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

Trendingnow

1

The Pentagon said Iran War costs $29 billion, but the real cost is closer to $200 billion—and counting

2

Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic

3

After forcing workers back to the office, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase are now letting their staff work remotely—but only for the World Cup

1

The Pentagon said Iran War costs $29 billion, but the real cost is closer to $200 billion—and counting

2

Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic

3

After forcing workers back to the office, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase are now letting their staff work remotely—but only for the World Cup
MPW

The Most Valuable Business Lessons We Can All Learn From the Kardashians

By
Mahita Gajanan
Mahita Gajanan
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Mahita Gajanan
Mahita Gajanan
Down Arrow Button Icon
October 18, 2017, 9:05 AM ET
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

The Kardashian family is everywhere. With multiple television shows, clothing and cosmetic lines, digital products, games, emojis, well-timed pregnancies and so much more, the family has established itself as an example of good brand management — no matter how much you might make fun of them. From Kim Kardashian’s social media savvy to Kris Jenner’s impeccable sense of what works on reality TV, the Kardashian’s show that capitalizing on a massive presence results in success.

Branding expert Nick Nanton, who runs the agency DNA, says the biggest mistake people trying to follow the Kardashian model can make is trying to be just like the family. But entrepreneurs can learn a lot from the ways the Kardashian-Jenner family uses their strong branding to prop each other up, he says.

“They’ve been very smart about using synergy to help each other. That’s what good businesses do, too,” Nanton said.

Check out what business lessons you can learn from the Kardashian family below:

Kim Kardashian: Embrace new platforms early

With 103 million Instagram followers and 56.1 million Twitter followers, Kim Kardashian is known for her early adoption of social media to engage with people. It’s not just that she has a huge following — it’s the way she talks to her fans while simultaneously promoting her always-growing brand. From prompting fans to send her Kimojis on Twitter to detailing her makeup routine on Instagram and her app, Kim’s savvy social media skills show how connecting with fans makes business sense.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BYID5Kfl1EP/?hl=en&taken-by=kimkardashian

The bulk of Kim Kardashian’s success comes from her openness with fans, according to Nanton.

“It’s been proven over and over again that you can go directly to your audience without any filter in between,” Nanton says. “If you’re talented at that, you can clearly build quite a valuable empire.”

Kylie Jenner: Leverage your following to sell your product

A similar openness carries over to Kim’s youngest sister, Kylie Jenner.

The youngest of the Kardashian-Jenner clan, Jenner has built her makeup line Kylie Cosmetics into a $420 million empire in just 18 months, CNBC reports.

Jenner, who became the youngest celebrity to be named on the 2017 Forbes 30 Under 30 celebrities list with earnings of $41 million in the last year, told Fast Company in May that she doesn’t pay for advertisements to promote Kylie Cosmetics. Taking a page out of her older sister Kim’s book, Jenner said, “Social media is the only way I push it.” Using Snapchat and Instagram, Jenner has turned her makeup line into a multimillion-dollar venture.

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/BTCPlcWlX4t/

Anyone with a large enough following can easily figure out how Jenner has done it just by looking through her social media feeds, Nanton says.

“They literally post to show the breadcrumb trail of what to do. Add your own voice,” he said.

Kris Jenner: Everything is business

What lesson can’t we learn from Kris Jenner? The Kardashian-Jenner matriarch has skillfully brought her entire family to prominence through TV by turning all potential scandals into opportunity and cashing in on that success. Jenner is great at seeing an opening — a reality TV show about her family’s daily life, for example — and following through to make sure it happens.

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/BaIIL3TFHIQ/?hl=en&taken-by=krisjenner

If her kids are the “pro athletes,” Jenner is a natural “coach,” Nanton says. His advice to entrepreneurs: Get yourself a Kris Jenner who will look out for the big picture stuff.

“She’s a visionary when it comes to seeing opportunities for her family members,” he said.

Khloe Kardashian: Challenge industry standards

Khloe Kardashian has addressed a market need that had long been ignored with the launch of Good American, a denim line that runs sizes from 0 to 24.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BVaIv5HF6lU/?hl=en&taken-by=khloekardashian

Good American is inclusive of sizes that mainstream brands commonly leave out, opening up possibilities for previously excluded plus-size women and uncovering a new market. According to Nanton, it’s a smart move, especially as society has grown to make people be “more accepting of people’s differences.”

About the Author
By Mahita Gajanan
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
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in MPW

‘We are in agony’: Today Show host Savannah Guthrie begs public for help as reports surface her missing 84-year-old mom might be dead
North AmericaMedia
‘We are in agony’: Today Show host Savannah Guthrie begs public for help as reports surface her missing 84-year-old mom might be dead
By The Associated PressJune 24, 2026
9 hours ago
rp
CommentaryLaw
Cooley CEO: Big Law won’t survive if it treats AI as just an efficiency tool
By Rachel ProffittJune 23, 2026
2 days ago
astronaut
Commentaryspace
NASA just named an all-male crew for ‘Artemis III’: what’s a woman to do?
By Savanah F.S. Bray, PhDJune 22, 2026
3 days ago
gg
PoliticsElections
‘People are tired of hearing what government can’t do’: Democratic Socialists surge nationwide
By Matt Brown and The Associated PressJune 20, 2026
5 days ago
With the exits of Apple’s Tim Cook and Dow’s Jim Fitterling, the Fortune 500 is losing two groundbreaking gay CEOs—leaving just one 
C-SuiteLeadership
With the exits of Apple’s Tim Cook and Dow’s Jim Fitterling, the Fortune 500 is losing two groundbreaking gay CEOs—leaving just one 
By Phil WahbaJune 20, 2026
5 days ago
Exclusive: Azzi Fudd joins Project B, the international league chasing a billion-dollar opportunity in global basketball
MPWSports
Exclusive: Azzi Fudd joins Project B, the international league chasing a billion-dollar opportunity in global basketball
By Emma HinchliffeJune 19, 2026
6 days ago

Most Popular

The Pentagon said Iran War costs $29 billion, but the real cost is closer to $200 billion—and counting
Economy
The Pentagon said Iran War costs $29 billion, but the real cost is closer to $200 billion—and counting
By Jacqueline MunisJune 24, 2026
24 hours ago
Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic
Success
Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJune 24, 2026
24 hours ago
After forcing workers back to the office, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase are now letting their staff work remotely—but only for the World Cup
Success
After forcing workers back to the office, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase are now letting their staff work remotely—but only for the World Cup
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJune 23, 2026
2 days ago
Amazon's record Prime Day masks a darker truth: Americans are spending more and getting less
Retail
Amazon's record Prime Day masks a darker truth: Americans are spending more and getting less
By Nick LichtenbergJune 24, 2026
16 hours ago
Ray Dalio just finished a 10-day trip to China. He says global leaders know America ‘doesn’t have what it takes to fight to maintain its empire’
Asia
Ray Dalio just finished a 10-day trip to China. He says global leaders know America ‘doesn’t have what it takes to fight to maintain its empire’
By Nick LichtenbergJune 24, 2026
17 hours ago
Current price of gold as of June 23, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of gold as of June 23, 2026
By Danny BakstJune 23, 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.