Why Kim Kardashian Really Fired Former Assistant Steph Shep

When it comes to this parting, there are no hard feelings. 

Stephanie Shepherd served as Kim Kardashian's assistant for four years before she was fired by the SKIMS founder in 2017. But parting ways professionally, the two have remained good friends. In fact, that bond is part of why Kim let Steph go.

"Well, I got fired," Steph explained on the Oct. 24 episode of The Skinny Confidential Him & Her Podcast, later adding, "It was such a huge deal at the time. I mean, fired in the nicest sense of the word. I was crying, she was crying, because we are friends. And honestly, that friendship is really important to both of us."

And the Future Earth co-founder admitted that she needed a change.

"It was kind of, I think this theme in my life, where I've kind of just inherently felt like, 'Oh, it's time to move on here. I don't know if I have anything more that I can contribute to this,'" Steph reflected, adding of Kim. "And I think she probably felt that and saw that. She was like, 'You need something more. You have this thing, pursue that. I'll support you, whatever you need.'"

Now that they no longer work together, Steph and the SKKN founder are tighter than ever.

"It was the most beautiful uncoupling," Steph added. "Never been closer, and she still is someone I go to for personal and professional advice all the time." 

For Steph, who has appeared in multiple episodes of the Kardashians' reality shows over the years, credits her time working with the family as setting her up for success. 

"It's a machine and it's meticulous," she gushed over Kim's business empire. "I always say it's like my graduate school because I learned everything that I know about sending an email to an agent or speaking to a manager, or booking glam, or finding a photographer, or doing product development, or dealing with a public."

As she put it, "Every single step of everything that you have to know about being an entrepreneur in the entertainment business, I learned from working under Kim."

To relive Kim's evolution over the years, keep reading.