Hot Models Turned Entrepreneurs: Famous Faces Who Built Business Empires

Models on billboards and magazine covers always look like they have the world at their feet—but what happens when the cameras stop? Some of the most stunning faces in the fashion world have quietly put their beauty to work as savvy business minds. It’s wild to realize just how many models now command boardrooms instead of runways. Their faces might make people look twice, but it’s their hustle and guts that keep them winning. You know what’s truly impressive? Their ability to spot gaps in the market and charge straight into new industries, building brands that sometimes even outshine their modeling careers. These are the stories of models who swapped stilettos for startups—and how you can learn from their journeys.

Beauty Meets Brains: The Rise of Model Entrepreneurs

Runways are unforgiving. Careers can be short. That’s what makes entrepreneurship so attractive to models—control over your brand, your paycheck, and your future. Tyra Banks is a legend for more than her smize. She parlayed her modeling fame into a TV empire and the Tyra Beauty brand, proving that big-picture thinking matters as much as bone structure. She didn’t stop with a lipstick line: Tyra earned a Harvard Business School certificate, then launched ModelLand, a part-theme park, part-cultural experience about modeling and self-love. She’s shown that reinvention is a skill, not just a phase.

Iman, famous for her striking beauty and solid catwalk reputation, built Iman Cosmetics long before diversity became a buzzword. Back in 1994, very few beauty brands targeted women of color—Iman filled that void. The company soared, eventually making over $25 million annually, which proved how a model’s real power lies in understanding her audience. Karlie Kloss took another path. She always had that math-nerdy side, so she created Kode With Klossy to teach coding to girls. Karlie didn’t just leverage her image—she used her platform to drive social impact, securing millions in grants and turning her initiative into a movement embraced by Google and Apple.

Female models aren’t the only moguls. Baptiste Giabiconi, a French heartthrob and muse to Karl Lagerfeld, pivoted from posing for Chanel to investing in tech startups and the French food industry. He bought and revived old brands, applying his fashion flair to everything from restaurants to digital platforms. Male or female, the story is the same: the modeling world can be ruthless, but it teaches resilience and networking—skills that translate directly to entrepreneurship.

If you need hard numbers, check out this table showing how much some of these model-founded brands rake in:

What ties these stories together? Fierce self-promotion, learning on the go, and never being afraid to ask, “What’s next?” Models often work crazy hours, hustle for every gig, and deal with tough competition—all real-world training for running a business. This kind of grind sets the foundation for building something bigger than themselves.

From Catwalks to Conference Rooms: Lessons from the Top

Take notes from what these entrepreneurs did right. First, the best model-turned-entrepreneurs picked problems they deeply understood. Iman’s frustration with makeup options for women with darker skin paved the way for her business. Miranda Kerr leaned into wellness, capitalizing on her healthy lifestyle image to launch KORA Organics—a beauty brand that emphasizes clean ingredients and integrity. She got KORA stocked in Sephora and expanded its reach globally, riding a wave of demand for clean beauty long before it became mainstream.

Second, the best didn’t shy away from risk. Tyra Banks could have played it safe, continuing as a TV host, but she put her own money into launching ModelLand and Tyra Beauty. This risk paid off, opening new revenue streams and letting her control her own narrative. The Kode With Klossy program carried its own risks—imagine a supermodel hosting coding camps in a male-dominated tech field. But Karlie Kloss carved a niche, building both a social movement and a brand that got support from big tech players. The lesson? Risks can push your brand from good to unforgettable.

Third, and this is crucial: maintaining authenticity. These models never pretended to have it all figured out at the start. Instead, they used their social media to document failures, pivots, and personal insights. Fans follow supermodels for tips on skin care routines and style, but they stick around to watch their hero go through ups and downs. This authenticity creates loyal customers.

The collaboration game is another powerful lesson. Gisele Bündchen reportedly co-designed sandals and luggage with eco-conscious brands, bringing her massive audience with her. When you’ve walked for Victoria’s Secret and Chanel, you understand exactly how to create products people obsess over. Partnerships expand business faster than any PR agency can.

