These Women Turned Fame Into Power — And Honestly, We’re Taking Notes
Fame is strange. It comes fast for some, slow for others, and sticks around for reasons that don’t always make sense. But power—real power? That’s a different story. You have to earn it, shape it, protect it. And more often than not, you have to reinvent yourself several times along the way.
In some instances, women don’t just go with the flow—they control it. They flip it into something bigger than headlines or red carpets. They build empires, redefine industries, rewrite their own stories. Not perfectly, not always gracefully, but with enough force that you can’t ignore them.
So yeah, we’re taking notes.
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☰Rihanna: From Pop Star to Billionaire Boss
We all knew Rihanna was talented. That voice, the presence, the way she made even a simple Instagram post feel iconic. But what she’s done with Fenty? That’s something else entirely.
Launched in 2017, Fenty Beauty didn’t just enter the beauty space—it shifted it. Suddenly, inclusivity wasn’t just a buzzword; it was a baseline. Her initial launch featured 40 foundation shades. Forty. That was unheard of at the time. [Source]
But it’s not just makeup. Rihanna’s success with Savage X Fenty, her lingerie line, followed the same pattern: inclusive, bold, and unapologetically her. And in 2021, she officially became a billionaire. According to Forbes, the majority of her wealth isn’t from music, but from Fenty. [Source]
It makes you wonder: how many more women have been sitting on empires they didn’t know they could build?
Source: Vogue.
Oprah Winfrey: The Blueprint for Empire
You almost don’t want to put Oprah in the same article as anyone else, because, well—she’s Oprah. But that’s part of the point. Her name has become shorthand for influence, for reinvention, for self-made power.
She started in local news. Worked her way up. Faced racism, sexism, all of it. And somehow managed to turn a daytime talk show into a multi-platform empire. OWN. O Magazine. Harpo Productions. She didn’t just interview people—she created culture. And with her book club, she even changed the way people read.
What’s interesting about Oprah is that she doesn’t scream power. She doesn’t have to. It’s quieter, more foundational. There’s a kind of ease in how she carries it now, but you know it came at a cost. Discipline. Focus. Probably everything behind the scenes.
Honestly, she’s a masterclass in turning vulnerability into capital.
Reese Witherspoon: Producing Her Own Narrative
There was a time when Reese Witherspoon was mostly known for playing charming, slightly quirky women in rom-coms. Nothing wrong with that—Legally Blonde still holds up. But she wanted more.
So she created Hello Sunshine. A production company focused on female-led stories. Shows like Big Little Lies and The Morning Show weren’t just critical hits; they sparked conversations. And she wasn’t just acting in them. She was producing them, shaping them.
In 2021, Hello Sunshine was sold for $900 million. [Source] That number isn’t just impressive—it’s symbolic. A woman creating content about women, for women, and turning it into a legitimate, high-value business.
It kind of makes you think: what happens when more of us stop waiting for permission and start building our own platforms?
(Also, side note—if you’re trying to get more intentional about your goals or just life in general, something like a planner that was created with women in mind might help. It’s simple, customizable, and honestly feels like the kind of tool Reese might’ve used when sketching out Hello Sunshine on a random Tuesday.)
Zendaya: Power in Patience
Zendaya is 27. Let’s all take a second. She started on the Disney Channel, sure, but she didn’t rush. She took her time. And when she did make her next move, it was deliberate.
Euphoria isn’t an easy show to watch, or act in. But she’s brilliant in it. And she’s already won multiple Emmys. She’s also the youngest woman ever to win in the Lead Actress in a Drama category. Twice. [Source]
But it’s not just the accolades. It’s how she carries herself. She doesn’t over-explain. She doesn’t apologize for ambition. And she’s deeply involved in the projects she picks.
Her brand is subtle but intentional. Soft power. The kind you earn when you’re not trying to prove anything—you’re just doing the work.
Source: Getty Images.
Kim Kardashian: The Controversial Power Play
Now this one’s complicated. You can roll your eyes, or debate the origins of her fame, but you can’t ignore her power. Kim Kardashian has shaped modern celebrity more than almost anyone. The aesthetics, the branding, the social media game—she helped write the rulebook.
And she’s not just promoting other people’s brands anymore. Skims, her shapewear company, is now valued at over $4 billion. [Source]
On top of that, she’s studying law. Advocating for prison reform. Hosting high-level political discussions. Is it messy sometimes? Yes. Does it make people uncomfortable? Also yes. But maybe that’s the point.
Power, especially for women, doesn’t have to look like what we’re used to. It can be polarizing. It can wear lip gloss.
And if you’re feeling overwhelmed by life, like you’re juggling ten versions of yourself, it might help to pause. Reflect. Maybe even map it all out. A planner like this one isn’t going to fix everything, but it can give you a starting place—a way to get your head above water long enough to breathe, to think.
Final Thoughts: Redefining What Power Looks Like
Fame may have happened to these women but it isn’t everything. There’s intention in their actions. They didn’t just get lucky. They leveraged what they had, learned what they needed to, and made strategic moves.
Some did it loudly. Others quietly. Some were handed the spotlight; others clawed their way into it. But all of them made choices that changed how we think about power.
And that’s what’s worth studying. Not the glam, not the clickbait, but the decisions. The pivots. The plans.
Because power, it turns out, isn’t about being in control all the time. It’s about knowing what you want, and moving toward it—even when it’s messy, even when it’s slow.
And maybe that’s the real takeaway here.
That power isn’t something you stumble into. It’s something you build.
One page, one project, one pivot at a time.
