What Does Kody Brown Do for a Living — Aside From His 'Sister Wives' Salary?

Fans of TLC's Sister Wives know that Kody Brown and his four three two one wife have to hustle hard to keep their family afloat. Before Christine decided to leave Kody, it was mostly Meri, Janelle, Christine, and Robyn who brought in money to support their lifestyle. However, with Robyn now the only remaining wife (Meri and Janelle also left Kody), people are wondering what Kody does for a living to ensure the bills get paid.

Although their reality series reportedly brings in nearly $400,000 a year, that sum doesn't go too far after taxes and when you consider there are so many mouths in the house to feed. (They have a combined 18 children, although many of them have reached adulthood.)

Previously, Kody was the president of Das Hundhaus Firearms and Accessories, which was based in Sandy, Utah, until 2004, per E! News.

In March 2022, a Redditor posted photos of Kody at a gun show in Tulsa, Okla. A YouTuber offered more insight into what Kody was selling. According to her, he was specifically wheeling and dealing a firearm accessory — a Strike Rail for the AR-15.

Someone on Reddit explained Kody's job as a sort of "gun MLM." They wrote, "He is an authorized dealer for the companies that mass produce these modifications. The biggest difference is there is no pyramid scheme to it. You buy in bulk and sell to make your portion. Just like any retail store."

Although in the premiere of the show, Kody was pretty vague about his employment history, he intimated that he used to work in internet ad sales. But according to Radar, he was actually earning $4,000 a month as a salesman at a sign shop.

However, once his family was approached for Sister Wives in 2010, he quit his job to focus on building his family's brand. That led Kody to pen a book called Becoming Sister Wives: The Story of an Unconventional Marriage along with his four wives in 2012.

The New York Times bestselling book, which has amassed 4 stars on Amazon and garnered over 1,900 reviews, reveals how this polygamist family makes their relationship work. It explores "the love and faith that drew them together, the pluses and pitfalls of having sister wives, and the practical and emotional complications of a lifestyle viewed by many with distrust, prejudice, even fear," per the book's description.

Today, Kody's net worth is estimated to be $800,000, according to Celebrity Net Worth.

These days, the majority of Kody's income comes from his Sister Wives salary. According to E! News, Producer Terence Michael explained that reality TV families bring in roughly 10 percent of a show's per-episode budget. Considering TLC spends $125,000–$400,000 per episode, that would mean the Browns make between $25,000 and $40,000 per episode.

In addition to collecting a check for his appearance on Sister Wives, Kody also makes money through Cameo, where he offers personalized videos for birthdays, pep talks, and even advice. Kody's videos start at $149, with an average duration of one minute per video.

Meri Brown runs a bed and breakfast, Lizzie's Heritage Inn, in Parowan, Utah. Additionally, Meri and Christine sell LuLaRoe, and Janelle has a business called Strive With Janelle. Janelle and Christine also sell Plexus.

Although Robyn used to manage the family's online jewelry and clothing boutique, My Sister Wife's Closet, it doesn't appear to be active at this point.

The Sister Wives stars are also on Cameo. (Here's Christine's, Janelle's, and Meri's.)

Stream past seasons of Sister Wives on TLC, or on the Discovery Plus app.