As I was getting ready to write this article I asked a few of my girlfriends what they thought of the Kardashian family. Before the name was even fully out of my mouth, just about everyone’s face twisted into a frown of either disgust or disappointment. I understand that most people are tired of reading or hearing about this infamous family, but I can’t help but feel that their skills as businesswomen are always overlooked. So here I am explaining why I for one respect all of them and most especially Kim.
I know many claim that Kim’s (and her family’s) fame came from a sex tape years ago, but looking a little deeper into their past, Kim explained that she had been working toward success since a young age. She was always starting some sort of tiny business including an eBay business selling designer fashion pieces. Even though her father helped finance her earliest entrepreneurial endeavors, he always asked for repayment with interest. He taught the girls that nothing in life was free and that they had to work hard for what they earned. The most impressive part of the Kardashian style is that they always know how to stay relevant and although it might seem annoying, it gains them a lot of media attention.
Kim’s mobile application alone has been projected to make approximately 85 million dollars this year! While her emoji application has made an estimated 1 million dollars. Love her or hate her, you cannot argue with those numbers. Kim absolutely knows how to work it. Not only does she have the apps, but she has several clothing stores, clothing lines, earns millions from endorsements, just to name a few. She knows what endorsements to pick to best represent her image and which ones to skip.
Kim is also very generous. She does her best to try to spread the wealth with her family and her staff. She keeps the Kardashian name well represented, but she is not afraid to have other (less popular) family members, including step brothers and sisters, share in the Kardashian name. Another important thing to note is how tech savvy she is. Kim knows what to post and how to post it when it comes to Instagram, Twitter, her blog, and her many other avenues of social media. Her subtle and her not-so-subtle endorsements are genius. She clearly does not let the haters stop her from doing her thing. With the social media based world that we live into today we could all learn a little something from this Kardashian sister.
Kim has been able to avoid the toxic drinking and drug epidemic that seems to affect almost every celebrity. My last and most important argument about how they earned my respect is their stance on social issues. Kim is a feminist icon that no one would have expected, and trust me I know she’s not perfect but she doesn’t apologize for her sexuality or for who she is. She has been able to overcome the overwhelming idea of slut shaming. She spoke out recently about her risqué photos explaining that she loves herself and is not about to apologize for who she is. She is more than her body and she wants women to know that they should feel that way too. And that message is something that women have been trying to overcome for ages. She said on her blog:
“I am empowered by my body, I am empowered by my sexuality. I am empowered by feeling comfortable in my own skin…. I can encourage the same empowerment for girls and women all over the world.”
She is not perfect by any means, but neither am I. I for one am not embarrassed to express my respect for this controversial family.