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Bethenny Frankel may be a Skinnygirl, but she doesn't break easily.
The entrepreneur and reality star has made it clear that she's not intimidated by the $100 million lawsuit filed against her on Wednesday by her ex-managers. Speaking to the press on Thursday, the Bethenny Ever After star said that even though her family comes first, she fully intends to defend her Skinnygirl brand in court.
"Let's be clear, I am a strong woman, and I am not afraid and won't back down when I'm bullied by something with zero merit," Frankel told People. "Success is earned by hard work, not taking advantage of others."
The lawsuit, filed by her former management agency Raw Talent, alleges that Frankel used her relationship with them to broker a lucrative deal for her Skinnygirl cocktail brand -- and then cut them out of their share of the profits. Now that Frankel's company has been sold for an estimated $120 million, Raw Talent is retroactively demanding 10 percent of the sale, as well as $100 million in punitive damages. But Frankel says that she had no agreement with Raw Talent regarding the Skinnygirl brand.
"This is simply someone with his hand out, who did nothing to earn it, and I am not going to be bullied," Frankel said in a statement. "We are exploring all of our options, including filing counterclaims against these people."
Savvy businesswoman that she is, Frankel doesn't seem too surprised by her ex-manager coming out of the woodwork to sue her. "Unfortunately, one of the signs of success is being the subject of frivolous lawsuits, like this one," she says matter-of-factly.
Frankel's latest season of Bethenny Ever After concluded this week, and next season is rumored to be about Frankel's move to the West Coast, with the reported title Bethenny Goes to L.A.. May we suggest the alternate title Bethenny Doesn't Take Any Crap?
