Among them: the series star and Laguna Beach alum Lauren Conrad, who has parlayed her reality-TV fame into tabloid stardom and a career in fashion.

FORBES: Moving Beyond 'The Hills'

EQAL, whose celebrity property includes big names Bethenny Frankel, Elizabeth Banks, Tori Spelling and Lauren Conrad, was among the first to raise their hands.

FORBES: 'Haul Video' Stars Launch U Look Haute YouTube Channel

Lauren Conrad is a rare breed of reality celebrity.

FORBES: Lauren Conrad To Write For Forbes Lifestyle

Fast-forward to 2008, and the controversial beau of Heidi Montag, best friend turned enemy of The Hills star Lauren Conrad, is headlining both the glossies and the blogs, even scoring an advice column in Radar magazine.

FORBES: Most Overexposed Celebrities

Front and center is star Lauren Conrad.

FORBES: Scrounging For Gold In 'The Hills'

In addition to a slew of celebrity weekly covers and endorsement deals with companies like Avon's Mark and Linea Pelle, the 22-year-old star and Celebrity 100 member recently launched the Lauren Conrad Collection, a California-themed fashion line for sale in 500 specialty boutiques.

FORBES: Moving Beyond 'The Hills'