Jennifer Garner Says She Faced Financial Anxiety After Divorce and Turned to Business Venture
The actress explained on a podcast that the end of her marriage prompted concerns about supporting her family, leading her to focus on a startup that later went public.
Jennifer Garner told listeners on Emma Grede's Aspire podcast that the conclusion of her marriage to Ben Affleck left her worried about providing for herself and her three children. She said she realized she had stepped back from acting and feared her earning potential might decline as she aged.
"I panicked when I was first out of my marriage and realized I had taken such a step back in my work," Garner said. "Suddenly I realized, like, I don't know how long I'll be able to work. This isn't a career that's like, 'Hey, you're 60, you're 55, you're 43 — come on, let's pay you more than you've ever made.'"
Garner emphasized that staying close to her children was a priority, noting she could not accept roles that required long periods away from them. To address her financial concerns, she became a co-founder of the organic food brand Once Upon a Farm in 2017. The company completed a public offering in February, raising $724 million, and Garner now holds a 7 percent stake valued at roughly $55 million. As chief brand officer, she has helped expand the business to $288 million in sales and distribution in more than 25,000 stores.
She reflected that, despite the early anxiety, she does not regret the years she spent focusing on family, describing the experience as a balance between work and motherhood. Garner has been in a relationship with businessman John Miller since 2018, with a brief separation in 2020 before reconciling.