演员兼企业家杰西卡•阿尔芭谈名人融资

    2011年，著名女演员杰西卡•阿尔芭参与创办了诚实公司(The Honest Company)，专门生产环保的婴儿用品和家庭用品。3年后的今天，这家公司刚刚宣布融资7,000万美元，公司估值约为10亿美元，并计划上市。阿尔芭曾被评为2012年《财富》（Fortune）最具影响力的女创业家（Most Powerful Women Entrepreneurs）。她对《财富》杂志讲述了她创建诚实公司的心路历程，以及如何以名人的身份向风险投资家融资。

    以下为经过编辑的访谈内容摘录：

    在创建这家公司的时候，你希望实现怎样的目标？

    我当时发现一个亟待解决的问题，但市场上却没有公司关注，而这件事却有着重要的意义。那就是为消费者提供安全、健康无毒的产品。我的朋友现在都到了结婚生子的年龄，但很多人却很难怀孕。因为清洁用品中含有大量的荷尔蒙干扰物，以及其他影响荷尔蒙分泌的东西。人们不希望得病，同时还希望买到既便宜、又美观而且实用的产品，但很难买到，这就像连锁反应。

    有没有想到自己的想法会成长为一个价值10亿美元的品牌？

    我其实并没有从金钱的角度来衡量它。我的目标是将这种理念尽可能地传导给全世界更多的人，重新定义家庭用品品牌。对于公司未来发展的可能性，我当初并没有任何价值目标或限制。

    你认为，即将进行的IPO完成后，你在公司内的角色会发生怎样的变化？

    我依旧会亲自参与公司运营，我还是会进行微观管理，而且我对细节的关注甚至有一点过分。细节让我们独树一帜，而我又是一个对细节一丝不苟的人。这让我们感到与众不同。只要我还在使用公司的产品，我就会参与市场营销、包装和设计。我没有感觉在公司的角色发生了任何变化，不过我想我不会再亲自参与产品包装。最初，我们会自己包装产品并进行初期产品测试，测试的方法就是在一个停车场里乱扔，看包装会不会碎。现在我们有专人通过正规的方式做这些事情。（大笑）

    你觉得，当你出去为诚实公司融资时，你的名人身份有益还是有害？

    我会以一位妈妈和一名消费者的身份，与风险投资家磋商。对于产品成分和有毒化学物，我也有一定的了解。我可以深入谈论这个话题，而且我还有两个孩子。我们是一家生活方式品牌，目标客户正是与我一样的消费者。我是80后妈妈。所以，我去和风投谈论我们的品牌和产品，是讲得通的。许多风险投资者都是已婚男士，他们会说：“我妻子的情况和你的完全一样。”通过交谈，他们都能联想到消费者的需求和渴望、市场现状，以及一个真正能够吸引现代女性的品牌。

    Actress Jessica Alba co-founded The Honest Company in 2011, to make eco-friendly baby and home products. Three years later, the company just announced $70 millionin new funding at nearly a $1 billion valuation, and is looking toward an initial public offering. Alba, one of Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Entrepreneurs in 2012, spoke with Fortune about Honest Co. and what it’s like to raise money from venture capitalists as a celebrity.

    Edited excerpts:

    What goal did you set out to accomplish when you founded the company?

    I really found a problem that needed to be addressed and no one was out there doing it, but it makes so much sense. It makes sense to have safe, healthy non-toxic products. All my friends were at an age where they were thinking about starting a family and a lot of them had a difficult time getting pregnant. There are a lot of hormone disruptors in cleaning products and things that are off-putting to your hormones. Then it was like this ripple effect of people not wanting to be sick and wanting inexpensive products that looked good and worked well.

    Did you ever think your idea would grow into a brand worth nearly $1 billion?

    I really didn’t put a dollar amount to it. My goal was to reach as many people globally [as possible] and really redefine the idea of a family brand. I didn’t have any values or limitations on the possibility of what that was.

    How do you think your role at the company would change after a potential IPO?

    I am still quite hands-on and I still micro-manage probably a little too much. The details are what set us apart and me being meticulous about the details matters. It makes us feel different to everyone else out there. As long as I am the customer, I am going to be involved in marketing, packaging and design. I don’t see my role changing a whole lot, but I guess I won’t be packing boxes anymore. In the beginning, we were packing our own boxes and doing initial product tests by throwing them around in a parking lot to see if they would break. Now we have people to do those things properly. (Laughs)

    Do you think your celebrity status helped you or hurt you when you went out to raise funds for Honest Co.?

    When I go into rooms and talk to venture capitalists, I approach it really as a mom and as a consumer. I have a decent amount of knowledge on ingredients and toxic chemicals. I can dive deep on it and I have the day-to-day of having two kids. We are a lifestyle brand that is catering to customers like me. I am the millennial mom. It makes sense when I am in the room talking about the brand and the product. A lot of [venture capitalists] are men and have wives and they say, “My wife does the exactly the same thing.” They can all relate to the needs and desires and what was out there and having a brand that really spoke to me as a modern woman.