Jenna Meek: Biography, Businesses, Net Worth, and More

Jenna Meek started a business in her bedroom at 20, sold it for millions, and now sits as a guest dragon on Dragons’ Den. Born in 1992, the English entrepreneur founded The Gypsy Shrine in 2016, a brand that evolved into Shrine before being sold in 2024. As co-founder and CEO of REFY Beauty, she proves serial entrepreneurship can reshape an industry.

Born: 1992 ·
Nationality: English ·
Known for: Founder of Shrine, Co-founder of REFY Beauty ·
Appearance: Dragons’ Den (BBC, 2026)

Six key facts about Jenna Meek, one pattern: each milestone builds on the last.

Here is a quick reference on her core identifiers.

How did Jenna Meek make her money?

Founding The Gypsy Shrine and Shrine

• Jenna Meek launched The Gypsy Shrine in 2016 from her bedroom in Bishop Auckland, North East England (Mirror)
• The brand specialised in festival-led beauty — face jewels, glitter, and self-expression (Beautilist)
• She renamed it to Shrine and grew it into a multi-million-pound business (The Independent)
• Before founding, Meek worked in roles at Hugo Boss, Emilia Wickstead and Burberry, gaining fashion marketing experience (The Independent)

The pattern: Meek turned a small festival pop-up into a recognised beauty brand purely through social media and word-of-mouth.

Selling Shrine in 2024

• Meek sold her stake in Shrine in 2024, officially leaving the business she had run for nearly nine years (TV Guide)
• LinkedIn records show her tenure as Founder and CEO of Shrine from September 2015 to March 2024 (LinkedIn)
• The sale freed her to focus entirely on REFY, which she had co-founded in 2020 (Raise the Bar)

The trade-off: leaving a successful solo brand to bet on a new venture co-owned with a partner.

Launching REFY Beauty

• REFY was co-founded in 2020 with model and influencer Jess Hunt (The Independent)
• The brand launched with a single hero product, Brow Sculpt, and has since expanded into a full range of simple beauty essentials (Beautilist)
• Meek serves as CEO, driving the brand’s strategy and growth (Raise the Bar)
• In 2022, she was named to Forbes 30 Under 30 in retail/commerce (The Independent)
• The Independent estimates her net worth at between £52 million and £53 million (The Independent)

What business does Jenna Meek own?

REFY Beauty co-ownership

• Jenna Meek is Co-Founder and CEO of REFY, a beauty brand that simplifies daily routines (The Independent)
• She owns a significant stake alongside co-founder Jess Hunt (Wikipedia)
• The brand is built from Manchester and focuses on single-product releases (Beautilist)

Previous ownership of Shrine

• Meek previously owned The Gypsy Shrine, later renamed Shrine, which she sold in 2024 (TV Guide)
• No other businesses are publicly known

The implication: Meek is now a single-brand entrepreneur, focused entirely on scaling REFY.

Who is Jenna Meek married to?

As of available public information, Jenna Meek’s marital status is not confirmed. No verifiable source provides a husband’s name, and she has not publicly discussed a spouse. Some online speculation links her to co-founder Jess Hunt, but that is not substantiated by any official record.

What this means: like many founders under 35, Meek keeps her personal life private; the absence of a confirmed partner does not affect her business credibility.

Who is the owner of Refy?

Co-founders of REFY

• The brand is co-owned by Jenna Meek (CEO) and Jess Hunt (The Independent)
• Meek is the operational lead, while Hunt provides creative and influencer direction (Mirror)
• The brand’s mission is “simple beauty” — fewer steps, better results (Beautilist)

What is Jenna Meek’s background?

Early life and education

• Meek was born in 1992 in Bishop Auckland, North East England (Mirror)
• She studied international fashion marketing at Manchester Metropolitan University (Mirror)
• After university, she worked at Hugo Boss, Emilia Wickstead and Burberry (The Independent)

Career beginnings

• She started The Gypsy Shrine at age 20 from her bedroom in 2015/2016 (Mirror)
• The brand was festival-driven, featuring face jewels and glitter (Beautilist)
• Meek appeared as a guest dragon on Dragons’ Den in 2026 (Wikipedia)
• She was also recognised in The Sunday Times beauty rich list (The Independent)

The catch: her early career in high-end fashion gave her a network that she later used to launch her own brand — a classic founder advantage.

Her journey from a bedroom start-up to a guest dragon seat is no accident. For aspiring beauty founders in the UK, the lesson is clear: build a brand with a distinct identity, know when to exit, and bet on the next curve. For the investors who passed on Shrine, the opportunity cost is now a matter of public record.

For a detailed look at her financial journey, you can read Jenna Meeks biography and net worth on Playlister UK.

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