1. Kathy Ireland- $1.5 billion
Our #1 mogul found her modelling career by following the same route of success as the other 9 models turned moguls. The same story of the small town girl discovered and quickly featured in
Sports Illustrated. After being featured in the famous Sports
Illustrated Swimsuit Issue for 13 consecutive years, Kathy Ireleand was tied into the same circles as Cindy Crawford and Christie Brinkley as the first gang of "Super Models." Unlike many of the successful models mentioned in this slideshow, Kathy's modelling career was short lived. She turned down modelling opportunities and an offer to be a series regular on
Baywatch. Instead she took her name, branded it, and quickly turned her career into a billion dollar empire.
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Turn From Model to Mogul: Kathy became involved in retail by released a sock line for K-Mart. The line became a best seller, and she soon began designing her own clothing line for K-Mart. After her work in design, Kathy founded kiWW (Kathy Ireland Worldwide), a brand marketing company turned which evolved into a billion dollar conglomerate. She even shares her secret to beauty with fitness videos that she released in line with athletic apparel and fitness equipment. Forbes named Ireland, "the prototype for model-turned-mogul." Nowadays, Kathy prefers to be called "Mom," and she has written six books, 3 of which are children's books. She has strong Christian beliefs and her philanthropic ventures include her work as a founding ambassador for the Dream Foundation.
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