This Famous Reality Star Used to Work for the Kardashians Before She Got Her Big Break

The Kardashians are certified business savants. In just a few short years, they’ve successfully parlayed their reality television fame into some of the fastest-growing businesses we’ve ever seen — from cosmetic lines to fashion brands.

But it seems safe to say that they would not have been able to do a lot of it without the help of their staffers. They’ve had dozens of employees working behind the scenes, devoting much — if not all — of their energy to the famous family. Among them is one now-famous reality star.

Who is the reality star that used to work for the Kardashians?

It’s Love & Hip Hop‘s Erica Mena. She used to work as a sales associate — aka Dash Doll — at Miami’s now-shuttered Dash Boutique. According to VH1, her duties included sweeping, vacuuming, and stocking items.

Kourtney Kardashian hired Mena after meeting through mutual friends. She went on to have several cameos on Kourtney and Khloé Take Miami, which ran from 2009 to 2013. During the first season alone, Mena had various run-ins with her bosses for her attitude, tardiness, and foul mouth, and eventually lost her job.

But there are no hard feelings. Mena said in a 2014 interview with VladTV, “Working for them for the year that I worked for them was the best year of my life.”

She added, “I got to not only see how they take the simplest things from a bottle of water and put Kardashian on it and are able to sell, but how they’re still able to keep family [as] the reason that they do all that they do.”

In 2018, the Kardashians announced that they were closing the Miami store, along with two others that were stationed in California and New York.

“We’ve loved running DASH, but in the last few years, we’ve all grown so much individually,” Kim Kardashian West said in a note on her old app (via E! News). “We’ve been busy running our own brands, as well as being moms and balancing work with our families. We know in our hearts that it’s time to move on.”

Is Erica Mena still friends with the Kardashians?

Mena said in the VladTV interview that she’s still good friends with the family. Though they don’t talk very often, they show up when it matters.

Most recently, Kim reached out to Mena on Nov. 8 to give her a birthday shoutout.

In the Instagram video (viewed by Showbiz CheatSheet), Kim first praised Mena’s 2019 Halloween costume, telling her she “killed it.” Mena and her boyfriend, fellow Love & Hip Hop star Safaree Samuels, had recreated Kim and Kanye West’s 2013 Met Gala look.

Kim continued, “I love you. I hope you have the best day. Dash doll forever.”

Samuels posted the video of Kim to his Instagram Story on Nov. 8, thanking her for Mena’s birthday wish.

What is Erica Mena up to now?

As of writing, Mena still does reality television. She’s now on the famous VH1 series, Love & Hip Hop, where she gives fans a closer look at her music pursuits, as well as her relationship with Samuels. Samuels is also a musician, but he’s most known for his previous relationship with Nicki Minaj.

In October, the couple announced that they are expecting a baby. Their journey to parenthood will likely play out in the upcoming season of the show.