Kylie Jenner Makes Forbes Richest Self-Made Women List, On Her Way To Being The Youngest Billionaire Ever
Kylie Jenner is officially a billionaire. The youngest member of the Kardashian-Jenner clan is also the youngest on the Forbes Richest List.
The Kult Of Kylie
The makeup mogul lands on their list of America's Richest Self-Made Women, also gracing the cover of the accompanying magazine. The 20-year-old entrepreneur has built her own empire estimated to be worth upwards of $900 million.
To put that into context, her big sister, and the most famous Kardashian, Kim Kardashian West is only worth about $350 million.
The Instagram queen explained, in an interview with Forbes, that social media takes much of the credit for her spectacular rise.
"Social media is an amazing platform. I have such easy access to my fans and my customers," she said.
Kylie Cosmetics launched with the infamous Lip Kits just three years ago. In that time, the company which Jenner owns 100 percent of, has amassed a whopping $800 million in value. Thanks to minuscule overheads and marketing, those considerable profits all go directly to Jenner herself.
This, combined with her Puma deal, the hit reality show Keeping up with the Kardashians, spinoff series Life of Kylie, and a variety of other endorsement deals means that $900 million is likely a conservative figure. Jenner is probably worth more.
In fact, she's on track to be the youngest billionaire ever, male or female. Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg became a billionaire at 23, while Snapchat's Evan Spiegel also became one in his early twenties.
Finding Her Niche
Jenner was 10 when KUWTK first began. She admitted to Forbes that she initially found it difficult to carve out her own identity outside of the show.
"I struggled for a minute with finding something to do on my own. ... Ever since I was in sixth grade, I would wear purple eye shadow. I turned to makeup to help me feel more confident," she explained of her decision to turn her passion into a business.
Impressively, the then-businesswoman in training put up her own money to get Kylie Cosmetics off the ground. Jenner didn't want to dilute her vision by getting anybody else involved.
She debuted her Lip Kits in 2015, before relaunching as Kylie Cosmetics the following year. By the end of 2016, about 50 different products were being sold to generate a revenue north of $300 million.
Jenner plans to work on the company forever, but she would consider passing it on to baby daughter Stormi if she was interested.
The Definition Of Self-Made
Although Forbes considers the reality star and makeup mogul completely self-made, the Internet doesn't quite agree.
"That much money, access, and media attention -- could she ever have failed? Has she ever worked a day behind a desk for that company of hers? Money isn't everything. Show us better role models," wrote one Twitter user.
Another pointed to the considerable leg up Jenner has been given purely by being born a member of the Kardashian Jenner clan, meaning she never truly started from the bottom.
Others, however, argued that Jenner has still managed to turn an Instagram following into a marketable business, which is commendable even with the start she got in life.
Forbes, for their part, defined self-made as somebody who didn't inherit their fortune but made it by virtue of their own talents and skills. Using this reading, Jenner certainly qualifies, though Stormi, should she inherit the business at a later stage, may not.
