This week’s episode of “The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City” is a reminder of an old axiom: Mixing business and friendship can be risky.
Several times this season, cast members have scrutinized Lisa Barlow’s business dealings, including her tequila label, her party-planning company and the various lawsuits that have been filed against her and her husband, John.
In turn, Lisa has questioned the business dealings of other cast members, particularly Whitney Rose and Angie Katsanevas.
Each of the Salt Lake City “Real Housewives” has off-screen pursuits. It’s not unique to the franchise — and a blueprint largely attributed to O.G. “Real Housewives of New York” star Bethenny Frankel, who invented the “Skinny Margarita” and parlayed her reality-show fame to expand the Skinnygirl brand.
Here’s a breakdown of each cast member’s business ventures — and whether they came up on the latest episode.
Lisa Barlow
The confrontational lunch Lisa hosted to defend her businesses during last week’s episode largely ended in resolution, viewers learn Tuesday.
The one disagreement that continued centered on Angie’s disparagement of the Barlows’ Fresh Wolf hair-care line, launched in 2019 in honor of their sons, Henry and Jack. (It’s still available on Amazon.)
Angie mentions she bought some Fresh Wolf products for her Lunatic Fringe salons but says they never sold. She goes on to accuse Fresh Wolf of being a “C-level” product, not suitable for her salons.
Later, when Heather visits Angie at a Lunatic Fringe location, Angie shares that Lisa sent her assistant to retrieve whatever unsold Fresh Wolf inventory Angie still had in stock. Angie says she found some dusty bottles in a storage room and boxed them up; later, she says, Lisa sent her $600 via Venmo for the unsold merchandise, along with a snide text message.
Another post-lunch meeting – a chat between Lisa and Bronwyn — happens at Premiere Bar & Lounge on Park City’s Old Main Street. Lisa mentions that she used the lounge for parties during the Sundance Film Festival.
The lounge combines two of Lisa’s established businesses: her Vida Tequila label (one of the lounge’s cocktails is called the Baby Gorgeous, named for what has become one of Lisa’s catchphrases) and Luxe Marketing, her party-planning firm.
Barlow also has a partnership deal with Wendy’s, and she’s often seen on social media consuming their products.
Angie Katsanevas
At the lunch, Lisa alleges that Angie only owns one of Lunatic Fringe’s several locations and a half-interest in another. Angie fires back, saying that she owns three locations and has sold franchises to seven more.
Angie followed this with a sharp comment, referencing Lisa’s partnership with Wendy’s: “You do French fries, I do franchises.”
Though Angie cited a total of 10 salons during filming, Lunatic Fringe’s website this week indicates there are nine locations — six in Utah, two in Ohio and one in Boise, Idaho. A Bravo spokesperson was not immediately able to explain the discrepancy.
When Heather stops by in the episode, Angie quickly styles her hair — and tells Heather that she’s let her cosmetology license lapse and needs to retest to get it back. “You never know when you have to step behind the chair again,” Angie says.
Heather Gay
Heather’s business doesn’t get a mention this week, but Salt Lake City drivers have likely seen billboards for her company, Beauty Lab + Laser, along Interstate 15.
Beauty Lab + Laser — which offers Botox treatments, lip plumps and other cosmetic services — has locations in Murray and Riverton.
The parking lot of the Murray location was also famously where authorities approached the Housewives’ Sprinter van in Season 2, searching for former cast member Jen Shah, to arrest her on federal fraud charges.
Gay also has published two best-selling memoirs, “Bad Mormon” and “Good Time Girl.”
Whitney Rose
For several episodes this season, including this week’s, Whitney has talked about how her Wild Rose Beauty business has gone under — affecting some 30 employees.
Some of her Wild Rose products came up during Season 5, including bath bombs (which she released only to learn Meredith was planning to market a competing line) and jewelry (which brought accusations that she was sourcing knockoff versions of her designs from major online retailer Alibaba).
On Sept. 17, the day after Season 6 premiered, Whitney posted on her Instagram account that “Wild Rose Beauty is back!”
The announcement was accompanied by a news release that states Whitney has “officially reclaimed full ownership” of the brand, noting that it’s “no longer affiliated with any former partners or outside ownership.”
Meredith Marks
Early in this week’s episode, Meredith is shown in her Park City boutique with her husband, Seth, and their daughter, Chloe, talking about renovating the store.
Meredith’s idea is to move her jewelry line up front in order to turn the back area into a caviar lounge — literally business up front and party in the back.
Besides jewelry and caviar, Meredith also sells bath products with her “M” logo. And she and a business partner, Samantha Gellert, are introducing a 21-and-older party game, “Rumors and Nastiness,” in stores and online later this year.
Meredith has also launched a music career, currently touring as DJ Meredith Marks, which includes an Oct. 23 stop at Metro Music Hall in downtown Salt Lake City.
Mary Cosby
Mary Cosby closed her Faith Temple Pentecostal Church in 2022. In 2024, she filed a lawsuit against the church’s for-profit subsidiary and its officers, accusing them of embezzling millions from the church; that lawsuit is pending.
Mary is moving forward with plans to reopen her church. In this week’s episode, she inspects remodeling work done by her cousin, identified as “Big Joe,” who’s a general contractor.
Bronwyn Newport
Well into her second season, Bronwyn has not disclosed much about her off-screen work.
On her personal website, she lists that she is a fashion blogger and Broadway producer. (The website Bustle writes she’s a co-producer on the musical “The Queen of Versailles,” starring Kristen Chenoweth, which starts previews Wednesday.)
Britani Bateman
There’s no discussion of Britani’s business interests in this week’s episode, but outside of the show, Britani is real estate agent.
In January, she joined Lehi-based Presidio Real Estate — the firm highlighted on the short-lived Bravo series “Sold on SLC,” whose cancellation Bravo later announced in June.
The fifth episode of Season 6 of “The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City” is scheduled to air on Bravo next Tuesday, Oct. 14, at 8 p.m. Eastern time — 6 p.m. Mountain time on DirecTV and Dish, and 9 p.m. Mountain time on Xfinity. (The show streams the next day on Peacock.)