Bethenny Frankel Net Worth (Money & Salary)

What Is Bethenny Frankel’s Net Worth?

With a net worth of $80 million, Bethenny Frankel is a notable American entrepreneur and reality television star. She gained immense popularity as one of the original cast members of “The Real Housewives of New York City,” where her outspoken personality and quick humor distinguished her from others in reality television, quickly earning her a following of devoted fans. Additionally, Frankel is recognized as a shrewd entrepreneur beyond her television fame.

Frankel has accrued considerable wealth through various business endeavors outside of reality TV. The lion’s share of her fortune stems from the sale of her Skinnygirl cocktail brand. Initially launching with low-calorie cocktails, the Skinnygirl brand has since broadened its offerings to include an array of products, spanning from snacks to clothing. The brand’s success culminated in its acquisition by Beam Global in 2011 for about $100 million, while Frankel kept rights to the Skinnygirl name in specific product categories.

In the past few years, she has enjoyed significant success as a home renovator and flipper, a YouTuber, the author of four self-help books, and the host of multiple podcasts. As we will outline shortly, she also gained a considerable seven-figure profit from an astute early investment in Cameo, a celebrity greeting app.

Cameo Investment

In 2019, Bethenny was invited to join the celebrity greeting application Cameo, agreeing to participate on the condition that she would receive equity in the business. Recognizing Bethenny’s potential to be a key asset in drawing other reality stars (specifically “Housewives”), Cameo accepted her terms.

By 2021, as the COVID pandemic led to a surge in Cameo’s popularity, the company successfully raised $100 million at a valuation of $1 billion. Anticipating that the app had reached its popularity zenith, Bethenny opted to sell her shares during this funding round, reportedly earning a “seven figure” payout from the transaction.

Early Life

Bethenny Frankel was born on November 4, 1970, in New York City to Robert J. Frankel, a horse trainer, and Bernadette Birk, an interior designer. After her father departed when she was only four, her mother remarried John Parisella, another horse trainer, when Bethenny was five. Her upbringing was marked by instability, as Frankel frequently moved and switched schools, ultimately leading her to boarding school. She graduated from Pine Crest School in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, then attended the Natural Gourmet Institute in NYC and Boston University for two years, ultimately earning her degree in psychology and communications from New York University.

Career Beginnings

Aiming to pursue acting, Frankel relocated to Los Angeles in 1992. While taking on minor acting roles, she also worked as a nanny for Paris Hilton and as a personal assistant to Jerry and Linda Bruckheimer, leveraging those connections to establish her first venture – an event-planning business named In Any Event – though this business was short-lived.

Reality Shows

In 2003, Frankel launched BethennyBakes, which specialized in ‘healthy’ baked goods and meal deliveries in New York City. In 2005, the enterprise gained exposure by being featured on the reality competition series “The Apprentice: Martha Stewart,” where she accomplished the feat of advancing to the finals. Although her company closed in 2006, her participation on the show marked the commencement of her journey in reality television.

In 2008, Bethenny was chosen as part of the cast for

The reality show “The Real Housewives of New York City” featured her prominently. After departing the series in September 2010 for personal reasons, she made her return to “Real Housewives” in 2014, marking a comeback after a three-season hiatus. Once again, she exited the show in August 2019, expressing a wish to concentrate on her personal life.

In the Bravo reality show “Bethenny Getting Married?,” she appeared alongside her then-partner Jason Hoppy, showcasing their engagement, marriage, and the arrival of their daughter. Following negotiations that began in 2011 for her to host her own show, she successfully launched “The Bethenny Show,” which premiered on September 9, 2013. Unfortunately, it was short-lived and was canceled on February 14, 2014. In 2021, her new venture, “The Big Shot with Bethenny,” made its debut. Over the years, she has also guest-starred on “Shark Tank,” “Bar Rescue,” and “Beat Bobby Flay.”

