• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Jensen Huang says ‘a lot’ of six-figure jobs in plumbing and construction will soon be unlocked because someone needs to build new AI centers

2

The labor market could become so backward that the economy will have to shed jobs to keep unemployment steady

3

Millennials say they’ll refuse to care for aging boomer parents—but they’ll be forced to as their inheritance shrinks to 40 cents on the dollar

1

Jensen Huang says ‘a lot’ of six-figure jobs in plumbing and construction will soon be unlocked because someone needs to build new AI centers

2

The labor market could become so backward that the economy will have to shed jobs to keep unemployment steady

3

Millennials say they’ll refuse to care for aging boomer parents—but they’ll be forced to as their inheritance shrinks to 40 cents on the dollar
MPWMost Powerful Women

Skinnygirl’s Bethenny Frankel Has a New Venture

By
Madeline Farber
Madeline Farber
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Madeline Farber
Madeline Farber
Down Arrow Button Icon
December 8, 2016, 7:00 AM ET
Photo by Jasmine Alston
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Bethenny Frankel keeps busy.

From starring on Bravo’s The Real Housewives of New York City, to writing five best-selling books, to founding the Skinnygirl line of cocktails—Frankel, 46, has repeatedly proven herself an ambitious and savvy businesswoman.

Of course, that’s not to say that Frankel hasn’t faced adversity. Speaking at a panel discussion hosted by Dress for Success, a nonprofit that helps women achieve economic independence, she told the audience about going through a divorce from now ex-husband Jason Hoppy that put her through an “emotional crisis” that’s made her feel “depressed, sad, and alone.”

Check out our 2016 list of the Most Powerful Women in Business

But in true entrepreneurial spirit, Frankel is attempting to turn hardship into opportunity. On Wednesday, she officially launched “B Strong: Find Your Yes,” a Dress For Success partnership that will provide women experiencing a crisis—be it personal, financial, or otherwise—with what Frankel and the organization describe as “emergency assistance.”

The program is designed to help women facing an unexpected hardship, such as a divorce, health issue, or eviction, with legal counseling, mental health services, and even financial assistance. Currently, the services are free-of-charge for those who are a part of the Dress for Success’s Professional Women’s Group.

“After going through my own long, painful and torturous divorce, I was inspired to find a way to help other women in crisis find their own place of yes and strength,” said Frankel, adding that she’s excited for the partnership so “other women know they don’t ever have to be in a situation they can’t get out of on their own.”

Fortune had the chance to catch up with Frankel to talk to her about the new project, and hear more about her experiences as the founder and CEO of Skinnygirl.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarification.

Fortune: You say you started B-Strong to help other women. Has being involved in the project also been helpful for you personally?

Bethenny Frankel: I do think you have to help yourself first before you can help other people, and I’m finally coming out of what feels like hell, to be honest. I feel a little better; I feel that I’m not in this chronic sadness. I was wondering why I was having such a negative experience, and realized to help other people I need to turn the negativity into a positive. So, I just found myself asking Dress for Success to set up a charity for people who are experiencing an emotional or financial crisis. It will have life coaches, lawyers, counseling…we’ve got a good system in place.

So empowering other women is helping you heal?

Yes, and beyond. I don’t think most people can imagine it—they think, “Bethenny is so strong, she has money…” So it’s a way to tell people I’ve gone through hell, too.

What aspects of your business life are you still working to improve?

I feel like I have so much more to learn, and I fail everyday. I have coffee, I have chocolates, I have popcorn… I have all these different brands, but not all of them succeed. I don’t ever pretend to be a know-it-all, well; I do, but only in my personal life. But in my business life I don’t pretend to be a know-it-all. I love to share my failures because then I can help another businessperson not have those failures. And that’s sort of the same thing as this [B Strong]—I’m sharing my personal failures to help other women with theirs.

What type of mistakes have you made?

I make business mistakes every day. When I had my cookie business, I was spending good money after bad. Also, not having a plan. You can’t get stuck in your business plan, but you have to have one, otherwise you just spend money as you go.

