Kim Kardashian has embraced her role as a “momager” earlier than she anticipated, thanks to her daughter North West’s burgeoning career in the entertainment industry. During a recent episode of The Kardashians, Kim revealed that North, now 11 years old, is already seizing opportunities in the spotlight, including a standout performance as Simba in The Lion King Live at the Hollywood Bowl. While Kim admitted she hadn’t planned on taking on the momager role for another decade, she also made it clear that she’s not following in the footsteps of her own mother, Kris Jenner, when it comes to one key aspect: the cut she takes from her children’s deals. “But, guess what? This momager is not taking 10 percent,” Kim declared during a call with her sister Khloé Kardashian, signaling a departure from her mother’s famously lucrative management style.
Kris Jenner, the 69-year-old matriarch of the Kardashian-Jenner family, has long been known for taking a 10 percent commission from all her children’s business ventures. This practice began early in her career as a momager, when she negotiated the family’s first reality show, Keeping Up With the Kardashians, which ultimately catapulted her six children—Kim, Khloé, Kourtney, Rob, Kendall, and Kylie—into superstardom. Over the years, Kris’s role as manager has been both hands-on and highly profitable. In 2017, she secured a $150 million TV deal for the family, extending their E! show for five more seasons, and later negotiated a nine-figure deal when the series moved to Hulu. According to Business Insider, Kris takes 10 percent of all her children’s earnings, including revenue from products, TV shows, and other gigs. As of 2022, her net worth was estimated to be $200 million, a testament to her shrewd business acumen and her ability to build a media empire around her family.
While Kim hasn’t explicitly stated whether she’ll take a smaller cut or no cut at all from North’s future deals, it’s clear that her approach to motherhood and business is being shaped by her own ambitions and priorities. At 44, Kim is not only a devoted mother of four but also one of the most successful entrepreneurs in the world. With an estimated net worth of $1.7 billion, she is the richest member of her family and continues to expand her empire, which includes her shapewear line, Skims, and other ventures. On a recent episode of The Kardashians, Kim shared that she still feels she has “about 10 years left of work” that she wants to do, emphasizing her desire to remain a prominent figure in her own right. “I still want to be me,” she said, reflecting a sense of identity beyond her role as a mother. However, she also acknowledged that her daughter’s growing schedule is requiring her to balance her career with her responsibilities as a parent, stating that “every day” North is “busy doing something” is a day that Kim “can’t work” because she wants to be “right there” for her daughter.
North West’s journey into the spotlight is just beginning, but she’s already showing signs of following in the footsteps of her parents, both of whom are cultural icons. In addition to her role in The Lion King Live, North has also explored her creative side through music, collaborating with her father, Kanye West. In a December 2023 interview with i-D magazine, North expressed her aspirations to one day take over her parents’ companies, declaring, “One day I want to own Yeezy and Skims, and I want to be a business owner.” These ambitions, though spoken by a pre-teen, suggest that North is growing up with a keen awareness of her family’s legacy and a desire to carve out her own path within it. For now, however, she’s content to learn and grow under the guidance of her mother, who is determined to support her daughter’s endeavors while also prioritizing her own goals.
As Kim navigates this new chapter in her life, she’s striving to strike a balance between being a hands-on momager and maintaining her own identity as a woman and a professional. While she’s not adopting Kris’s exact approach to management, she’s undoubtedly drawing on the lessons she’s learned from her mother about building a brand and fostering success. At the same time, Kim is charting her own course, driven by her passion for her work and her desire to leave a lasting impact. Her ability to juggle these roles—mom, manager, and mogul—underscores her resilience and adaptability, qualities that have been key to her success over the years.
Looking ahead, the Kardashian-Jenner family’s future remains bright, with each member forging their own path in the public eye. For Kim and North, this journey is particularly meaningful, as they navigate the complexities of fame, family, and ambition together. While Kim may not be taking a 10 percent cut from her daughter’s deals, she’s investing something far more valuable—her time, love, and wisdom—in shaping North’s future. As the next generation of the Kardashian-Jenner clan begins to make its mark, one thing is certain: the family’s legacy of hard work, creativity, and entrepreneurial spirit is in good hands.
