Simone I. Smith may be married to hip-hop legend LL Cool J, but she has built her own business and identity.
Smith, who has been married to LL Cool J for more than three decades, recently wrote about her jewelry company in Business Insider and how it gave her a sense of purpose beyond her roles as a celebrity wife and mother.
A Successful Business Of Her Own
The Queens native said the idea began when her husband was approached about launching a jewelry brand. Although LL Cool J, 58, ultimately decided he was too busy to pursue the project, he recognized how excited Smith, also 58, was about designing jewelry and encouraged her to explore the opportunity herself.
“I wanted to bless women with the best hoop earrings on the planet. I can’t leave the house without my hoops. They’re my superpower. I wanted women, from the boardroom to the block, to experience the confidence I feel when I wear my hoops,” she said.
Smith co-founded Simone I. Smith Jewelry in 2011, eventually expanding beyond hoops into bangles, necklaces, and men’s jewelry.
While the co-founder does not appear to have been publicly identified, the company’s exact annual revenue has not been officially disclosed. Estimates place its annual revenue at under $5 million. Simone I. Smith jewelry typically ranges from $50 to $950 for standard pieces (such as signature sterling silver and gold-plated hoop earrings), though special fine jewelry collaborations and solid gold luxury designs can extend up to $5,000. Besides the company’s website, consumers can also buy the pieces at Macy’s.
In 2004, Smith was diagnosed with stage III chondrosarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer affecting her leg. After undergoing a lengthy surgery and rehabilitation, she is now cancer-free. Her experience inspired the brand’s signature lollipop pendant, which became a symbol of hope.
“I always knew that I wanted to do something to help and I feel very blessed to be able to do so.”
Through her jewelry business, Smith partnered with the American Cancer Society, donating a portion of proceeds to support the fight against cancer.
According to Smith, her entrepreneurial spirit was influenced by her grandmother, Anne Hayes Pyle, who worked as a private nurse and side hustled as a caterer for events while helping raise her grandchildren.
Smith’s business journey has also included a partnership with longtime friend Mary J. Blige. The two launched Sister Love in 2018, a jewelry line they say is inspired by their friendship and designed around strength, style, and sisterhood. Individual items generally retailing between $199 and $350.
“We support each other in everything we do and in the ways we help each other grow from our individual strengths personally and professionally,” Smith told people.
“I feel a great deal of pride in my roles as a wife and mother and now, with three jewelry lines, I feel even more fulfilled. Along with cultivating my philanthropic efforts, I want to continue to create quality, fashion-forward products and represent for all the ladies around the world who love accessories as much as I do.”
Smith has an estimated net worth of $10 million; LL Cool J, has an estimated net worth of $120 million, with his wealth coming from music, acting, television, and business ventures.