Polygamist Kody Brown has a lot of family members to provide for, with three wives, one ex-wife, and 18 children — so how does the Sister Wives patriarch provide for such a large family?
Sister Wives first hit TLC’s airwaves in 2010. At the time of its inception, Kody was working as a salesman before reportedly quitting to devote his time to the show. He also was listed as the head of Kody Brown Family Entertainment, alongside Meri, Janelle, Christine, and Robyn, where he managed the family’s public persona and related business deals.
In addition, Kody worked as the president of Das Hundhaus Firearms and Accessories until 2004.
Now that Sister Wives is in its 17th season, viewers are curious how Kody, Meri, Janelle, Christine, and Robyn earn a living in addition to their compensation for appearing on TLC.
It’s reported that Kody and his wives (and ex-wife) have earned 10% of each episode‘s earnings. With approximately $250,000 to $400,000 being spent per episode, that means the spouses in the Brown family receive roughly $25,000 to $40,000 per episode, equaling nearly $3 million, or $374,000 per year since they began filming for Sister Wives in 2010.
In 2012, the Brown family’s book Becoming Sister Wives: The Story of an Unconventional Marriage become a New York Times best seller, earning them some additional cash.
How do the stars of Sister Wives earn a living?
In addition to Kody’s former work as a salesman, his wives have also pitched in when it comes to adding to the family’s shared finances.
Meri owns and operates a B&B, Lizzie’s Heritage Inn, in Parowan, Utah, and is a prominent name as an independent retailer for LuLaRoe. Meri recently offered a select few super fans the opportunity to participate in her first-ever “Real Life Retreat,” where paying VIP customers dropped between $4500 and $6500 to spend a few days and nights at Lizzie’s Heritage Inn with the reality TV star, further adding to her wallet.
Janelle, always known as the most business savvy of Kody’s wives, formerly worked as a real estate agent licensed in Nevada when the family was still living in Las Vegas. These days, Kody’s second wife works as an ambassador for Plexus Worldwide, where she’s found much success, even earning herself a recent getaway to Hawaii.
Kody Brown’s wives earn income in a variety of ways
Most recently, Janelle launched a retail trade business, NTYK, LLC, in Flagstaff, Arizona, as the statutory agent, although it’s unclear what direction she’s going with the business. She’s also a certified IIN health coach with her company, Strive with Janelle.
Kody’s third bride, now ex-wife Christine Brown, also works as an ambassador for Plexus Worldwide along her BFF, Janelle. In addition, Christine, like Meri, is a brand ambassador for LuLaRoe. Earlier this year, Christine also earned herself a Sister Wives spinoff, Cooking with Just Christine, a digital cooking show on TLC.
Robyn, Kody’s fourth and only legal wife, ran the family’s online jewelry boutique, My Sister Wife’s Closet. However, it seems the company has taken a hiatus, as their website says, “We’ll be back soon! We are busy updating the store for you. Sign up for our newsletter to stay informed!” The last interaction the brand had with customers was online in 2019.
In addition to their individual work, Kody and his wives, except for Robyn, also offer Cameo videos for paying customers. A personalized video from Meri starts at $150, Kody’s start at $99, Janelle’s cost $35, and Christine charges $40.
Sister Wives airs on Sundays at 10/9c on TLC and Discovery+.