Porsha Williams might put her foot in her mouth sometimes and throw some hefty shade on The Real Housewives of Atlanta, but she's a dedicated mother and businesswoman.
Williams entered the world of the Real Housewives in season five of RHOAalongside Kenya Moore, with whom she had many feuds and altercations. But since Nene Leakes left the show (and told fans to boycott it) after season 12, ratings have fallen, and the future of RHOA is hanging in the balance.
That's okay, though, because Williams has a new fiance, Simon Guobadia, the ex-husband of her RHOA co-star Falynn Guobadia, her many business ventures, and her little girl, Pilar Jhena. Here's how she's raising her daughter.
Who Is Porsha Williams?
Williams is an Atlanta native. She was born to two entrepreneurs, and her grandfather was Hosea Williams, a civil rights activist.
Inspired by her parents, she later pursued a degree in business information technology at the American InterContinental University. In 2005, at the age of 24, she opened her own daycare facility while also modeling for a "pin-up" calendar for the Atlanta Dymes.
In 2009, she met football player Kordell Stewart, and the couple married in 2011 on live television. Their wedding appeared on the series Platinum Weddings.
A year later, Bravo announced that she and Moore would be the newest cast members in the fifth season of RHOA, joining Cynthia Bailey, Kandi Burruss, NeNe Leakes, Phaedra Parks, and Kim Zolciak. William immediately had problems with Moore.
Throughout the seasons, we've seen Williams divorce from Stewart, her relationship with baby daddy, entrepreneur Dennis McKinley, their engagement, the birth of their daughter Pilar and their split. More recently, Williams has gotten engaged to Simon Guobadia, the ex-husband of her RHOA co-star Falynn Guobadia, which caused drama.
How Else Does Williams Make Her $400 Thousand Net Worth?
Porsha has other forms of income. She's a successful business owner. In 2018, she launched a bed linen line called Pampered by Porsha, and a wig line called Go Naked Hair launched in 2016.
Along with RHOA, she's also a host on Dish Nation, entering the show during its second season in 2013, and finished eighth place on The New Celebrity Apprentice in 2017. Williams is also the author of The Pursuit of Porsha, which was released this year.
Williams told People it was a challenge writing the book and opening herself up, saying, "I want to share the real me and my story here, including both my trials as well as my many blessings."
But Williams hasn't always been successful. She's had money troubles in the past and even troubles with the IRS at one point, owing $240,624 in unpaid taxes. In 2019 Daily Mail reported that the $240k in unpaid taxes were from the 2009 to 2017 tax year. If she didn't pay the money, the government threatened to take her house.
So it looks like Williams is doing great business-wise but not money-wise. She will have to be more careful in the future, or else everything she built will come crashing down.
Who Is Williams' Baby Daddy, Dennis McKinley?
Williams and McKinley met around 2018 and got engaged in 2019. According to The Sun, he's "the owner of Detroit Equities, a company that builds branding through strategic investments." He's also "the CEO of QueenVirginRemy.com, a company that specializes in selling women's wigs."
Sadly, McKinley admitted that he'd cheated on Williams while pregnant with their daughter Pilar, and it ultimately ended their engagement. However, McKinley was there for Williams when she gave birth to their daughter on March 22, 2019.
The only reason why they are still in contact is because of Pilar. Williams said on an episode of RHOA, "If we didn't have a baby, you and me probably wouldn't even be talking anymore because you'd be f---ing over me, and I'd be over you."
"A clean break in the relationship [is important]," Williams told Andy Cohen in an interview. "You have to give a true break to the romantic part of the relationship and focus on the child. If you’re still trying to get back together, it’s gonna mess everything up."
Is Williams Sad They Didn't Work Out?
Williams is sad that things couldn't be worked out between her and McKinley, at least for the sake of their daughter.
"When it comes to PJ, the part that I do get sad [about] is that I do wish we could’ve worked out," Williams said. "When I look at it, I know that Dennis is such a powerful father figure. I honestly do feel like as much as I’m going to put into her to know about the real sh** out here in the world, he will too."
Williams knows the importance of having both parents in life because her time with her father was cut short after he suddenly died when she was 17.
"Unfortunately, once he died and I’m in those years of 17 when you start to date and all of that, he wasn’t here," Williams said on her podcast show. "That mindset of me just having a skeleton idea of what a man should be led me into like, seriously abusive situations."
Are Williams And McKinley Successfully Co-Parenting Pilar?
Williams has been having so much fun raising Pilar, or PJ as they call her. Williams told the Daily Dish that it's been a total blessing.
Porsha told ESSENCE that there’s nothing like being a mother. "Being a mother period, knowing this little girl is going to love me and I have her forever has been the biggest blessing. I didn’t think I could love another being that much."
So far, McKinley and Williams have smashed it out of the park co-parenting together. In December 2020, Williams said she and McKinley "have a great co-parenting relationship."
McKinley told the Daily Dish that his parenting method is letting PJ figure out who she wants to be by herself, with, of course, some help along the way.
Letting Her Make Her Own Choices
"I think every dad wants to be a good dad, right; nobody wants to be a bad father, so with PJ, I’m learning that she’s independent (she doesn’t like to be picked up, she doesn’t want you to feed her, she plays by herself)," Mckinley said. "So I’m excited to allow her to make her own decisions, to grow in her own individuality. Right, so my philosophy is this is my kid now, but one day she will be someone else’s leader! I’ll help her connect those dots over the next 20 years."
Williams posted a heart-warming tribute to McKinley for Father's Day too, writing, "Your relationship with pooh bear is so beautiful! Pilar is a true daddy’s girl and I love it! #Familyforever." Other than that, Williams is raising her little girl really well with the help of McKinley and now Guobadia. They're one big happy family.
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