Skinnygirl Earnings

The majority of her net worth was generated through her role as the founder and CEO of Skinnygirl Cocktails. Her brand has also introduced a variety of books and DVDs, including titles such as “Naturally Thin: Unleash Your SkinnyGirl and Free Yourself from a Lifetime of Dieting” (2009), “The SkinnyGirl Dish: Easy Recipes for Your Naturally Thin Life” (2009), “A Place of Yes: 10 Rules for Getting Everything You Want Out of Life” (2011), the novel “Skinnydipping” (2012), “Skinnygirl Solutions: Simple Ideas, Extraordinary Results” (2014), “Cookie Meets Peanut” (2014), “Skinnygirl Cocktails: 100 Fabulous and Flirty Cocktail Recipes and Party Foods for Any Occasion, Without the Guilt” (2014), and “I Suck at Relationships So You Don’t Have To: 10 Rules for Not Screwing Up Your Happily Ever After” (2016).

Nevertheless, the significant profit came when Bethenny sold her alcoholic drink brand to Beam Global of Fortune Brands in 2011 (which is now part of Suntory). Initial reports suggested that Frankel’s Skinnygirl drink brand was acquired for $120 million.

Upon further examination of Beam Global’s SEC filings, the actual worth of the transaction was revealed to be at least $39 million, potentially reaching $64 million. Beam set aside $25 million in performance-based incentives for Frankel related to the brand’s future outcomes. A notable setback in sales arose in August 2011 when Skinnygirl was removed from Whole Foods shelves due to a controversy over the use of preservatives, even though it is marketed as being free of preservatives. An extensive review of her Skinnygirl deal was conducted by CelebrityNetWorth in the article: How Much Money Did Bethenny Frankel Make Selling Skinnygirl Cocktails?

Among the other products she has introduced under the Skinnygirl name is the Skinnygirl Market Fresh Deli, a range of pre-packaged lunch meats recognized by the American Heart Association for having reduced levels of sodium and fat.

Personal Life

In 1996, Frankel married entertainment executive Peter Sussman, but they divorced the following year in 1997. She later married pharmaceutical sales executive Jason Hoppy, which was featured on the show “Bethenny Getting Married?” They got hitched in March 2010, separated in December 2012, and by January 2013, Frankel filed for divorce from Hoppy. A custody agreement was reached in June 2014, followed by a financial settlement in July 2016. Their divorce was finalized in January 2021, with one daughter from the marriage.

In 2021, Bethenny got engaged to film producer Paul Bernon, but they parted ways in 2024.

In 2022, she took legal action against TikTok over alleged ads that misused her likeness.

Real Estate

Throughout the years, Bethenny has made several impressive real estate transactions in New York City, Greenwich, Connecticut, and the Hamptons. Below are highlights of her notable purchases and sales:

In 2011, she acquired a loft in NYC’s Tribeca for $4.995 million. Reports indicated that she invested approximately $500,000 in renovations. In 2016, she listed the property for $6.95 million and remarkably found a buyer in just ONE DAY at the asking price.

In 2013, Frankel purchased a home in Bridgehampton for $2 million and later acquired the adjacent property for $650,000. In September 2024, she listed the combined 1.4-acre lot for $6 million.

In 2014, she bought a two-bedroom condo on Mercer Street for $4.2 million, undertaking significant renovations. Despite an attempt to sell it in 2016 for $5.25 million, she ultimately accepted $3.65 million in 2020.

In 2017, Frankel purchased a second property in the Hamptons for $2 million, later selling it in 2020 for $2.3 million.

That same year, Bethenny acquired a four-bedroom condo in SoHo for $4.2 million and completed a full renovation. She listed this condo for sale in December 2021 for just under $7 million. View a video tour of the condo here:

In 2019, she bought a property in Boston’s Back Bay, aiming to be closer to her then-fiancé, Paul Bernon.

In 2020, she paid $2.1 million for a property in Greenwich, Connecticut, later selling it for $3.3 million mid-year. Additionally, she spent $1.8 million on another Greenwich home, selling it a year later for $3.5 million after completing major renovations.

At the start of 2021, Bethenny purchased a mansion in Greenwich for $4.5 million.

In October 2023, she acquired a home in Southampton for $5.45 million.