(This post originally appeared on Inc.)
People who know me also know that I’ve always been a big fan of the Kardashians. I started watching their show – Keeping Up With The Kardashians – years ago because I had no choice. My wife and daughter always seemed to have it on and I got sucked in. Now, we look forward to Sunday nights when the show airs and I can’t wait until the next season to…well…catch up.
I like the Kardashians because they’re fun. They’re interesting. They’re unpredictable. They’re attractive. Their lifestyle is fascinating. Their family dynamic is intriguing. But above all, I love watching the way they run their family business. The Kardashians – particularly mom Kris and sister Kim – are great entrepreneurs.
Take the most recent news: Kylie is pregnant. I would be very upset if this were my daughter. She’s only 20. She’s not married. It seems a little rushed to me. But she insists that this is no accident and that she really wants to be a mother. She’s happy. So if that’s the case then I’m on Team Kylie. Good for her – she’s old enough to make her decisions. Is this a “bad” influence on other girls her age who look up to her? Maybe, maybe not. But, like Kylie, they’re also old enough to make those decisions too. That’s another debate for another time.
Now that Kylie – not to mention her sisters Kim and Khloe – are all coincidentally pregnant at the same time, there are reports of a Kardashian maternity clothing line. Love it! There are also rumors that the whole pregnancy thing is designed to promote the new season opener for KUWTK, which has been in a ratings decline. Love that too! Being a fan and admirer of this entrepreneurial family I don’t doubt any of this. This is a family that knows how to make money. I love them for this.
Who else could turn a sex-tape from ten years ago into a billion-dollar organization? Who else could create a worldwide recognized brand around doing…well…nothing? The Kardashians not only have a hugely successful TV show, but a profitable clothing store chain as well as a popular line of accessories and cosmetics. They get paid hefty fees to appear at events and promote products on their massively-followed social media channels. Even Kim’s mobile app makes millions a year.
They are risk takers.
As entrepreneurs, the entire family isn’t afraid of taking risks. Kim was robbed at gunpoint last year because of her fame. Kylie has admitted to emotional challenges she’s had dealing with her popularity. Her sister Kendall- a hard-working model who leveraged her name into a successful career – underwent national abuse for a misbegotten Pepsi ad earlier this year. All of the family members endure endless attacks and shame in the media. Roasting the Kardashians, to many, is its own sport. I’m sure they care – no one likes to be ridiculed or threatened. But successful entrepreneurs who have built organizations that employ people and create wealth – from Bill Gates to Mark Zuckerberg – have all risked their reputations and have endured attacks from critics because of what they do and how they do it. But they keep doing it.
They are money driven.
And what reasons do the Kardashians, as entrepreneurs, have for doing all this? The same as every other successful entrepreneur I know: money. They’re not doing anything illegal. Some people choose to sell tires or start-up tech companies. They choose to share their lives with the world and then turn that into apps and clothing. Good for them. Who are we to judge how someone makes their livelihood? Are they any worse for society than the grocery store owner selling sugary drinks or the restauranteur offering fatty foods? But taking risks and having a money-making mentality isn’t all that makes up a great entrepreneur. It’s also about knowing your audience. And in this, the Kardashians also excel.
They know their audience.
I admit that I – a middle aged man – am not their primary demographic. The millions who follow each of the sisters are primarily women aged anywhere from 15-55+ years old. Older women (like my wife) enjoy watching their lifestyle, how they spend their money, where they go on vacation, what Kris is wearing. Younger women admire the sisters because they’re confident, independent, smart women who know what they want and are proud of their individualistic beauty. They are not shy of who they are and their message to their audience is that they shouldn’t be either.
And their audience responds. They buy their clothes and cosmetics. They download their apps. They flock to their appearances. They tweet and message and like and follow. Is there any doubt that their potential line of maternity clothing won’t be a massive hit? How many young women want to look like Kylie or Kim or Khloe – even when they’re pregnant? Time and time again the Kardashians tap into the nerve of their audience. They set new styles and suggest new ideas. They are trend setters and I have no reason to doubt that they, like their mom, will continue to be even as they get older.
So hate all you want but just accept the fact that the Kardashians are simply great entrepreneurs.
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