Attorney Robert Kardashian (C) and daughter Kourtney Kardashian (R) attending Nineth Annual ‘A Time For Heroes’ E. Glaser Pediatric AIDS Association Benefit on June 7, 1998 at Ken Roberts home in Brentwood, California.
Ron Galella, Ltd. | Ron Galella Collection | Getty Images
Kourtney Kardashian has received a lot of financial advice throughout the years. But the one she keeps close to her heart is from her late father, lawyer Robert Kardashian.
It came long before her family was launched into stratospheric fame.
“The biggest thing that my dad always told us was just that money doesn’t buy happiness. He would drill that into our heads,” the entrepreneur and reality TV star told CNBC recently at the Create & Cultivate conference in San Francisco. The event aims to encourage female entrepreneurship by discussing topics such as how to raise money for your business and the importance of financial literacy.
These days the eldest of the Kardashian clan and mother of three has an estimated net worth of around $35 million, according to a report from Money.com, and boasts close to 82 million followers on Instagram.
It’s much easier to have someone negotiate on your behalf, but meeting people [in person] and negotiating yourself will always be the best.
Kourtney Kardashian
entrepreneur
Yet she’s not the wealthiest of the Kardashian empire, which is led by her mother, Kris Jenner, and includes her siblings Kim Kardashian West, Khloe Kardashian, Rob Kardashian, Kendall Jenner and Kylie Jenner. It’s Kylie Jenner who comes in at the top — in March Forbes named her the world’s youngest self-made billionaire.
While each have their own personal projects, much of the family’s fame stems from their hit E! reality TV series “Keeping up with the Kardashians,” which is currently airing its 17th season.
Kevin Mazur | Getty Images Entertainment | Getty Images
Kourtney’s latest business venture is the online health and wellness website Poosh. Before that, she and sisters Kim and Khloe ran their DASH boutique chain – and briefly created a spin-off show for its employees. DASH shuttered its doors last spring after nearly 12 years in business.
During that time, Kourtney simultaneously launched a child clothing store, Smooch, with her mother and was in business for six years before closing down in 2009.
She said she’s excited to see Poosh still evolve, even in different ways than she expected.
“I think with new business ventures, sometimes they can, you know, take a little bit [longer] to return than you expected,” Kardashian said.
“If it’s not the right thing, people have a short attention span and you [just] move on to the next,” she said.
Although the Kardashian name typically brings to mind a life of luxury and posh Calabasas mansions, Kourtney said she was required to have a job every summer growing up, including a stint as a retail associate at a Guess store on Rodeo Drive.
“Kim [Kardashian] was big on spending [her money] on clothes, so I would borrow hers and then I spent mine on traveling,” she said. “I would say that stays true to who we are today.”
She also remembers some of the earliest advice she received about handling money.
“I had this boyfriend after college, and I swear he was the one who taught me everything about credit,” Kardashian said.
“I bought my own car when I was with him.”
Her then boyfriend also encouraged her to be more conscious of her spending by giving her small increments of cash and then having her report back where and how she used it.
(L to R) : Kourtney Kardashian, Allison Statter, CEO of Blended Strategy Group
Source: Smith House Photo
Kardashian said she wants entrepreneurs to “not be afraid to try new things” and to always be authentic.
“You’re never going to get a better deal than if you negotiate yourself,” she said in her keynote address at the Create & Cultivate conference.
“It’s much easier to have someone negotiate on your behalf, but meeting people [in person] and negotiating yourself will always be the best.”
CHECK OUT: 4 of the top money lessons a CPA learned from his CPA dad via Grow with Acorns+CNBC.
Disclosure: NBCUniversal and Comcast Ventures are investors in Acorns.
