Kim Gravel, born Kimberly Hardee on July 27, 1971, is an American television host and entrepreneur. She is a former Miss Georgia and the founder of the QVC brand Belle by Kim Gravel.
Gravel has built a career spanning pageantry, reality television, and retail.
Who is Kim Gravel?
Kim Gravel is an American television personality, entrepreneur, and former beauty queen. She won the Miss Georgia title in 1991 at age 19, becoming one of the youngest women to hold the crown in the pageant’s history.
She later competed in the Miss America pageant representing Georgia. That pageant background eventually led her into television and, later, retail entrepreneurship.
Gravel is best known today for hosting Kim of Queens on Lifetime and for her long-running partnership with QVC. She also hosts a podcast called The Kim Gravel Show.
Early Life of Kim Gravel
Gravel was born in South Carolina and raised largely in Georgia. Her mother, Jo Hardee, was a major influence on her early confidence and public speaking skills.
She has described herself as a self-proclaimed former “ugly duckling” during her childhood. That early self-image later shaped much of the message behind her television work and her beauty brand.
Gravel began entering pageants as a teenager, eventually winning Miss Georgia in 1991. She attended Loris High School in South Carolina before her pageant career took off.
Kim Gravel Age
Kim Gravel is 55 years old as of 2026, born on July 27, 1971. Her zodiac sign is Leo.
At this age, she is listed as one of the top celebrities in the entertainment industry.
Kim Gravel Ethnicity and Nationality
Gravel is American, born in South Carolina and raised in Georgia. She is white and often speaks publicly about her Southern upbringing and its influence on her personality and brand.
Her family background includes deep Southern roots, with her mother and younger sister, Allisyn, playing central roles in both her personal life and her television career. Gravel has often credited her mother’s resilience as a defining influence on her own confidence.
Kim Gravel Education
Gravel graduated from Loris High School in South Carolina. Public records do not confirm any college degree for her, and her professional path moved from pageantry directly into television and business.
She later became a certified life coach, a credential she built alongside her media career rather than through a traditional academic degree.
Kim Gravel Career
Pageant Beginnings
Gravel’s public career began in 1991, when she won the Miss Georgia title at age 19. She went on to compete in the Miss America pageant representing her home state.
That platform led to an invitation to serve as a US Goodwill Ambassador to Japan, where she spoke to corporations and members of the Japanese parliament.
She later became one of the most frequently booked guests on The Steve Harvey Show, building a reputation as a confident, relatable television presence.
Kim of Queens and The Pageant Place
Gravel founded The Pageant Place, a pageant coaching business in Georgia, alongside her mother, Jo, and sister, Allisyn. That business became the basis for Kim of Queens, which premiered on Lifetime on January 1, 2014.
The show followed Gravel as she coached young girls through pageant competitions across two seasons and 22 episodes. It aired opposite Lifetime’s Dance Moms and ran through April 2015.
QVC and the Belle Brand
In 2016, Gravel partnered with QVC to launch her apparel line, Belle by Kim Gravel. A year later, she expanded into cosmetics with the Belle Beauty line.
In 2024, she rebranded her cosmetics line as LWYA, short for Love Who You Are. That same year, QVC named her its Vendor of the Year.
Gravel’s business, operating under the company Hardee Girl Inc, has reported more than $1 billion in cumulative retail sales. In one recent year alone, her QVC sales reportedly reached $250 million.
Kim Gravel Books and Media
Gravel published her memoir, Collecting Confidence, through Thomas Nelson in 2022. She also hosts The Kim Gravel Show, a podcast that covers topics including family, faith, and personal development.
She was named to the Forbes 50 Over 50 list in 2025, recognizing her entrepreneurial success later in her career. Her YouTube channel and podcast have continued to grow her audience beyond QVC’s retail platform.
Kim Gravel Health
In January 2024, Gravel revealed she had been diagnosed with Bell’s palsy, a condition that causes sudden weakness or paralysis on one side of the face. She disclosed the diagnosis just before launching her LWYA beauty brand.
She returned to QVC on air while still visibly affected by the condition. Gravel spoke openly about the emotional toll of the diagnosis, telling followers she initially felt “down in the dumps” before choosing to return to television regardless.
Kim Gravel Husband
Kim Gravel is married to Travis Gravel. The couple met at church, began dating as friends, and married in August 2001.
Travis has largely stayed out of the public eye throughout their marriage. He has appeared occasionally on The Kim Gravel Show, including a 2022 episode where the couple discussed money, marriage, and parenting.
Kim Gravel Children
Kim and Travis Gravel have two sons, Beau and Blanton. Beau was born in 2010, and Blanton followed two years later in 2012.
Both sons have appeared on Gravel’s social media and podcast over the years. Beau joined his mother for a podcast episode about being a teenager in 2025.
Kim Gravel Net Worth
Kim Gravel’s estimated net worth is $7.5 million as of 2026. Her income comes primarily from QVC sales of Belle by Kim Gravel and LWYA, along with speaking engagements and podcast revenue.
Her memoir, Collecting Confidence, also contributes ongoing book royalties. Gravel’s business has scaled quickly since she launched Belle by Kim Gravel in her mid-40s.
Kim Gravel Social Media
Gravel is highly active across social platforms. Her main Instagram account is @kimgravel, where she posts about her brands, her podcast, and her family.
She also runs a separate account for her fashion line, @bellebykimgravel, and hosts her podcast, The Kim Gravel Show, on major platforms. Her business appears on QVC’s official site, where her shows and product lines are regularly featured.
Her official website, kimgravel.com, includes her full biography along with links to her podcast and brands.
Kim Gravel Height and Weight
Kim Gravel is approximately 5 feet 7 inches (170 cm) tall and weighs around 70 kilograms (154 pounds). She has a confident and elegant appearance that matches her strong personality.
Kim often promotes body positivity and encourages people to love themselves regardless of size or shape.
Her balanced lifestyle, self-confidence, and positive attitude toward health and beauty make her a great role model for many women who look up to her for inspiration.
The Bottom Line
Kim Gravel turned a 1991 Miss Georgia win into a television and retail career, headlined by Lifetime’s Kim of Queens in 2014. Her QVC brand, Belle by Kim Gravel, helped her business surpass $1 billion in cumulative retail sales.
She grew up in South Carolina and Georgia, shaped early by her mother Jo’s influence and her own experience as a self-described “ugly duckling.”
Gravel has been open about personal struggles, including her 2024 Bell’s palsy diagnosis, which she addressed publicly while continuing to work on air.
She continues to host The Kim Gravel Show podcast and run her LWYA beauty brand alongside her husband, Travis, and their two sons, Beau and Blanton. Her 2022 memoir, Collecting Confidence, remains part of her ongoing work in women’s empowerment.
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