Bethenny Frankel is opening up about just how lucrative influencer marketing has become.
During a recent appearance on Emma Grede’s “Aspire” podcast, the former “Real Housewives of New York City” star revealed that she now earns roughly $20 million per year from brand deals and influencer partnerships.
Frankel admitted the number can sound astronomical to many people, but said the influencer industry has completely changed the way brands market products to consumers.
“I don’t feel guilty,” Frankel said during the conversation while discussing her income and business success. “It’s tens of millions of dollars,” she admitted.
The reality star and entrepreneur explained that many people still underestimate what influencers actually do behind the scenes.
“I have never put the number out there until today,” Frankel confessed. “I’m not that comfortable with it just because it’ll make people mad at me.”
Bethenny Frankel Says Influencer Marketing Is Bigger Than Ever
Frankel explained that modern influencer partnerships often go far beyond a single Instagram post, with many campaigns involving long-term strategy, creative direction, product integration, and audience targeting.
She also shared that she turns down opportunities that don’t align with her personal brand or products she genuinely uses.
“I’m not going to jeopardize what we’re discussing together and the products that I’ve truthfully loved and endorsed of theirs because I truly love them, which is how we got here.”
Frankel also revealed the trust factor that comes along between herself and brands.
“I’m very trusted, and partners come to me for their marketing budgets. Like, multibillion-dollar companies come to me to figure out how they’re going to spend,” Frankel shared.
The interview quickly sparked conversation online, with many fans shocked by the amount Frankel said she earns annually through endorsements and sponsorships.
Others pointed out that Frankel has spent years building her personal brand into a business empire that extends far beyond reality television.
Frankel has become especially influential on TikTok in recent years, where her brutally honest beauty reviews, luxury fashion commentary, and product breakdowns frequently go viral.
Her unfiltered style has helped her stand out in an increasingly crowded influencer space, particularly as audiences continue shifting away from traditional advertising.
Frankel Built Her Business Empire After RHONY
Frankel first rose to fame when “The Real Housewives of New York City” premiered in 2008.
During her time on Bravo, she launched Skinnygirl Cocktails, which eventually became one of the biggest celebrity business success stories in reality TV history.
Since leaving the show in 2019, Frankel has expanded into podcasts, digital media, philanthropy, beauty content, and social media-driven business ventures.
She has also become increasingly vocal about entrepreneurship, money, and financial independence — topics many celebrities avoid discussing publicly.
Frankel acknowledged during the podcast that conversations about wealth can make people uncomfortable, especially when influencer culture is still viewed skeptically by some audiences.
Still, she argued that the creator economy is only continuing to grow.
Her comments arrive as influencer marketing continues becoming one of the most powerful forces in entertainment, fashion, beauty, and consumer advertising.
