Entertainment

11 Surprisingly Successful Bachelor Alums

by Chloe Kent

When it comes to the ultimate professional success or failure of Bachelor and Bachelorette contestants, there are hits and there are misses, just like with the resulting couples themselves. There are, of course, the lucky few Bachelor Nation stars who cash in on their newfound reality fame, the ones who write books and start blogs and build their personal brands. And then there are the majority of Bachelor and Bachelorette alums, who resume their lives exactly as they were before their episodes aired, albeit with slightly more Instagram followers. Take, for instance, the contestant Clare Crawley, who still works as a hairstylist in San Fransisco. Or Tanner Tolbert, who went right from Bachelor in Paradise 2 back to his job at a Honda dealership in Kansas City. Or even one Dr. Chris Strandburg, aka Cupcake, who's still arguably the cutest dentist in the northern hemisphere.

Yet while there's nothing wrong with going back to what you did before you were rose-less and crying to Chris Harrison, some Bachelor Nation contestants have found significant success since leaving the franchise. As these 11 contestants prove, sometimes, although certainly not always, starring in a reality series can lead to serious fame and fortune.

1. Ali Fedotowsky

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After giving up her job at Facebook, The Bachelor and Bachelorette contestant went on to become a news correspondent and television host, as well as a judge for Miss USA. Oh, and she was in Woody Allen's Blue Jasmine. Not too shabby.

2. Andi Dorfman

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She may have had her heart broken on national television, but Dorfman isn't going anywhere. This winter, she released her memoir, It's Not Okay: Turning Heartbreak into Happily Never After, a so-called "anti-self-help-book."

3. Courtney Robertson

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Like Dorfman, Robertson also found that the pen is mightier than the sword. Last year, she published I Didn't Come Here to Make Friends: Confessions of a Reality Show Villain, which is quite a juicy read.

4. Jesse Palmer

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In addition to his work as an ESPN sports analyst, you can also find Palmer as a special contributor on Good Morning America.

5. Tenley Molzahn

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With her time on The Bachelor, Bachelor Pad and Bachelor In Paradise behind her, Tenley has added "wellness coach" to her resume. In addition to her lifestyle business, Sweet & Free Life, Us Weekly recently reported that she has a "gorgeous" new boyfriend.

6. Robert Graham

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Whether or not the so-called "spintrepreneur" actually invented sign spinning is of little concern, because after leaving his company, AArrow Sign Spinners, he launched Brander, a marketing company.

7. Jade Roper

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Following her union with Tanner Tolbert on Bachelor in Paradise, Roper and her new husband are apparently on the way to making $1 million from sponsored posts on social media, according to Us Weekly. Roper has also started a line of organic cosmetics, Naturally Jade.

8. Travis Stork

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The Bachelor might not have been his cup of tea, but he must've loved TV, because the emergency medicine physician now co-hosts The Doctors.

9. Lorenzo Borghese

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In addition to being a prince (!), Borghese also wrote a book, Princess of Nowhere (tagline: "A story of passion, betrayal, and a woman who truly conquered it all, even death") and is the creator of a line of organic pet products.

10. Jillian Harris

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Harris, who has her own design firm, also stars in Love It Or List It Vancouver.

11. Chris Harrison

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That's right. The longtime Designer's Challenge host is perhaps the most successful Bachelor alum of them all. In addition to his regular hosting gigs on The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, and various spinoffs, where Harrison earns an estimated $60,000 per episode, according to WetPaint, he also launched his own dating app.

Here's to more Bachelor Nation alums killing the game.