The 37-year-old has professionally parted ways with Stephanie, her friend and assistant since 2013, allegedly due to the lack of 'knowledge to take on a larger role with Kim's brand and businesses.'
- Nov 20, 2017
AceShowbiz - Kim Kardashian just parted ways with her longtime family pal and assistant Stephanie Shepherd. According to PEOPLE, the "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" star has fired Stephanie, her friend and assistant since 2013, due to the lack of "knowledge to take on a larger role with Kim's brand and businesses."
"Kim made a decision to let Stephanie go," an insider tells the outlet. "She was a good assistant but when Stephanie wanted to transition into a larger role with Kim's brand and businesses, it just didn't work. Kim gave her the chance but after a short period of time it became clear that Stephanie just didn't have the knowledge to take on a role like that.
"Kim made an executive decision to part ways," claims the insider, before adding, "She's still friendly with the other sisters but she and Kim aren't really speaking."
This comes after Us Weekly reported that there's no "bad blood" between Kim and Stephanie, simply that "they just agreed their working relationship was no longer working." A source told the webloid, "Steph is still a part of Kim and her family's life - she went to Kim's birthday dinner and Kendall's birthday party. There isn't bad blood there. They still hang out and are friends, but they have gone their separate ways and are not working together anymore."
However, Stephanie wasn't seen at Kim's baby shower, which took place last week. Another source revealed that Kim let Stephanie go a few weeks ago, explaining that "it's been a downward spiral" ever since Stephanie was profiled by Refinery 29's celebrity inner circle series earlier this year, in May.
At the time, Stephanie told Refinery 29 that Kim, who is expecting her third child, a baby girl, with husband Kanye West via surrogate soon, conducted her interview makeup-free and in sweats. She began her position right before North West was born in June 2013.
"I was doing her whole schedule, doing her laundry, booking travel, putting the stroller together and all of these things. But I wasn't nervous. I was just excited, always staying longer than I needed because I was trying to prove myself -- and then North came early! I was a brand new assistant who had no idea what to do with a baby, but we all moved into Kris' [Kris Jenner] house, and she was the one who made it all feel okay and moved mountains for us," Stephanie recalled.
Stephanie confessed that "[Kourtney Kardashian] and I weren't really close at all when I first started working, I don't think she really liked me at first to be honest!" She continued, "When we were doing that world tour of Miami and Iceland and all those places, with so much travel time, we bonded. Now we talk all the time and we'll go to dinner, or I'll spend the night at her house. People always think we're either lesbians, because we're always together or holding hands, or that I am Kourtney, I guess because we look alike and have a similar style."
During an October episode of "KUWTK", Kim talked to her older sister Kourtney about the latter's "unprofessional" relationship with Stephanie after the assistant revealed she felt unfulfilled with her career. Kim also accused Kourtney of having a "wifey" relationship with the assistant.
