It’s easy for entrepreneurs or anyone really to roll their eyes at the recent press surrounding Kylie Jenner’s designation as a “self-made billionaire.”
Few people doubt that Kylie worked hard for where she is now considering most people don’t have such a tremendous head start in terms of money, connections, and built-in social recognition.
Well, there’s nothing to gain by brushing her off, so why not look closer and take a lesson from what she does well.
Here are the 7 lessons we can learn from Queen Kylie.
1. Do What You Love
Kylie is a young, ultra-famous reality star and model, so it’s no surprise she chose to launch a cosmetics line of her own.
In doing so, she creates products she’s truly invested in, which helps her continue to innovate.
We should all be so lucky to find a moneymaker so closely tied to our interests. As, she once said, “ If you enjoy doing this and you’ll never quit working.”
2. Differentiate Yourself
It’s easy to confuse the Kardashians so Kylie had to do something to stand out.
She could have mimicked her sisters’ already famous style and behaviour, but she chose instead to own and magnify the qualities that make her different.
Today she’s known for her unique style, her ever-changing hair, and of course those infamous lips.
3. Find Motivation in Your Critics
As young Kylie moved into the spotlight, the internet had a field day trash-talking the up-and-coming Kardashian sibling and her wild lips.
Now some people would do anything in their power to downplay the feature causing so much hubbub, but Kylie went the opposite way, launching her lip kits.
In doing so, Kylie silenced her critics by developing one of the most talked about products in the beauty industry. In the words of her brother-in-law: take this, haters.
4. Focus on Your Core Competencies
At 21 years old, Kylie doesn’t yet have the experience to oversee every arena of her business, and she’s smart enough to know that.
She is the brand — that is her core competency. So how does she handle the rest?
Simple: She outsources everything else, from manufacturing and finance to packaging and fulfilment.
5. Surround Yourself with People you Trust
Kylie Cosmetics, which Forbes values at $800 million, employs just seven people full time.
Sure, this helps keep costs down, but keeping a lean organization also ensures that Kylie knows and trusts every person on her team.
And it’s not just an internal thing. Kylie and her ever-present manager, her mom Kris Jenner evaluate options for each vendor or partner they choose, all to ensure trusted, best-in-class service from start to finish.
Be thorough and relentless as you evaluate everything from potential employees to partners to technology solutions.
When you trust your people, you can let go of the little things and concentrate on the big picture.
6. Use Your Connections
Kylie’s no dummy. When you come from a famous family, you use them to sell your stuff.
Her website is chock-full of collaborations, and her social channels are much the same.
Most of us don’t come from a famous family with kaboodles of connections but think about the ones you do have.
Who can help you perfect your business plan, product, or service? Which friends are influencers who can help magnify your brand?
7. Get Socially Active
If there’s one thing the Jenner-Kardashian crew knows, it’s the power of social media.
Kylie’s social accounts are one of the most followed in the world with more than 112 million followers on Instagram alone.
Since her target audience is predominantly young women, it’s not surprising that Instagram is where she markets her products.
Meet your customers where they are, right? Why would she invest in sales people or stores — she’s got free advertising and a captive audience.
Most people today use some form of social media; that means your business has to as well. A social strategy is necessary to build community, drive awareness, and engage.
