It’s a well-known fact that some celebrities have dabbled in businesses as a means to secure their future should the glitz and glamour of the showbiz life no longer appeal to them. Some celebrities have surprised us with their business acumen. Kylie Jenner and Oprah are a given, so it would be best not to include them in the list. Here are some celebrities who have dipped their hands in the world of entrepreneurship. Read on and let these celebrities inspire you to start your empire.
Bono
Bono may be known for his iconic glasses and his success with U2, but he is also making a name in the business world. Bono helped co-found the private equity firm Elevation Partners in 2004. The company has been significant in funding several media and technology startups. To date, the company has more than $1 billion USD in value of shares on Facebook. The company has also made significant investments in other tech startups.
George Clooney
It pays to live alongside neighbors who share your passion. George Clooney, together with Rander Gerber (Cindy Crawford’s husband), partnered to bring to the world ther fantastic Casamigos Tequila. The two men met with a master distiller to create a perfect blend to fill 1,000 bottles of their tequila annually. They finally decided to share it with the world and make it their legitimate business in 2013. To date, the tequila has won several awards and was even Oprah’s favorite.
Nasir “Nas” Jones
Nas the rapper may have paused making music for a while, but this does not mean that he is not keeping himself busy. Nas and his QueensBridge Venture Partners (QBVP) have successfully funded several notable startups such as Lyft and Dropbox, with a total valuation of $15.5 billion USD. And it seems that Nas is not stopping anytime soon, as his partner shared with CNBC that their venture capital firm aims to back at least 20 startups each year. Aside from his VC work, Nas also has a successful clothing line, HSTRY.
WiIl Ferrell
Will Ferrell may be a funny guy on screen, but he is serious about his business. And, unsurprisingly, his company is a funny business. Ferrell serves as the founder of Funny or Die. This online site serves as a host of exclusive funny videos of celebrities such as John Hamm, Charlize Theron, and Judd Apatow, among others. The site also accepts user-generated content.
Kevin Costner
Kevin Costner may be famous for his blockbuster film, the Bodyguard, with the late Whitney Houston, but he is also pretty business-minded. Costner is now the owner of Ocean Therapy Solutions, the company he bought from the U.S. government for $24 million USD in 1995. Costner aimed to create a machine that could efficiently separate oil from water.
Gloria Estefan and Emilio Estefan
Gloria Estefan and her husband are not only rock stars in the music industry. The duo has also been quite successful in their business dealings. The couple has several restaurants in Florida. Believe it or not, they also have hotels, which helped liven up the economy of Florida’s South Beach area. They also own a share in Miami Dolphins, currently valued at $2.76 billion USD.
These celebrities have made good decisions at investing their money in other ventures, possibly as a way to prepare for their exit from show business. Part of their success can be attributed to taking care of their employees, especially when it comes to workers’ compensation. These celebrities are perfect examples of how money handling and preparing for the future is an effective way of preventing the plunge into debt
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