The Honest Co. CEO Nick Vlahos on building a business 'that can stand the test of time'

While COO at The Clorox Company and, prior, vp and gm of Burt’s Bees, Nick Vlahos knew the better-for-you categorywas a key driver of consumer-packaged goods' future. The Honest Co. was first launched in 2012 by actress and entrepreneur Jessica Alba, and Vlahos has been at the helm as CEO since March 2017. Since his appointment, Vlahos has committed the brand to reinvest 2% of its revenue into research and development. He overhauled the beauty category in 2018 to have fewer products, new formulations and packaging, simpler names, and lower price points. He also moved the company from a DTC e-commerce strategy to an omnichannel one. Today, The Honest Co. products are sold online and in 32,000 retail locations, including Walgreens, Amazon and Nordstrom, and Boots in the U.K. Vlahos cites international expansion as a significant opportunity for the business in 2022, especially through its partnership with German retailer Douglas. “As we look to the future, we're going to continue to partner with the right retailers, both domestically and internationally, to be able to drive our accessibility strategy through an omnichannel lens,” Vlahos said on the latest Glossy Beauty Podcast. The Honest Co. went public via an IPO in May 2021 at $16 a share. Currently, shares are trading below $7. In the conversation, Vlahos explains recent updates to The Honest Co.'s beauty portfolio, questions over the company’s fallen stock price and the strategy for international expansion.