MTVOver the years, we've watched the cast of Teen Mom grow from scared teenagers to young parents struggling with adult problems like custody disputes, divorce, arrests and addiction. One of the most dramatic transformations, however, has quietly occurred off-screen. Amber Portwood, now 26, once an unstable single mom who suffered anger management issues and ended up serving prison time on felony drug charges, has matured into a committed mother to daughter Leah, now 8. And, thanks to a budding fashion business, she is now an entrepreneur.
Portwood, engaged to single dad Matt Baier, 45, lives in Indianapolis where she runs her online fashion store, Be Forever Haute. "I started the boutique because I was getting requests from Teen Mom fans all over the world about my outfits and makeup," Portwood tells E! News. "Having an online boutique was the best way I could reach everyone."
Although she has several employees, she takes a hands-on approach to running her site. "A typical day starts at 7 a.m., when I begin dealing with all the manufacturers while making sure each item is still in stock and then reordering what's selling out. I also keep in touch with customers and spend time researching trends and planning for the next upcoming season. The women who shop on my site want to be confident, classy and sexy, no matter what their size."
For her wedding to Baier, Portwood confirms she will design her own dress. "Of course I will. I'm thinking of something with a late '40s to early '50s style," she says. And when will the big day happen? "This October," Baier tells E! News. "Ideally, Oct. 10 because that was the day we met in person for the first time." Of his fiancée, Baier says, "I'm so proud of Amber's business and, more importantly, how far she's come as a person. When she sets her mind to something, she exceeds everyone's expectations."
Daughter Leah (whose dad is Amber's ex, Gary Shirley) already wants to follow in Amber's fashionable footsteps. "Leah wants to wear what Mommy wears," Amber shares. "She's at her happiest when she looks and dresses like mama. It makes me smile so much."
And while Teen Mom OG may document the occasional drama that still pops up in her life, Amber wants her fans to know one thing: "I think about and miss my daughter every minute she's not with me. I'm a very kind person with a big heart and when Teen Mom is over, it's not going to be the end of my journey, but the beginning."