Summary

• Kyle Cooke and Amanda Batula's Loverboy lost millions, causing strain on their marriage and business.
• Despite legal issues and financial setbacks, Loverboy reached $16 million in sales in 2022.
• Batula took a step back from Loverboy for the sake of their relationship, seeking a new passion outside the brand.

Summer House's Kyle Cooke and Amanda Batula created a line of hard teas and spritzes called Loverboy back in 2018. The business venture has taken a toll on Cooke, his marriage to Batula, and his wallet. According to Bravo, Cooke's alcoholic drink line lost millions of dollars, causing Cooke to break down on camera in Season 8.

Over the years, Cooke and Batula have been honest about their struggles as a married couple who are also in business together, along with the highs and lows of the brand. In a world where hard teas, spritzes, and seltzers are a dime a dozen with major competition, Cooke is doing everything he can to keep their business thriving, and having a part on one of Bravo's more famous shows helps that. Keep reading to see how Loverboy lost millions and how the business has taken a toll on Cooke, Batula, and their marriage.

Kyle Cooke Told His Castmates That Loverboy Lost $3 Million

In Season 8 of Summer House, Kyle Cooke showed how stressed he was about the future of Loverboy when his wife Amanda Batula (the Creative Director of Loverboy) talked about taking some time away from work to focus on another passion. To prove to her friends and audiences why he needed her to stay, he explained the scary financial situation Loverboy was in. In an episode of Summer House After Show, Cooke mentioned the brand's financial status in detail.

"You know, last year we lost almost $3 million."

Cooke continued saying, "When I was trying to open up about the challenges of running a startup, the advice that [Paige DeSorbo and Ciara Miller] gave me was 'Kyle, why don't you just pull the plug?'"

Considering the adult beverage brand was in business for five years at the point, Cooke explained further why the loss was so shocking. "For the last three years, we were running a profitable business. We assumed we'd be profitable this year even when we grew our team and grew our expenses. But right now, we are losing money."

As a businessman and entrepreneur, Cooke saw the allure of starting his own business while on a hit reality TV show. In an interview with Forbes, Cooke explained that he wanted to create a business that he could represent on the show, gaining millions of viewers. In Season 3, Cooke introduced his healthier version of a canned alcoholic beverage with Loverboy.

Cooke needed the company to be a success after pouring $100,000 of his own money into the brand. In fact, according to E! Online, Cooke was $4 million in debt over a business loan he took out to get Loverboy off the ground.

During a particularly stressful weekend, Cookie vented about the hardships of being the boss of a hit brand.

"I'm in a lawsuit. I've spent $200,000 on legal fees this month. I'm $4 million in debt with the loan for my business. Everything is on the line."

US Weekly dug into the lawsuit with Loverboy that took place in 2020. The owner of New York's Loverboy Bar sued Cooke for trademark infringement. The owner of the bar tried getting Cooke to change the name of Loverboy and to pay damages for “willful infringement.” Cooke and his lawyers counter-sued, stating they were in their rights to continue with Loverboy as the name. The case was eventually settled and dismissed by the court.

Luckily for Cooke, his and Batula's research in brand marketing led them in the right direction. In 2022, Loverboy reached $16 million in sales.

Kyle Cooke And Amanda Batula's Marriage Is Hanging By A Thread Because Of Loverboy Stressors

If there's one thing Kyle Cooke and Amanda Batula have been honest about on TV, it's the hardships they've experienced in their relationship and marriage, which have gone on to affect business and vice versa.

Before getting married, Summer House audiences saw Cooke come clean about cheating on Batula. Another situation occurred when Cooke was told he kissed a woman at the bar; a situation Cooke didn't remember because he was too drunk.

Batula chose to forgive Cooke's infidelities and focus on their future, which included Loverboy. With Cooke as the CEO, Batula is in charge of Loverboy's marketing and creative direction, as noted by Bravo. Loverboy's notable colorful and poppy branding is based on Batula's expertise in knowing the brand's audience: females who most likely watch Bravo.

Batula has mentioned on Bravo that she left her senior-level marketing position to take care of Loverboy full-time. And while the brand is considered a success, Season 8 showed Batula looking for something else that she's passionate about.

“In the beginning, I was very hesitant to quit my job and work full-time for Loverboy. But that’s what Kyle wanted. Maybe we were wrong."

According to US Weekly, Batula told her husband she wanted a break from Loverboy to find something that gave her "drive." Unfortunately for her, Cooke didn't take her desires kindly. He noted that the brand was in financial distress and that her leaving Loverboy would drastically affect the business's day-to-day.

As of April 2024, Batula took a step back at Loverboy for the "sake of [their] relationship."

“I think that we were at a place where I would be frustrated about something happening on my end, and he would take it very personally, or he’d complain about something that I approved, and I made a decision on, and I would take it personally. So it wasn’t great for our relationship," Batula told US Weekly.

While Batula hasn't shed any light on what new avenue she's interested in doing, Summer House fans are hoping it's something she's passionate about, like styling or fashion.

Hopefully working part-time at Loverboy to focus on her marriage and a new passion will get this couple to a better place.