Bethenny Frankel wasn’t the first reality TV star, but she has used the platform to grow her business and brand better than anyone this side of Donald Trump. In addition to starring on The Real Housewives of New York City and Bethenny Ever After, Frankel has hosted a talk show, written four best-selling books, and founded the Skinnygirl line of cocktails, which she sold to Fortune Brands in 2011.
A savvy entrepreneur, Frankel kept the rights to the Skinnygirl name and is expanding it into a number of other product lines, including snacks, appliances, condiments, apparel, and sweeteners.
Check out the interview to hear how Frankel turned reality TV into serious business, and how she’s dealing with her success and the balancing act of being a parent, businesswoman, and celebrity.
“I’m still very much a working woman,” Frankel tells me in the latest episode of Fortune Unfiltered. “It’s not really about the money. It’s the accomplishment.”
Frankel’s fans love her for her frank, no-holds-barred style, and she definitely delivers in our most “unfiltered” episode yet.