to the salary he gets from the NBA and the brand endorsements he does.
James LeBron made his official entry into the movie world through his film production company, SpringHill Entertainment. The company is owned by James, and the production house is behind hit shows like Survivor’s Remorse, The Wall, and The Shop.
The company has also produced films such as Space Jam: A New Legacy. James himself starred in the movie. The production house is running successfully, and Forbes has valued the net worth of the company at around $300 million.
Just like the production house, James also owns a platform named UNINTERRUPTED, where athletes are welcome and can express themselves and show who they are, on their own terms. The platform, which started out as short videos on Instagram and Twitter, has now developed into podcasts and even full-length films.
James is also a part of a fast food chain business after making an investment in Blaze Pizza. The investment of $1 million by James and his business partners rapidly contributed to the growth of the brand.
LeBron James is also the owner of a brand named Ladder, which is a company that aims to produce high-performance e nutrients supplements as well as healthy lifestyle and workout supplements.
4. Reese Witherspoon
Having made a name for herself among the A-list actors of Hollywood, Reese Witherspoon is someone who is constantly ranked among the highest-paid actresses in the world.
Throughout her entire movie career, Reese has won many accolades for her performance. She is the winner of some of the most prestigious awards in the world of voice, like the Academy Awards, the Golden Globe, the British Academy Awards, and also a primetime Emmy award.
She had appeared on Forbes’ list of the most influential people at times and is also one of the most powerful women in the world.
She is also considered one of the richest actresses in the world with an estimated net worth of $400 million.
Apart from her highly successful acting career, Reese also owns multiple successful business ventures. One of the most notable businesses she runs is a production house named Type A Films.
In 2012, she merged her company with Make Movies by Bruna Papandrea. The banner came to be known as Pacific Standard. In 2016, Reese gained complete control of the production house as she parted ways with Bruna.
She also owns a clothing line under the name Draper James. Reese says that the name was inspired by her grandparents, who were her greatest inspiration. The store opened an online outlet before opening a shop in Tennessee. In 2007, Reese entered her first endorsement deal with Avon products, a famous brand for its cosmetics, skincare, and beauty products.
3. Ashton Kutcher
Ashton Kutcher is a successful actor who has won many awards over the course of his career. He got his start in Hollywood when he played Michael Kelso on the sitcom The 70s Show. He is the winner of awards like “Young Artist,” “Critics Choice,” “Screen Actors Guild,” and so on. Even though he started out through television shows, Kutcher has also been part of some hit movies too.
Apart from his acting career, Ashton Kutcher makes a considerable profit from his business venture, A-Grade Investments. It was in 2010 that Ashton founded the venture capital firm with two more partners, Guy Oseary and Ron Burkle.
The company has its headquarters in Los Angeles. While starting the company, the trio focused on investing in tech startups. The company, which was estimated to have a net worth of $30 million, is now valued at $250 million.
The investments they made in companies like Uber and Airbnb are credited for the sudden surge in their value, and their early calculations are appreciated by venture capitalists all over the world.
He is also the owner of Sound Ventures, which is a fund. He revealed the plan to raise a third fund for $1590 million. Reports claim there are sound 60 companies that Ashton Kutcher has investments in.
2. Jessica Alba
The actress Jessica Marie Alba became a notable figure when she was just 19 years old. She rose to popularity through the television series Dark Angel and also received a Golden Globe nomination at such an early stage in her career. Jessica became part of some of the iconic movies of Hollywood like the Fantastic Four and The Spy Kids. She is also often regarded as one of the most beautiful women in the world.
The Honest Company is a consumer goods company that was founded by the actress in 2011. Just like her acting career, her business venture also reached great heights. As per the reports available The Honest Company which concentrates on goods that use a minimal amount of harmful chemicals in their products generated around $319 million in sales in the year 2021.
As of 2022, the company owned by Alba is valued at $550 million, which makes it clear that the company is more than successful.
In 2015, Jessica decided to expand the limits of her company and launched the Honest Beauty line as a separate entity but still functioned under the same website and logo as The Honest Company.
The company was also well received by the customers and by 2019, she launched a European line for the company.
1. Drake
Aubrey Drake Graham, the Canadian singer, and rapper, is one of the most prominent figures who have popularized singing and R&B sensibilities in hip hop. Drake is regarded as one of the world’s best-selling musicians, having sold over 170 million albums.Drake is considered one of the best-selling music artists in the world, with over 170 million albums sold. He has also had many hit numbers that have tapped different charts. Drake is also a very influential figure in hip-hop music and has brought up many new stars to the field.
One of Drake’s major business ventures is his record label, OVO Sounds. He started the label along with two other business partners. OVO Sounds are currently distributed by Warner. Bros Records.
The OVO was further expanded into a fashion line, managed by the original three members. The fashion line included premium clothes, accessories, and also home goods, and the company was reported to be doing well in terms of business.
As a result of his collaboration with Brent Hocking, Drake is also a part of Virginia Black, which is an American whiskey brand.
Conclusion
It is obvious that there are many celebrities like the ones on this list, who gracefully manage their career and also their additional business ventures. This list only included 10 of the most successful ones. In contrast to the celebrities who ruin their career, wealth, and fame, celebrities like the ones on the list are a source of inspiration for many, in managing and being the best in their respective field and also in giving back to society for the greater good.
