Behind every successful ongoing business, one is likely to find a leader who is empathetic towards others. Many successful people in the world have created a solution for various problems by putting themselves in the shoes of the common people.

Jessica Alba, an American actress, also faced many problems like everyone else. But her desire to address those problems and bring forth a solution has led to the birth of a one billion dollar business.

Staying strong as a child

Born in 1981, Jessica had to battle several diseases as a child and underwent the knife five times. By the time she turned 11, Jessica had changed 11 schools, as her father was in the Air Force. Being the new kid on the block almost every year, and battling multiple diseases only made her stronger from within and taught her the important lessons of life like empathy.

Her uncomfortable childhood experiences set a strong foundation for future and this helped her become one of Hollywood’s most successful female actors.

One idea to change it all

However, there was more in store for her. When Jessica was pregnant, she got an allergic reaction to detergent powder. This made her aware of thousands of products that are laden with toxic chemicals and are used by everyone for their daily needs. Hence, she made it a priority to buy only green and organic products.

Jessica found that the product lines, which were accumulating fame for being green were a mere exaggeration in reality. This was a breach of trust for her and she set out on a mission to make a trusted brand for everyone. 

The initial idea was very simple. Jessica wanted a natural world all around her and contribute to a healthy environment, especially for expecting mothers and young children. She teamed up with Christopher Gavigan, an environmental scientist, and the duo started working tirelessly to turn their dreams into reality. Finally, in 2012, they launched their venture, The Honest Company.

Expanding and giving back

Initially, The Honest Company sold only wipes and infant diapers. It further expanded into a vast array of baby care products including baby feed, vitamins, oils, shampoos, laundry detergent, and everything in between. Many thought that the company would get to the grounds soon, but it has proved otherwise. The company racked up its revenue to $50 million in 2013 and at the end of 2017, it is valued at $1.7 billion.

In spite of achieving so much, Jessica still carries her humble beginnings and never stays behind when it comes to sharing whatever she has with the less fortunate. She actively supports charities such as Project HOME, Habitat for Humanity, ONE, and Safer Chemicals Healthy Families.

Jessica has proven to be a source of inspiration, especially to all the women entrepreneurs out there who wish to follow their dreams and visions towards achieving greater heights. She has shown that one single idea is enough to create a revolution in the market as well as in one’s own life. Despite the negative comments and dejections, she stood her ground and went about her mission. A mission that has restructured the entire cosmetics industry.

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