- Devastating Financial Loss: Real Housewives of Salt Lake City star Whitney Rose reveals she lost “six figures” after a business merger for her skincare line, Wild Rose Beauty, collapsed.
- Radical Honesty: Rose chose to share her financial struggles on the show to “control my story” and maintain her commitment to being authentic with viewers.
- Almost Quit RHOSLC: Rose admits she was on the verge of quitting the show while processing childhood trauma, even having her attorney draft a letter to Bravo.
- A Twist of Fate: She ultimately stayed on the reality series after her husband, Justin, was fired from his job, forcing her to become the family’s primary provider.
RHOSLC: Whitney Rose on Her “Devastating” Six-Figure Loss
Whitney Rose, a prominent figure on The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, has pulled back the curtain on a significant financial and personal setback, revealing a business failure that cost her “six figures.” The entrepreneur and reality TV star made the candid confession at the start of the show’s latest season, choosing to address the hardship head-on.
The Anatomy of a Failed Merger
The financial blow came after Rose attempted to merge her skincare company, Wild Rose Beauty, with another entity to create a new brand alongside her husband, Justin. While the venture saw “massive success in the beginning,” unforeseen complications turned the dream into a nightmare.
“Some things transpired that I can’t talk about legally, but I decided to resign as CEO in November of 2024 after launching in June of 2024,” Rose shared exclusively with Us Weekly. “It was really hard, because I merged my beauty brand into it, so I had to close the doors on that and fight for my brand back.”
The cost of this risk was substantial, amounting to what Rose describes as a “six-figure” loss, though less than half a million dollars. “For it to not be that and to lose six figures is devastating,” she admitted.
A Commitment to Being Real
Despite the painful experience, Rose was determined to share her journey on camera, a decision she felt was crucial to her role as a “real” housewife.
“I’ve always been real. I’m gonna keep it real so I’m gonna own it out the gates, because I want to tell the truth and I want to control my story,” she explained. Drawing lessons from other reality stars, she added, “I’ve watched some of my castmates and other Housewives not speak their truth, and the truth always comes out… I decided I was not going to take that path.”
More Than a Business Setback
The business failure coincided with a period of intense personal turmoil for Rose, who was grappling with childhood trauma. The emotional weight became so heavy that she nearly walked away from the show that made her a household name.
On the Brink of Quitting
“I actually was going to quit the show because I just didn’t think that … my trauma involves many people,” Rose revealed, noting her desire to protect family members not involved in the series. “I actually had my attorney crafting a letter to quit when I was in the height of all of my healing trauma.”
A sudden and unexpected event, however, altered her course. Before the letter could be sent, her husband was fired from his job, thrusting Rose into the position of having to “step up” for her family. She credits co-star Lisa Barlow with giving her the encouragement she needed to persevere through the difficult season.
Now, as the latest season unfolds, Rose stands firm in her decision to be transparent, proud of “opening the doors and being authentic and real and honest about how hard it is really to overcome a failure in business.”
The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City airs on Bravo Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET.