5 Latina Celebrities Turned Entrepreneurs

Hispanic Heritage Month, celebrated from September 15th to October 15th, is a yearly reminder of everyone whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America, and the contributions they’ve made to the story and culture of the U.S. It’s also an opportunity to appreciate their outsized influence on the economy. Latino celebrities who have turned entrepreneurs are the perfect mix of both cultural and economic impact. Let’s take a look at some of them and learn about their businesses.

Jessica Alba

When she had her first child in 2008 and realized that finding natural baby products wasn’t easy, she decided to start an entrepreneurship of her own. She teamed up with Brian Lee, Sean Kane and Christopher Gavigan and they created The Honest Company, making the actress co-founder of a line of eco-friendly and family-safe products that has expanded to include a beauty line, cleaning products and baby clothing. She has shared the key to sustaining a successful business: learn from your mistakes. And by doing so, she has also recognized that things don’t always go smoothly, but perseverance is essential. 

Salma Hayek

The Mexican actress and producer also started her own business in 2008, related to well-being and organic ingredients. She partnered with Eric Helms, a friend who produced natural juices, and together they started two companies. One of them is called Cooler Cleanse and provides organic juices cleanses that can help lose weight and improve digestion. The other, Blend It Yourself, is a delivery of frozen smoothies that can be used either to prepare a drink or to make face masks. She has also commented on the secret to success: for her, it means being patient and accepting that doing things right takes time. 

Eva Longoria

To say that this Texan-born to Mexican-American parents is restless could be an understatement. She’s not only an actress, director and producer but also has launched a plethora of projects. She has published a cookbook, “Eva’s Kitchen: Cooking with Love for Family and Friends,” with a recollection of Texas-style Mexican cuisine recipes, mixed with Latin American and European dishes. She has also created her own accessible clothing line, The Eva Longoria Collection, and a fragrance. But she’s also focused on empowering other Latinas through the Eva Longoria Foundation, which aims to help them start their own entrepreneurships. And she sure has plenty of experience! 

Sofia Vergara

The Colombian actress launched Latin World Entertainment with former music promoter Luis Balaguer. They realized that there was no talent management company focused on Latinos in Hollywood. So, they focused on that market and grew into an entertainment marketing firm that offers publicity and production services, among others. For her, the secret lays on identifying opportunities and working hard. 

Jennifer Lopez

She can sing, dance, act and has us all following her love life, but she has talent for business too! JLo founded her clothing company in 1998, JLo by Jennifer Lopez, that included swimsuits, eyewear, and her fragrance Glow. Since then, she has created, in partnership with Designer Parfums, two dozen perfumes. With her sister Lynda, she founded the Lopez Family Foundation in 2009 to help underprivileged women and children access healthcare, and has raised millions of dollars for HIV/AIDS research. She’s become another example of successful Latinas who don´t forget to contribute to those in need.

Celebration and visibility

According to the 2020 State of Latino Entrepreneurship report from the Stanford Graduate School of Business, the number of Latino-owned businesses has grown 34% over the last 10 years, compared to just 1% for all other small businesses. “Were if not for the growth in the number of Latino-owned firms, the total number of small businesses in the U.S. would actually have declined between 2007 and 2012,” it states. 

The study shows that even when Latinos are starting businesses at a faster rate than the national average across almost all industries and are growing revenues at a faster rate than White-owned businesses, Latino-owned employer businesses are significantly less likely than White-owned employer businesses to have loan applications approved by national banks, despite reporting strong metrics on a variety of key lending criteria. 

This can be one of the aspects you can reflect on and discuss with others to try to make these differences visible while being proud of your Hispanic or Latino ancestors during the 2022 Hispanic Heritage Month, especially since this year the theme selected for the observance is: “Unidos: Inclusivity for a Stronger Nation.”