Jessica Alba felt "inferior" as a young actress breaking into Hollywood because she didn't have a degree and she wasn't classically trained.
The 37 year old, who began her screen career as a teen, never considered herself to be particularly smart, despite graduating from California's Claremont High School at the age of 16, two years before her peers.
She went on to train with acting couple William H. Macy and Felicity Huffman at the non-profit Atlantic Theater Company in New York, before scoring her big break as the lead in James Cameron's Dark Angel TV series, which ran for two seasons from 2000.
Jessica has since enjoyed success in films like Honey, Sin City, and Fantastic Four, but it wasn't until she turned her ethical consumer goods brand The Honest Company into a big money-making business that she finally accepted how clever she was.
"When I was younger, I thought I wasn't smart. I didn't have a conventional or higher education," she tells Health magazine. "Now, after starting a business, I feel OK with identifying myself as smart."
"I even felt inferior saying I was an actress without being classically trained," she says. "It took me a while to find my confidence.
"I may not be the best actress ever, but do I have my moments? Definitely. And don't underestimate street smarts - all of that hustle and life experiences. You have to roll with the punches - that's how you're going to be successful in life."
The Honest Company, which started out with non-toxic baby products and household goods, has since been valued at $1 billion, and after branching out into the beauty business, Jessica couldn't be more proud of how far she has come as an entrepreneur.
"There are a few things (I'm most proud of)," she shares. "But one is having an idea (with Honest) and actually doing it.
"I was really proud of my perseverance through the challenges and not letting things hold me back. And it's not going to be perfect, and it shouldn't be, but once you're 70 or 80 per cent there, you (launch) and tweak as you go."
Indeed, Jessica has endured some bumpy times with The Honest Company since unveiling the business in 2012, after facing a series of lawsuits from disgruntled customers taking issue with product effectiveness and labelling.
Comedienne Leslie Jones also publicly complained about her less-than-impressive service from the brand's website last summer (18), after being a fan of the all-natural line for several years.
