
Take, for example, Jessica Alba, the co-founder of Honest Company. When Alba was pregnant with her first daughter, she once broke out in hives while washing her unborn child’s onesies. She said: “I was thinking, what if my baby has a reaction and I don’t know? What if her throat is closing? I had all this fear and anxiety because I was always so sick as a child.”
That night she Googled every ingredient in the detergent she’d used and discovered some toxins could be labelled as “fragrance”. Her mission was clear: “I wanted safe and effective consumer products that were beautifully designed, accessibly priced and easy to get.” But it was only when Alba had her second child that the company was launched. Her husband had introduced her to a childhood friend by the name of Brian Lee, who co-founded LegalZoom.com. At first he declined the offer to start a business with her, but when he had a child of his own, he changed his tune. “When someone asks if there’s a company that I didn’t invest in that I wish I had, I always say Honest,” said Kirsten Green, a venture capitalist at Forerunner. Green suggested that Alba had redefined the celebrity business model as she did far more than just pose with a product, and many of them – such as Reese Witherspoon, who started Draper James – are eager to follow Alba’s lead.Read here to find how Alba runs her business with an iron fist
- Five famous businesses that bizarrely hired celebrities
- Celebrities are now taking centre stage with apps
- The Made in Chelsea stars make entrepreneurial waves
Together with old friend Patrice Arnera,Saha launched an exclusive social network for elite stars,which is set to redistribute ten per cent of its profit to charity organisations selected by its members and help promote philanthropy via a dedicated group.
“Many youngsters who play football at the top level have a hard time managing their money and making the most of the revenue streams that are available to them,” said Saha. “You need to understand the pressure that players are under. All the time it’s about getting fitter,stronger,more efficient in front of the goal,you don’t think about anything else. You don’t have time to think about investments and taxes and there are just so many propositions thrown at you all the time.”
The social platform,called Axis Stars,will enable players,clubs,sponsors and agents to connect in a secure environment. It also acts as a “virtual department store” and “one-stop shop”. Here,athletes will be able to view the latest brand products and discuss topics such as endorsements and sponsorships with each other.