Stephanie McMahon is one of the most recognizable authority figures in WWE – both on camera and off. For years, she has been a polarizing and controversial figure in the wrestling industry.
While McMahon has been in the business for several years now, there are still plenty of things that even most hardcore fans don’t know about the woman who is often referred to as “The Billion Dollar Princess.” In order to address this issue, we have 10 fascinating facts about one of the most powerful figures in all of sports entertainment.
It’s time to really get to know Vince McMahon’s only daughter.
10 She Started Her Career Modeling For The WWE Catalog
Even though her father owned the company, Stephanie McMahon still had to earn her stripes in WWE. Before becoming a high-level executive and on-screen performer – she spent her formative years doing reception work. In fact, her 1st job with the company was modeling for the merchandise catalog when she was just 13 years of age.
Anyone who has an old WWF merchandise mag lying around somewhere, might see a picture of a young Stephanie McMahon modeling one of their favorite old school star’s t-shirts. We all have to start somewhere, and for McMahon, that place was the official merch catalog.
9 9. She Is Currently Worth An Estimated $45 Million Dollars
One of Stephanie McMahon’s nicknames is The Billion Dollar Princess. However, technically she isn’t a billionaire – at least not yet. At press time, McMahon is worth an estimated $45 million (USD). Sure, it’s not a billion dollars, but $45 million is a lot of money by any reasonable standard.
She’s still only 42 years of age and has a very bright future ahead of her. In all likelihood, when Vince McMahon is no longer at the helm, she will inherit and a significant portion of the company. When that time comes, it's very possible that Stephanie McMahon will indeed live up to her nickname by becoming a billionaire.
8 8. She Works As A Chief Brand Officer Behind The Scenes
Most fans realize that Stephanie McMahon is a very important person behind the scenes, but not everyone knows exactly what she does. Officially, she is World Wrestling Entertainment’s chief brand officer (CBO). This is a relatively new position in the corporate world. So what exactly is a chief brand officer?
A CBO is an executive level position that usually reports directly to the CEO (which would be Vince McMahon in this case). They are responsible for the company's image, branding, and how the organization presents itself to the general public. Think of it as a sort of high-level marketing job.
7 7. She Is A Former Women’s Champion
These days, Stephanie McMahon rarely wrestles and is best known as an on-screen authority figure. However, earlier in her career she wrestled more frequently and even held the WWE (then WWF) Women’s Championship.
Back in 1999, with a little help from D-Generation X, “The Billion Dollar Princess” defeated future Hall of Famer Jacqueline for the belt on an episode of SmackDown. She held the title until August of 2000, before losing it to another future Hall of Famer – Lita. Despite the fact that she has long been one of the biggest female stars in the company – WWE has resisted the urge to give her a 2nd title run.
6 6. She Is A Boston University Graduate
Stephanie McMahon is proud Boston University grad. She attended the prestigious academic institution from 1994 to 1998 and received a degree in Communications. Boston University has founded all the way back in 1839 and is an NCAA Division I school. The institution's moto is “Learning, Virtue, and Piety.” As of 2018 Boston University is home to roughly 34,262 students and 4,021 staff members.
McMahon is one of many famous alumni who attended the school. Civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., actress Julianne Moore, and radio personality Howard Stern are just a few of the other famous folks who went to BU.
5 5. She Is Currently Working On Her Memoir
Back in 2016, Stephanie McMahon announced that she would write her memoir. The book, which will be published by Regan Arts, is expected to be released sometime in 2020. This bio will cover a very wide array of topics.
As one might expect, her official biography will tell fans how she went from being a catalog model to becoming the company’s chief brand officer (CBO). She will also offer advice to folks who are facing challenges in their industry of choice. Moreover, McMahon will give readers a behind the scenes look at World Wrestling Entertainment’s approach to media. It sounds like she’ll be covering quite a bit.
4 4. She Co-Founded Connor’s Cure
McMahon and her husband, Paul Levesque (Triple H) founded Connor’s Cure in 2015. The charity was created to raise funds to help battle pediatric brain and spinal cancer.
The organization was named after Connor Michalek – a young boy who was diagnosed with cancer and tragically passed away at just 8 years of age. He received a great deal of media attention and developed a close bond with wrestler Daniel Bryan. In 2015, Connor “The Crusher” Michalek was posthumously inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. Stephaine McMahon and Triple H have personally funded the cause, having donated to the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.
3 3. She Was On The Celebrity Edition Of Undercover Boss
In 2018, Stephanie McMahon appeared on the 9th season of the CBS hit reality series, Undercover Boss. During the episode, the crew gave McMahon a complete makeover that included blonde hair and glasses – thus making her completely unrecognizable. She was disguised as a new employee who was supposed to be starting her career with World Wrestling Entertainment’s business office – which she is actually in charge of.
During the course of the episode, McMahon tries to help fans and aspiring wrestlers. The Undercover Boss experience portrayed Stephanie McMahon and in a very positive light and turned out to be a solid public relations move for her and the company.
2 2. She Has Been Working For WWE Full-Time Since 1998
Doesn’t it feel like Stephanie McMahon has been with WWE forever? While “forever” might be a bit of a stretch, “The Billion Dollar Princess” has been with World Wrestling Entertainment for a very long time. Technically, she began her journey with the company on a part-time basis when she was just 13 years of age.
Her full-time career with WWE began when in 1998 – right after she graduated from college. Her 1st official title was account executive – a position she held from 1998-2002. Prior to becoming WWE’s chief brand officer (CBO), she also served as a director, senior vice-president, and executive vice-president.
1 1. She Has 3 Daughters
The McMahon family has been growing in recent years. It’s possible, in a decade or so, we will be seeing a new generation of McMahon’s on television and working behind the scenes in WWE. That’s because both Stephanie and Shane McMahon each have three children of their own.
As fate would have it, all three of Shane’s children are male, while all of Stephanie’s are female. Stephanie McMahon and Triple H’s daughters are Aurora Rose Levesque, Murphy Claire Levesque, and Vaughn Evelyn Levesque. Aurora Rose Levesque is the eldest and was born in 2006. The youngest, Vaughn Evelyn Levesque, was born in 2010.