Net Worth Ranker
What Is Brandi Passante’s Net Worth?
Brandi Passante, the American storage hunter and reality television personality, has accumulated a net worth of approximately $2 million. This valuation primarily stems from her involvement in the “Storage Wars” television series and related ventures.
“Storage Wars” and Brandi Passante’s Income
Passante’s rise to prominence is largely attributed to her role in “Storage Wars,” where she appeared alongside her then-partner Jarrod Schulz. The pair featured in over 260 episodes, establishing themselves as key figures within the show’s dynamic. Their on-screen persona earned them the moniker “The Young Guns.” Brandi was a cast member for every season since the show’s inception. Jarrod exited the show after season 13. Additionally, Passante and Schulz starred in a spin-off series titled “Brandi & Jarrod: Married to the Job” in 2014.
A 2012 lawsuit filed by fellow “Storage Wars” cast member Dave Hester offered insights into the show’s financial structure and cast salaries. While the exact breakdown of Passante’s per-episode earnings remains undisclosed, the lawsuit highlighted the potential for cast members to earn a substantial income. According to Hester’s allegations, the standard compensation structure for a single season of “Storage Wars” included a payment of $25,000 per episode, with a guaranteed minimum of 26 episodes. This equates to a base salary of $650,000 per season. In addition to this episode-based payment, cast members received a monthly travel allowance of $2,500 and an expense account of $124,500. A $25,000 signing bonus was also part of the deal. Hester estimated that the average cast member earned just over $800,000 per season when factoring in all these components.
It’s important to note that, given Brandi Passante’s partnership with Jarrod Schulz during the majority of her “Storage Wars” tenure, it is plausible that their earnings were structured in a manner that reflected their joint participation. The exact division of income between the two remains unspecified. Therefore, while Hester’s lawsuit provides an approximate figure for the average cast member’s earnings, it doesn’t delineate the precise amount earned by Passante individually.
Early Career and Business Ventures
Prior to her television career, Brandi Passante’s professional path intertwined with that of Jarrod Schulz. Schulz ventured into the storage auction business at the suggestion of his aunt. Together, Passante and Schulz established a thrift store in Orange County, California, named Now and Then Second Hand Store. Initially, “Storage Wars” producers solely expressed interest in Schulz. However, upon meeting Passante at the store, they recognized her potential as a valuable addition to the show’s cast.
During the early seasons of “Storage Wars,” Brandi Passante and Jarrod Schulz were portrayed as the underdogs, facing financial constraints compared to their fellow bidders. Despite these limitations, Passante’s resourcefulness and assertive bidding style resonated with viewers. Her approach was driven by the necessity to generate quick returns on her investments. Passante explained that she needed to rapidly sell the items acquired at auction to fund subsequent bids. As “Storage Wars” gained traction and viewership, Passante and Schulz transitioned into more formidable competitors, acquiring the financial capacity to bid on higher-value storage units.
In 2013, during the fourth season of “Storage Wars,” Brandi Passante and Jarrod Schulz expanded their retail footprint by opening a second Now and Then location in Long Beach, California. However, the Long Beach store was closed in 2014, and in 2016, the original Orange County location also ceased operations.
Legal Matters and Other Ventures
In early 2013, Brandi Passante pursued legal action against Hunter Moore, the operator of an adult website. The lawsuit centered on a video posted on the website that purportedly depicted Passante nude. She sought $2.5 million in damages, ultimately receiving a settlement of $750. The video in question, which featured a lookalike of Passante, was subsequently removed, and the website was later shut down.
In 2019, Passante served as the emcee of a charity event for Women’s Own Worth, an organization dedicated to empowering women and their families to regain self-worth and achieve independence after experiencing trauma. The event raised $100,000 for the charity.
Personal Life
Brandi Passante and Jarrod Schulz first met in 1999, when Passante was hired by the carpet-cleaning company where Schulz worked. Although the couple never formally married, they had two children together: a son, Cameron, born in 2003, and a daughter, Payton, born in 2005. Payton was born deaf and with a cleft palate, requiring multiple surgeries during her childhood. In a June 2020 interview with “The Dad Diary,” Passante revealed that she and Schulz had ended their relationship “two years ago.” During the interview, she also disclosed that she had been diagnosed with COVID two weeks prior and was experiencing severe headaches and a loss of taste.
Dave Hester Lawsuit Allegations
The lawsuit filed by Dave Hester contained allegations beyond salary information. A particularly controversial claim involved Brandi Passante, with Hester alleging that “Storage Wars” producers had paid for her to undergo breast enhancement surgery to enhance the show’s appeal. Hester further alleged that the “treasures” discovered in the storage units were not authentic finds but had been intentionally placed or “salted” by the producers. According to Hester, cast members were purportedly compelled to return the items to the producers after filming, contradicting the show’s portrayal of the cast members reselling the acquired items.
