Jessica Alba Steps Down as CCO From Her Massively Successful Business
After 12 years in business, Alba wants to focus on other ventures.
In a shocking move, Jessica Alba has announced that she will step down as chief creative officer at Honest Company. The Honey star will remains a member on the company board, but Honest said that she will now focus on "new endeavors." She founded the brand, a personal care company, in 2012 having an allergic reaction to baby laundry detergents while she was pregnant with her first child and prewashing baby onesies with a major brand's detergent. Honest has been comprised of primarily baby product items – such as diapers, wipes, shampoo and body wash, and more. The company went public in May 2021, with shares soaring 44% in their stock market debut.
"Honest has been a true labor of love for me – one that showed me what's possible when you infuse purpose into business," Alba said in a statement. "It is with a grateful heart that twelve years after founding The Honest Company, I am stepping down from my leadership role as Chief Creative Officer. However, I will continue to provide strategic advice through my role on the board," she added in an Instagram post.
While sales remain steady, The Associated Press notes that Honest Co. has struggled to turn a profit. This week marked the first profitable quarter since mid-2021.
Alba first pitched the idea for the company to her friends in a mommy and me class. The company name is a tribute to her daughter, Honor.
Despite it's success and reaching over $1 billion in value, the company has had its ups and downs. Fellow actress Gwyneth Paltrow gave several of The Honest Company's products a C grade in her lifestyle brand Goop newsletter "The Dirty on Getting Clean." She also gave the company's stain remover an F rating. It didn't matter as Alba was later named one of Forbes' richest self-made women.