Top 10 Celebs Who Built Multi-Million Dollar Empires

The Rock rose to fame during the late ‘90s, when he became one of the most prolific wrestlers of all time. He then moved on to acting, which proved wildly successful for him. Alongside this, he’s also become a successful businessman. In 2020, he founded Teremana Tequila, which became a highly lucrative endeavor. It’s worth around $3.5 billion, and made over 600,000 sales in one year. He’s also co-owner of the XFL, a football league which has since merged with the USFL, becoming the UFL. Not only this, but he also co-founded ZOA energy drinks, which believes in giving everyone access to “Big Dwayne Energy”.

His public image might make you assume Snoop Dogg is too laidback for much entrepreneurship, but that’s far from the truth. One of the Doggfather’s most successful ventures has been Cali By Snoop, a wine company that produces all three types of wine. He and Dr. Dre also partnered to found a gin company, aptly named “Gin & Juice”. He also launched a cereal brand, “Snoop Cereal”. A more conventional business idea of Snoop’s was Snazzle Os, THC-infused onion rings. Obviously, he’s also dipped his fingers into the cannabis industry, owning Snoop-branded rolling papers and such.

Not only is he one of the most recognizable soccer players in history, but he’s also one of the most business-savvy. He currently owns Inter Miami CF, a team notable for signing famous players like Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez. Beckham also partly owns Salford City Football Club, although his American team is more successful. Alongside this, he and his wife Victoria have been highly sought after by dozens of companies. Partnerships with fragrance companies have been particularly lucrative, as well as collaborations with brands like Adidas. He also earned a fortune from letting EA Sports include him in “FIFA 21”.

Witherspoon is one of America’s richest women, a feat she achieved not with her acting, but with a keen eye for business. Her first venture was founding production company Type A Films, launching back in 2000. The focus was on films for women, with “Legally Blonde” being their first major movie. In 2012, Type A Films was merged with Bruna Papandrea’s company, becoming Pacific Standard. Papandrea left in 2016, giving Witherspoon complete control. Not long after, she founded Hello Sunshine, her most successful business, which has been responsible for a plethora of films and shows that place emphasis on women. In 2021, Witherspoon struck gold, selling part of the company for $900 million.

The definitive Deadpool has had a strong acting career, which has made him a household name across the globe. Outside of acting, he owns multiple businesses. Reynolds founded Maximum Effort Productions in 2018, and got involved in the gin industry during the same year. The latter proved extremely lucrative, since he sold the company, Aviation American Gin, for $600 million. Another sizable paycheck came from selling his Mint Mobile shares to T-Mobile, a $1.35 billion deal. Potentially his most fascinating venture was buying Wrexham AFC with Rob McElhenney. They’re a fairly niche Welsh football club, but Reynolds is motivated to bring them fame and acclaim.

Swift is easily one of the most famous humans alive right now. Her music career is extremely successful, and is how she acquired most of her wealth. It’s not just her music, but also her entrepreneurship. Unlike other entries, Swift doesn’t use her fame to push brands like a tequila company. Instead, she is the brand herself. For example, she became the cover girl for NatureLuxe, and also has a long-term partnership with Diet Coke and Keds shoes. Additionally, real estate makes up a significant portion of her wealth, since she owns approximately $90 million worth of properties.

Jay-Z currently holds the title of the world’s richest musician, despite not releasing an album since 2017. Unlike Taylor Swift, he rarely performs, and achieved his wealth almost entirely from being a savvy businessman. His empire is too big to summarise entirely, so it would be easier to list the industries Jay-Z isn’t involved in. He founded Rocawear in 1999, and sold it in 2007 for $204 million. Jay-Z was also president of Def Jam Recordings for two years, where he would sign Rihanna. In 2019, he became hip-hop's first-ever billionaire, a well-earned title.

Dre was a giant of classic hip-hop, making a name for himself as N.W.A.’s primary producer. His solo album “The Chronic” propelled him even further into stardom. Numerous rap careers were launched by him, including those of Eminem, Snoop Dogg and 50 Cent. If it wasn’t for him, hip-hop music may have taken a wildly different trajectory, and wouldn’t at all be what it is today. Outside of music, his most recognizable brand was Beats by Dre, an audio equipment company. The brand proved to be extremely lucrative, eventually being bought by Apple in 2014 for an incredible $3 billion.

In the 2000s, Rihanna quickly became a global R&B superstar, but she didn’t stop there. She used her fame to become a billionaire. In the early 2010s, she made a fortune selling fragrances. In 2017, she launched Fenty Beauty, a makeup brand with a focus on inclusivity. This was wildly successful, inspiring her to found Savage X Fenty, a lingerie brand that brought her even more wealth. In 2019, she launched Fenty clothing, making her the first Black woman to own a luxury fashion house under LVMH. Despite only lasting two years, she made history. Alongside this, she’s collaborated with various brands like Kodak and Puma. She’s mastered multiple industries in her career, making her far more than just a singer.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

From Her Kitchen, She Founded Wellness Brand Goop, Now Worth Millions

The Ex-Teen Idol Now Owns the Cruelty-Free Makeup Company Rare Beauty

Clothing Brand Skims & Other Businesses Made Kim Kardashian a Billionaire

Her Children’s Food Brand Earns $100 Million Annually

Alba’s The Honest Company Was Worth $550 Million In 2022

Once upon a time, Oprah was the only Black billionaire alive. She originally came from poverty, being raised by a single teenage mother in Mississippi. This makes her story deeply inspiring. At 19 years old, she became not only the youngest news anchor, but also the first Black female news anchor. Her world-famous TV show started shortly after, and lasted 25 years. By 32, she was a millionaire, with the rights to her show and even a production company. This was Harpo Productions, which also co-owns the Oprah Winfrey Network with Warner Bros. Decades into her career, she remains a global brand, and we’ve barely even scratched the surface of her monumental empire.



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