Bethenny Frankel is worth millions, but that wasn’t always the case. The TV personality and businesswoman had limited money when she began her reality TV career. She even accepted her role on The Real Housewives of New York for next to nothing. That was a strategic move, insisted the SkinnyGirl founder. She once revealed why she agreed to film the entire first season of the iconic Bravo show for $7,250. Frankel accepted the low salary for the exposure the network was offering. The gamble paid off.

Bethenny Frankel accepted the ‘RHONY’ gig as a ‘stepping stone’ despite the low salary

Bethenny Frankel has been open about why she originally agreed to join The Real Housewives of New York City back in 2008. At the time, she was a struggling natural foods chef trying to grow her career and brand. While she had limited time, she had even more limited money. Bravo’s original offer for her time wasn’t going to do much to help financially, at least not in the immediate future. Still, Frankel saw the opportunity.

A few years back, Frankel appeared on the Tamron Hall Show and discussed her first Bravo check. While she made just over $7,000, she said she agreed to do the show for the platform she’d receive. She said, “I wasn’t looking at the money … you can’t always look at the money, you have to look at the big picture, the other opportunities, you have to look at the whole board, not just the pieces.”

Frankel did take advantage of the platform, using her notoriety to launch her SkinnyGirl brand. In 2011, she sold the brand for an estimated $100 million. According to People, Frankel maintains control of the broader brand. Bravo didn’t make a dime from SkinnyGirl’s launch. According to several sources, Bravo later added a clause to the housewives’ contracts stating that the network receives a cut from any business venture mentioned on the series.

How much did the reality star make by the end of her tenure?

While Bethenny Frankel agreed to work for a super low salary during her first season of The Real Housewives of New York City, she made much more money by the time she exited the show. Frankel has never revealed what her final Bravo paycheck looked like. She did recently admit her contract was pretty “cushy,” though.

During a chat with Us Weekly, she admitted that she returned to The Real Housewives of New York City in Season 7 because Bravo agreed to all her demands, including her pay rate, the number of hours she was willing to film, and the time she could arrive at shoots. When she walked away after season 11, it was because Bravo refused to meet her new demands. It’s unclear exactly what those demands were. Bravo has never disclosed the salaries of each housewife. The contracts are negotiated individually. Some housewives earn more than others, based on their notoriety and tenure with the network.