Not every path is smooth. Christy Turlington kicked off the Every Mother Counts charity after facing a life-threatening complication during childbirth. Her advocacy changed health outcomes for thousands of women. For models, entrepreneurship sometimes means building for the public good, not just private profits.

Some solid advice? Build a network early, don’t bank everything on your looks, and listen constantly. Fashion models at the top of their game know how trends shift. They sense opportunity fast, whether it’s athleisure wear, vegan beauty, or tech startups. Your brand doesn’t have to be about makeup or clothes—these entrepreneurs prove you can make a mark in any industry if you bring the same discipline.

Crucial Skills Models Bring to Business

Think models just twirl for the camera? That’s step one. Navigating photo shoots, tricky markets, and egotistical agents gives you thick skin and better social radar than most MBAs. Time management’s huge—models stick to grueling schedules, meet deadlines while flying across time zones, and keep themselves in top shape year-round. These habits transfer directly to meetings, launches, and tough times in business.

Here’s the magic sauce: models understand personal branding better than anyone. They build and protect images that influence everything from casting calls to multimillion-dollar endorsement deals. This know-how transfers directly when it’s time to launch a product or business. Take Emily Ratajkowski, who created her swimwear brand Inamorata by sharing her authentic beach style straight to Instagram, skipping the old school marketing route. Now her company does brisk business all year.

Communication is another high-value skill. If you spend years navigating interviews and spotlights, you learn to deliver sharp elevator pitches and negotiate with everyone from advertising agencies to investors. Look at Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, who leveraged her following and insight into the beauty industry to co-found Rose Inc., an editorial and e-commerce site for beauty lovers. She’s front and center in brand storytelling, a major reason for the company’s success. The runway might have a set script, but the business world loves original voices.

Here’s a tip if you’re thinking about the leap: don’t wait for permission. Most successful entrepreneurs didn’t study business—they learned by doing and failing and doing it better the next time. Use your audience as a test group. If fans love that new t-shirt design or skincare hack, build on it. Social listening isn’t optional anymore—it’s the main game. You don’t need a giant team, either. Many model entrepreneurs start brands from a laptop at home, focusing on online sales to keep costs low and agility high.

The models who go furthest in business rarely go it alone. They learn early to hire smart people for finances, branding, and logistics, but keep the creative vision locked down. Collaboration is king—whether it’s finding a tech-savvy co-founder, a PR genius, or a factory with ethical standards. When you’re used to working with stylists, photographers, and casting directors, it’s a smooth transition to building a support squad for your new venture.

What’s Next: The Future of Models as Entrepreneurs

The old stereotype—models are just pretty faces—gets shattered more every year. Now, the fashion world’s elite aren’t just launching makeup or swimsuit lines. They’re venturing into tech, sustainability, wellness, even virtual reality. Check out Anja Rubik, who threw herself into climate activism and co-founded a multimedia platform, or Lily Cole’s social apps and documentary projects aimed at changing the world.

Crypto’s drawn the attention of models like Lily Cole, who’s invested in eco-friendly blockchain businesses. The metaverse, with digital avatars and NFTs, is a playground for model-creators. With a massive reach, they are shaping trends and selling direct to fans—no middleman or agency required. If you keep an eye on the next couple of years, you’ll see more models acquiring stakes in startups, acting as serious investors, and knitting together influence across fashion, tech, and entertainment. Being entrepreneurial is the new mark of success for anyone in the modeling world.

If you want to follow in these footsteps, here are actionable steps:

• Spot a problem you understand better than most—start there
• Leverage your following—ask for feedback, test new ideas
• Don’t mind small beginnings—many empires started with a side hustle
• Invest in learning: take online courses, shadow other entrepreneurs, network hard
• Be open with mistakes—let people see the messy parts, not just the highlights
• Build sustainable, honest brands—today’s consumers spot fake fast
• Keep adapting; trends in business move even faster than the fashion week schedule

The truth? You don’t have to be six-foot-tall or photogenic to run with this crowd. Borrow their discipline, vision, and fearlessness. Apply these lessons to whatever you’re building—and you’ll be joining the ranks of hot models who became successful entrepreneurs, with or without a runway debut.