Pinky Cole details speaking, rental and mentorship income in personal bankruptcy case

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Pinky Cole bankruptcy income

Highlights

Pinky Cole testified she charges $25,000–$50,000 per speaking engagement, with her latest January appearance earning $50,000 amid recent business slowdowns.
Cole disclosed additional income from rental properties and a mentorship program generating about $800 per week since December, plus lump-sum payments from 'Real Housewives of Atlanta.'
Cole filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in February, listing $1.2 million owed to the U.S. Small Business Administration, $192,000 in Georgia state taxes, and mortgage arrears on her $1.5 million home.

Bankruptcy hearing outlines revenue sources

As first reported by Business Insider, Cole testified under oath at a Friday creditors meeting that she charges between $25,000 and $50,000 for speaking engagements, although that business has recently slowed. She says her most recent appearance was at a conference in January, where she was paid $50,000.

Cole, who appears on "Real Housewives of Atlanta" and founded Slutty Vegan, says speaking income is routed through Pinky Cole Enterprises and then into another entity, from which she keeps roughly 75% after expenses. She also told the federal bankruptcy trustee that debt tied to Pinky Cole Enterprises is limiting what she takes home because the company is repaying a loan.

At the hearing, Cole says she also earns money from several rental properties and from a mentorship group she started in December. She says the program generates about $800 a week and functions as a business advice and accountability group for entrepreneurs.

The trustee also asked whether she receives income from "Real Housewives of Atlanta," which has just launched its 17th season. Cole confirmed she is paid a lump sum for the show but said she was not sure of the amount during the meeting, and agreed to provide a copy of her July 2025 contract.

Debt reorganization and pressure on assets

In February, Cole filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in federal court in Georgia, seeking to reorganize her debts under court supervision. Her petition lists $1.2 million owed to the U.S. Small Business Administration for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan and another $192,000 in state taxes owed to the Georgia Department of Revenue.

She previously told the trustee that business debt pushed her into bankruptcy. During Friday's meeting, she also disclosed that she was about two months behind on mortgage payments for her $1.5 million Georgia home when she filed, though she described the property as being in immaculate condition and said she wants to keep it.

Her lawyer, Jamie Christy, says the case is aimed at getting Cole's finances back in order and addressing liabilities tied to earlier business problems. Christy says after the meeting that Cole is looking forward to reorganizing and securing court approval for a plan, as Slutty Vegan continues operating at several locations despite financial strain in recent years.

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