You don’t have to watch Bravo to know Lisa Vanderpump.
Sure, the Bravolebrity debuted as the “Real Housewife of Beverly Hills” in 2010 and spent nine seasons “wearing the crown,” but she’s also a longtime restaurateur who owns and operates five restaurants including two in Las Vegas ( Vanderpump Cocktail Garden and Vanderpump à Paris) and SUR Restaurant and Lounge in West Hollywood — the inspiration for “Vanderpump Rules,” which premiered in 2013 and is still in production (currently airing its 11th season).
She also co-owns TomTom Restaurant and Bar and last month opened Wolf by Vanderpump in Lake Tahoe, which she says is more “curated” and “tailored” with a menu created and changed for each season. And this summer she will open Pinky’s by Vanderpump, a 7,000-square-foot Art Deco restaurant in the iconic Flamingo Hotel on the Las Vegas Strip.
In addition to restaurants, Vanderpump was also founded the Vanderpump Dog Foundation and the Vanderpump Wines and Vanderpump Vodka beverage brands, all contributing to a massive Vanderpump empire.
“I just have a lot going on,” Vanderpump says Entrepreneur. “You know, it’s exciting for me, I’m happier this way.”
And then there is the Villa. Although the British native has lived in Los Angeles for decades, her latest show, “Vanderpump Villa,” which is set to premiere on Hulu on April 1, takes viewers (and Vanderpump) to France, where the cameras pan as the staff of the exclusive and luxurious Chateau Rosabelle, which Vanderpump and her team created in the famous French chateau St Joseph for three weeks, for work (and fun) in the middle of the French countryside.
Vanderpump says the show is “definitely complicated” because it brings together a dozen young people who live and work together with guests who control for their stay.
“It’s a beautiful show and it’s an immersive experience,” says Vanderpump. “It’s been a lot of fun, it’s a bit of escapism.”
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However, immersive escapism is the bread and butter of all Vanderpump-backed ventures: Walk into one of her restaurants and you’ll feel like you’ve been transported to another land of fantasy and magic, or as Vanderpump calls it, “wickedness “. .”
For example, Vanderpump à Paris in Las Vegas, which was just voted the 11th most photographed restaurant in the United States by Yelp users, is located next to the slot machines at Caesar’s Palace, but once inside you’re transported to the streets of France with umbrella chandeliers, marble countertops and lush velvet finishes.
“People don’t pay enough attention to the environment — lighting is key,” he said.
Vanderpump says she doesn’t have an assistant and is “hands-on with everything” in her projects.
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Another key to his growth is making each place unique and at the same time making the space an extension of who he is and what he would like for his place. After all, as her “Housewives” Season 3 tagline said, life isn’t all roses and diamonds, but it should be.
“Of course, I’m a producer: I want beauty, I want excitement. I want great music, I want amazing flowers, I want big tablescapes. But I still want that in my life… It was always like this before the cameras were on” , He says. “You always have to bring your own style to something, make it your own and make it different. I don’t like corporate things. I like the feeling of unique experiences.”
But life hasn’t been all roses and gardens. Viewers saw his friendships implode on “Housewives” before he left the show, and the Covid pandemic has been “a nightmare” for Vanderpump’s business, he says.
He had to close the doors of his beloved Hollywood hotspot (and first Los Angeles restaurant) Villa Blanca in March 2020 after 12 years in business, while his cocktail garden concept, Pump, closed its doors in 2023.
For Vanderpump, being a reality star has led to a built-in customer base for her businesses, but it also comes with the added responsibility of millions of eyeballs on specialty media and the publicity that comes with her (and her employees) being under the radar. eyes of the public.
Sometimes it works to his advantage, sometimes not so much.
“The competition is so tough out there, it’s not for the faint of heart,” he said. “You have to develop a thick skin. That’s very, very important.”
However, there are some rules that Vanderpump abides by when it comes to business. First and foremost, you have to love what you do.
“I think if you’re really doing something you love, your passion for it is your motivation,” he said adding that sometimes life can be like a match… of tennis.
“If you don’t like doing something, it’s like playing tennis. If you like playing tennis, you’ll run towards that ball just because you want to hit it,” he mused. “But if you’re not motivated, you’re not enthusiastic about what you’re doing, then you don’t put the energy into it. Whereas with the things I do, I’m enthusiastic. I don’t care how long I work. I don’t care how hard I work. I will do it.”
But in the end, the important thing is to stay “focused”.
“If things go bad, you learn from it. There’s the good, the bad and the ugly, and everything, really, isn’t there,” he said. “Sometimes it’s overwhelming… If you really push through and keep going, you’ll be surprised at how much you can accomplish.”