Meet Jessica Alba, Billionaire And ‘America’s Richest Self-Made Woman,’ $1 Billion Is A ‘Small Number’ For Her

By Jon Lindley Agustin | Jun 15, 2015 11:14 AM EDT

Back in 2014, she was the cover image of Entertainment Weekly dripping out of a pool wearing a white bikini. Now, Jessica Alba is officially a billionaire and is the cover of Forbes magazine carrying the title of "America's Richest Self-Made Woman."

Jessica Alba's billionaire success was one of the topics discussed at the third annual Women's Summit organized by Forbes, which gathered women entrepreneurs and leaders in New York aiming to change the imbalance of power in the business community.

According to a Forbes report, 35-year-old Jessica Alba shared her experiences and success during the event and admitted that she went through setbacks before finally becoming a billionaire.

"People just saw me as this girl in a bikini in movies kicking butt - maybe not the brightest bulb," said Jessica Alba on her billionaire success. "It took three and a half years of condescending nods and pats on the back of 'good luck,' or 'go back to endorsing things or go do a perfume.'"

She now owns and runs a non-toxic household products startup called The Honest Company, which is reportedly valued at $1 billion.

"One billion feels like a small number for the opportunity of what's possible," Jessica Alba said in the report. "For me, as a person at home with my kids? It's crazy. It's awesome."

The Honest Company provides non-toxic household products ranging from diapering, feeding, cleaning and more.  The products are effective, safe, eco-friendly, beautiful, convenient and affordable, the company website said.

Jessica Alba founded the company after having a rash on her arms when she used a mainstream baby detergent brand during her first pregnancy, the Forbes report said.

"I read the box and I couldn't figure it out," she explained. "I went online and researched, and figured out his particular detergent was very different in 1981 when my mother used it on me."

The days of reportedly seeing her parents live out a budgeted life, cutting coupons and "keeping the lights on" are now things of the past. Recently, Jessica Alba's billionaire success was reportedly seen wearing her high fashion minimalist look when she arrived at the JFK Airport in New York last Friday.

Daily Mail UK reported she wore spaghetti straps and a low-cut V-neck, and covered by a black cardigan and donning the whole look with a black stylist hat.

"This was a risk, starting this company," she said in another report by CNN Money. "It was something that I didn't think I'd ever do and I still can't believe I'm here, and it happened, and this is real."

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