You’re a high profile entrepreneur, which has effectively made you the face of Skinnygirl—are there advantages to that?

The good news is that it’s not my name, so I’m not technically the ‘face’ of the brand. Also, people think of me as Skinnygirl so you can kind of use it when you need to, but you don’t always have to be there, unlike Martha Stewart or Rachel Ray, or someone like that—It’s their name, and that can be challenging. That’s a big responsibility. For Skinnygirl, it can live on its own, but I can also be there to nurture it.

About the Author
By Madeline Farber
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in MPW

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • TikTok icon
  • YouTube icon

Latest in MPW

Most billionaires are stuck in ‘slow philanthropy.’ MacKenzie Scott gave away $26 billion and won’t stop until ‘the safe is empty’
SuccessMacKenzie Scott
Most billionaires are stuck in ‘slow philanthropy.’ MacKenzie Scott gave away $26 billion and won’t stop until ‘the safe is empty’
By Sydney LakeAugust 2, 2026
1 hour ago
Covid public plaza one person walking
North Americapublic policy
Bars, bowling alleys and movie theaters cost too much to run and visit. Americans have run out of places to hang out and we’re paying with our health
By Catherina GioinoAugust 2, 2026
2 hours ago
n
North AmericaTaxes
Gavin Newsom has been earning up to $2 million per year since 2022, records show
By Sophie Austin and The Associated PressAugust 1, 2026
22 hours ago
israel
North AmericaIsrael
Most Jewish Americans under 45 get the ick from Israel, polling shows
By Giovanna Dell'Orto and The Associated PressJuly 31, 2026
2 days ago
Meet the jet-setting fashion editor who turned a New York manicure at 23 into Nails.Inc—Despite selling for $40 million, she still wakes at 5:45 a.m.
SuccessFortune The Good Life
Meet the jet-setting fashion editor who turned a New York manicure at 23 into Nails.Inc—Despite selling for $40 million, she still wakes at 5:45 a.m.
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJuly 31, 2026
2 days ago
Elevance Health’s CEO started her career as a pro basketball player. Now she’s the highest‑ranking woman on the Global 500, leading a $199B giant
C-SuiteSports
Elevance Health’s CEO started her career as a pro basketball player. Now she’s the highest‑ranking woman on the Global 500, leading a $199B giant
By Sarah GlodekJuly 31, 2026
2 days ago

Most Popular

Jensen Huang says ‘a lot’ of six-figure jobs in plumbing and construction will soon be unlocked because someone needs to build new AI centers
Success
Jensen Huang says ‘a lot’ of six-figure jobs in plumbing and construction will soon be unlocked because someone needs to build new AI centers
By Preston ForeAugust 1, 2026
21 hours ago
The labor market could become so backward that the economy will have to shed jobs to keep unemployment steady
Economy
The labor market could become so backward that the economy will have to shed jobs to keep unemployment steady
By Jason MaAugust 1, 2026
11 hours ago
Millennials say they’ll refuse to care for aging boomer parents—but they’ll be forced to as their inheritance shrinks to 40 cents on the dollar
Personal Finance
Millennials say they’ll refuse to care for aging boomer parents—but they’ll be forced to as their inheritance shrinks to 40 cents on the dollar
By Nick LichtenbergJuly 31, 2026
2 days ago
Jensen Huang says this is the greatest time in history to start a business—and his advice is to stop overthinking it: 'How hard can it be?’
Success
Jensen Huang says this is the greatest time in history to start a business—and his advice is to stop overthinking it: 'How hard can it be?’
By Preston ForeJuly 31, 2026
2 days ago
The rise of 'conspicuous waiting': The 19th-century economic theory that explains why Gen Z posts their place in line
Retail
The rise of 'conspicuous waiting': The 19th-century economic theory that explains why Gen Z posts their place in line
By Tatiana SatauaJuly 31, 2026
2 days ago
'Retiring backwards': How cold economic reality forced Gen X into something like the reverse of baby boomers' golden years
Success
'Retiring backwards': How cold economic reality forced Gen X into something like the reverse of baby boomers' golden years
By Nick LichtenbergJuly 31, 2026
2 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.