What Entrepreneurs Can Learn From Kim Kardashian [FoxNews]

Kim’s detractors call her a talentless phony. They accuse her of being a self-centered publicity hound. They say she’s only famous because of a sex tape and a larger than life derriere, of which she seems to have zero problem showing to the universe. They put her at the center of what’s wrong with America.

But as I see it, she’s actually the opposite. Kardashian is what’s right with America. She is smart. She is savvy. She is hardworking. And she is very, very entrepreneurial. So instead of hating her, why not learn? This is a business woman who has the same characteristics that make up every successful entrepreneur I know.

Contrary to those that think that running a small business is all about “passion” and “changing the world,” the most successful entrepreneurs I know simply have a passion for making money. This is not something that’s taught. Kardashian caught the bug early.

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But that’s only the beginning. Kardashian has a chain of clothing stores. She has a string of endorsement deals (some successful, some not…welcome to entrepreneurship) for products ranging from diet pills to nail polish to debit cards. She charges hefty fees for speaking appearances. And of course there’s the mobile app. Is she exploiting her famous name? Darned right she is. And why not. This is what entrepreneurs do. They profit from opportunities. Her fame, her brand, her style, her attitude…that’s her product. This is why she has 42 million Twitter followers, and counting. There is a huge audience of people who she entertains. This is not because of a sex tape. It’s because she’s a driven entrepreneur who’s providing a service to her customers.

She’s also smart enough to realize that she wouldn’t be so successful without others helping her. Every product endorsement and every deal – from her DASH stores to the mobile app – involves a commercial partner. She’s smart enough to know what she doesn’t know. She’s not a retailing guru or a mobile app developer. She licenses her name to companies and lets them do what they do best. Yet, she stays deeply involved in her projects because she’s also smart enough to know that any failure from these ventures will reflect poorly on her, and her brand.

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So stop judging. And learn. Why did Kendall and Kylie’s mobile app earn $3.5 million so far? They deserve credit.  But the real credit goes to their older step-sister. It’s Kim that drives it all. A successful entrepreneur doesn’t have to make excuses for what she does. The Kim Kardashian brand provides a release, enjoyment, entertainment and fun for millions. And, like the founders of Facebook and the makers of Star Wars, she profits.  Good for her.

Curated from What Entrepreneurs Can Learn From Kim Kardashian [FoxNews]

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