jessica-alba-self

Sin City star Jessica Alba is featured in the October issue of Self and says her children – daughters Honor, 7, and Haven, 4 – helped inspire her successful business, The Honest Company, which currently valued at $1.7 billion.

On when Honor was a baby and broke out in hives after using baby laundry detergent: “I was horrified by the realities around the use of chemicals, and also the link that these chemicals have to a lot of illnesses, from obesity to lung disease to cancer, allergies, eczema—all of it. I was bringing this little person into the world and I thought, I want her to be healthy.”

On being a “sickly kid” when she was young: “I was on a swim team, and I was chubby and slow and dead last—a full two laps last. I was crying and couldn’t breathe. My mom and dad were like, ‘You started this, you’re going to finish it!’ My parents made me stick to stuff, pick myself up. It’s painful to go through, but I appreciate that tough love.”

On the secret to her success: “I’ve always been business-minded. I approached Hollywood like a business. I was very calculated. I wanted to be treated like a guy; I wanted to put asses in seats. I saved my money, invested wisely and marketed myself. I’ve been building my own personal brand over time.”

For more from Jessica, go to Self