Fame and fortune go hand in hand but not all celebrities make it all the way to ten figures. It takes a business sense, timing, and the ability to see opportunities where others don’t to make billions. Some celebrities have exactly that and they’ve managed to turn their fame into real empires.

In this article, we look at four celebrities who have reached billionaire status and built lasting wealth at the same time they were in the spotlight.

Jay-Z

Shawn Corey Carter a.k.a. Jay-Z started in the streets of Brooklyn’s Marcy Projects selling CDs out of his car. Once his music career took off, he used it to co-found Roc-A-Fella Records, which turned him into one of the biggest names in the music industry.

However, he didn’t stop there. Jay-Z soon started branching into fashion, liquor, sports, and tech, which made him the business mogul he is today. He launched Rocawear which quickly became one of the most recognizable clothing brands of the early 2000s. Later he bought stakes in Armand de Brignac and D’USSÉ cognac.

Among other ventures, he also launched Roc Nation which manages some of the biggest names in music and sports.

His marriage to pop superstar Beyoncé turned them into one of the world’s most iconic power couples of the modern era.

Jay-Z is also a fan of poker and has been seen at private games with celebrities and entrepreneurs. Through his company Roc Nation, Carter is now actively bidding for one of the coveted NYC casino licenses.

This comes at a time when online casinos are on the rise and brick-and-mortar ones aren’t as popular as they used to be. Sites like Coin Poker Australia are attracting large numbers of players due to extra convenience and crypto payments. So, it might take a big name like Jay-Z to breathe new life into the traditional casino experience.

Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift’s journey from a teenage country singer to celebrity billionaire is more than just a Love Story — it’s a real lesson in devotion, branding, and knowing your worth. She started playing guitar and writing her own songs at the age of 12 and by the time she was 15, she signed her first record deal.

It didn’t take long for Taylor to become a real pop star and her hits like “You Belong with Me” have left a huge mark on the late 2000s. Her sound kept evolving and at the same time, her fan base kept growing.

The way she stood up for herself when her master recordings were sold without her consent, she took the matter into her own hands and started re-recording her old albums and releasing what’s known as “Taylor’s Version”. The way she handled the entire situation became a symbol of standing up for your rights and taking back control.

Then came the Eras Tour which sold more than $2 billion worth of tickets and made millions in merchandise. Taylor made it to the Forbes annual billionaires list in 2024, thanks to the tour, her royalties, catalogue, and real estate.

Just the fact that when you say “Taylor”, everyone knows exactly who you’re talking about shows how embedded she is in pop culture, not just as an artist, but as a brand.

LeBron James

No conversation about the greatest basketball player of all time can go without a mention of LeBron James. From the moment he entered the NBA in 2003, it was obvious that James would have a lasting impact on the league. Over the course of the next two decades came MVP titles, NBA championships, and Olympic medals.

Once he retires from the league, he’ll go down as one of the best players to have ever stepped on the basketball court. But at the same time he was playing in the world’s biggest basketball league, LeBron was also building his empire. In 2022, he became the first active NBA player to reach billionaire status.

He has made over $600 million from his NBA salary alone and even more from sponsorship deals. LeBron signed with Nike while he was still in high school and that partnership later turned into a lifetime endorsement deal which alone is worth $1 billion.

James also invested early in Blaze Pizza, which eventually became one of the fastest-rising fast food chains in the U.S. He also co-founded the SpringHill Company — a media production firm that has worked with major brands, such as Netflix and Apple.

LeBron’s interest in sports goes beyond basketball and he currently owns stakes in Liverpool F.C. and the Boston Red Sox.

Another part of his legacy is what he’s doing for his hometown in Akron, Ohio. Through his I PROMISE program, LeBron launched a public school for at-risk kids who need extra support.

Oprah Winfrey

Another name on our list is Oprah Winfrey — one of the biggest TV personalities of all time. She earned her fame through the legendary The Oprah Winfrey Show, which ran for 25 years and set new standards when it comes to talk shows.

She connected with her audience in ways that few other TV personalities could. Her audience listened to every recommendation she made and watched every second of her show, regardless of who was sitting across from her.

However, she did much more than just host the show. Oprah owned it through Harpo Productions, which allowed her to control the rights and revenue, something that wasn’t that common in daytime television.

With her name having become a true brand, Oprah went on to publish books, launch magazines and produce films. She also started her own cable network called “OWN” and made a smart investment in WeightWatchers.

Over the years, she grew her real estate portfolio and signed some major deals, including the one with Apple TV+. She first became a billionaire in 2003 and her current net worth is believed to be at around $3 billion.

Over the course of her career, Oprah has donated more than $400 million to higher education, both in the U.S. and abroad.