Even Celebrities Need A New Start Sometimes. Here's Who Made It Big In Their New Job
Behind every glittering Hollywood smile or record-breaking sports career lies the possibility of a new chapter—and some stars have flipped the script entirely. These celebrities didn’t just dip a toe into something different; they dove headfirst into new ventures, industries, and even entire professions. From music icons building billion-dollar empires to athletes taking over boardrooms, these bold moves prove that fame can be a launchpad for reinvention.
Victoria Beckham: Pop Star To Profitable Designer
Before she was a designer, Victoria Beckham was a Spice Girl selling out arenas. In 2008 she launched her luxury label; after years of investment, the brand finally turned a profit in 2022 and has kept growing, with double-digit gains and revenues of £58.8 million reported for that year. In short: Posh Spice built a bona fide fashion house.
Jessica Alba: Box Office To Baby Wipes
After blockbuster roles, Alba co-founded The Honest Company in 2012. It went public in 2021 at a valuation around $1.4–$1.6 billion, raising over $400 million. She later stepped back from day-to-day duties, but the pivot cemented her as a credible consumer-goods founder.
Rihanna: Hitmaker To Beauty Billionaire
Rihanna parlayed pop superstardom into Fenty Beauty, a 2017 joint venture with LVMH built on radical shade inclusivity. Forbes has pegged Fenty’s value in the billions and credits the brand as the core driver of her billionaire status. That’s a career switch with serious lipstick.
Ashton Kutcher: Sitcom Star To Super-Angel
Kutcher co-founded A-Grade Investments (later Sound Ventures) and turned an early $30 million pool into a portfolio once estimated at $250 million, with hits like Airbnb and Uber. He’s now better known in tech circles for term sheets than punch lines.
Ryan Reynolds: Rom-Com Lead To Deal-Maker
Reynolds didn’t just endorse Aviation American Gin—he helped grow it, then sold to Diageo in a deal worth up to $610 million. He also co-owned Mint Mobile, which T-Mobile acquired in a transaction valued up to $1.35 billion, and co-owns Wrexham AFC, lifting the club through multiple promotions. The man has range—on and off screen.
George Foreman: Heavyweight To Home-Kitchen Hero
The two-time champ earned far more from grills than jabs. Salton paid roughly $137.5 million in 1999 for perpetual rights to his name on the George Foreman Grill, part of a run that saw 100+ million units sold and Foreman’s earnings surpass $200 million. Talk about a knockout pivot.
Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, Wikimedia Commons
Dr. Dre: Producer To Hardware Powerhouse
Dre co-founded Beats, then sold Beats Music and Beats Electronics to Apple for $3 billion in 2014—Apple’s largest acquisition at the time. He and Jimmy Iovine joined Apple as part of the deal, proving a hip-hop mogul can also be a hardware closer.
Jason Persse, Wikimedia Commons
Arnold Schwarzenegger: Action Star To Governor
After Mr. Olympia titles and blockbusters, Schwarzenegger won California’s 2003 recall election and served two terms as the state’s 38th governor. From “I’ll be back” to “I hereby swear,” it’s one of Hollywood’s most audacious second acts.
Oracle Corporate Communications, Wikimedia Commons
Shaquille O’Neal: MVP To Boardroom Boss
Post-NBA, Shaq built a sprawling business portfolio. In 2019 he joined Papa John’s board, invested in restaurants, and became a brand ambassador—just one piece of a media-and-franchise empire that keeps the big man in the paint financially.
Paul Newman: Leading Man To Legendary Philanthropist
What started as a cheeky salad dressing became Newman’s Own, which donates 100% of profits. By 2022, the foundation announced more than $600 million given to good causes—a blockbuster ending that would make even Hollywood weepy.
Bernard Gotfryd, Wikimedia Commons
Kylie Jenner: Reality TV To Real-Deal Beauty Mogul
Kylie Cosmetics exploded from “lip kits” to a mega-brand. In 2019, Coty bought 51% for $600 million, valuing the company near $1.2 billion. Whether or not you love the contour, the cap table is undeniable.
Reese Witherspoon: Rom-Com Queen To Media CEO
Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine focused on female-driven stories—then sold in 2021 to Candle Media in a deal valuing the company around $900 million. America’s sweetheart turned savvy studio boss.
Mingle MediaTV, Wikimedia Commons
Michael Jordan: GOAT To Billionaire Investor
After retirement, Jordan’s equity game soared. In 2023 he sold his majority stake in the Hornets at a $3 billion valuation and joined the Forbes 400 with an estimated $3 billion net worth—the first athlete ever to do so. That’s next-level hangtime.
Kim Kardashian: From Reality Fame To A $4B Shapewear Force
Kardashian co-founded SKIMS, which hit a $4 billion valuation after a 2023 funding round. The brand’s meteoric rise shows how a savvy founder can convert cultural capital into, well, capital-capital.
Eva Rinaldi, Wikimedia Commons
David Beckham: Free-Kick Icon To Club Builder
Beckham parlayed his star power into Inter Miami co-ownership. After landing Lionel Messi in 2023, Inter Miami’s value jumped to an estimated $1.03 billion in 2024—a 72% leap year over year—and the club’s revenues surged. Footballer → football executive, unlocked.
Dwayne Johnson: People’s Champ To League Co-Owner
The Rock, with Dany Garcia and RedBird Capital, bought the XFL for about $15 million in 2020. In 2024, the XFL merged with the USFL to form the UFL, now the premier spring league—another Johnson production that actually… rocks.
Chief ArmyReserve, Wikimedia Commons
Serena Williams: Grand Slammer To VC General Partner
Serena didn’t just invest between tournaments—she built Serena Ventures, which announced an inaugural $111 million fund in 2022 to back early-stage founders (many underrepresented). From center court to cap tables, she keeps winning.
Edwin Martinez from The Bronx, Wikimedia Commons
Gwyneth Paltrow: Oscar Winner To Wellness CEO
Paltrow’s Goop grew from a newsletter into a lifestyle company that The New York Times reported was valued around $250 million in 2018. Love it or roast it, the pivot turned an actress into a brand-building lightning rod.
Andrea Raffin at http://www.andrearaffin.com, Wikimedia Commons
Vera Wang: Skater/Editor To Bridal Empress
Wang started as a competitive figure skater, then became Vogue’s youngest fashion editor before launching her own label at age 40. The move created one of the most influential bridal brands of the modern era.
Gabrielaaaag, Wikimedia Commons
Martha Stewart: Stockbroker To Lifestyle Empire
Before the cookbooks and TV shows, Stewart worked on Wall Street. She took Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia public in 1999 and, at the IPO’s peak, was hailed as America’s first self-made female billionaire—a testament to the power of building a brand from your own name.
Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, Wikimedia Commons
Which Celeb Career Shift Do You Find Most Interesting?
Let us know which of these celebrity career shifts you found most interesting. Would you have thought that Gwyneth Paltrow would become a wellness CEO, or that Nick Offerman would start his own woodworking business? Tell us in the comments below.
Montclair Film, Wikimedia Commons
You May Also Like:
The Dark Side Of Liza Minelli's Glittering Career
Movies That Were Huge Abroad, But Flopped In The U.S.
