Reality television icon and business mogul Kim Kardashian has shared a surprising and humble origin story, detailing the severe financial hurdles she faced before achieving global fame and building her billion-dollar empire.
The Dash Days: A Boutique Built on One Credit Card
In a revealing new MasterClass session, Kim Kardashian reflected on the challenging early days of Dash, the clothing boutique she launched with her sisters Kourtney and Khloe Kardashian in 2006. Far from the glamorous life they now lead, the sisters' entrepreneurial start was fraught with monetary issues.
Kim disclosed that both she and Khloe had "lousy credit" scores at the time, which were so poor that their applications for credit cards were routinely rejected. This financial roadblock left them with limited options to fund their new venture.
Kourtney's Lifeline: The Sole Approved Card
The solution to their funding crisis came from an unexpected source: their sister Kourtney. "We were able to get a credit card solely in Kourtney's name because she had the best credit," Kim explained. This single card became the financial lifeline for their entire business operation.
They used Kourtney Kardashian's credit card to purchase all the initial inventory for the Dash store. Furthermore, their unreliable credit history meant vendors would not extend them payment terms. Consequently, the Kardashian sisters were forced to pay for all their supplies upfront, straining their limited cash flow even more.
Financial Strain and Minimum Payments
The financial pressures did not end with stocking the store. Kim admitted that they frequently struggled to pay their bills on time. "We would pay just the minimum every month… we just didn't have the money," she confessed, highlighting the precarious nature of their early business finances.
Even securing the physical space for Dash was a challenge. The store's lease was only possible because the sisters had inherited a small amount of money from their late father, Robert Kardashian. This inheritance provided the crucial capital needed for a deposit and other startup costs that their credit could not cover.
This candid revelation from Kim Kardashian paints a starkly different picture from her current status as a billionaire. It serves as a powerful reminder that many successful entrepreneurs, even those born into relative privilege, often face significant and very ordinary financial obstacles at the beginning of their journeys.
