Jessica Alba Speaks to Marshall Students

Jessica Alba came to USC Marshall School of Business to discuss with business students and faculty members about entrepreneurship at Bovard Auditorium on Wed., April 15. Alba came to talk about her company, The Honest Company—a purveyor of healthy, non-toxic products for families and households. She launched the business with her business partners Brian Lee and Christopher Gavigan in 2012. She spoke at for the Lloyd Greif Center for Entrepreneurial Studies and the USC Speakers Committee, as part of Greif Center co-director David Belasco’s class on the entrepreneurial mindset.

Alba started the company after she couldn’t find any truly non-toxic products for her baby. She decided to make products herself and make them available for customers online. Fueled by her love for her children and certain that other parents would respond as well, she started pitching her idea. She was initially turned down by investors, including Brian Lee.

“People told me not to bother going up against the huge, established multi-national corporations that were selling these products. People also thought my idea already existed,” she said. After being turned down, Alba went back and did more market research. She returned to meet Lee, who by then had become a father himself and understood the need for a company. He signed on, and investors started paying attention.

The Honest Company now has 250 employees and $150 million in revenue. The company has been valued at $1 billion and has recently partnered with retail organizations like Whole Foods. During her talk at Marshall, Alba told students who want to start their own companies to be humble, to assemble a strong team and to take early criticism well.

“I pitched this idea to smart people with different business backgrounds and let them poke holes in it,” she said. “Until they all said, ‘Hey, this is a good idea,’ it wasn’t ready.”

regions: Los Angeles

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