Let’s Get Personal
Hey there! I’m Jessica Honegger - Founder and CEO of Noonday, author of Imperfect Courage, host of the Going Scared podcast, and mom to three amazing kids. I’m passionate about helping others step beyond comfort, embrace courage, and live lives of impact. And when I’m not doing that, you’ll probably find me chasing the best queso in town, sipping a Topo Chico, or rocking a great pair of heels.
My Story
I used to think the path to success was straight and clear. Want to know how curvy my path has been? I have done everything from midwifery in Bolivia, to getting a Masters in Education, to flipping homes in Austin, Texas. Clearly, this was a path that lead straight to starting a business, right?
Reflecting back now, I am able to see now that all my seemingly circular steps were, in fact, laying a clear path for me. The common thread along the path? A desire to try to find ways to create meaningful opportunity for others.
It was during a trip to Kenya in my teens that I first witnessed the realities of global poverty firsthand. That trip ignited in me the first sparks of the social-justice flame that would eventually inspire Noonday Collection. I returned home a bit of an activist, volunteering in Bolivia and Guatemala after college where I dove into the development world head first (and made plenty of well-intentioned mistakes along the way). It was during this time that I began to understand the power of entrepreneurship as a sustainable solution to poverty.
Fast forward to 2010, when my husband Joe and I needed a way to raise funds to adopt our son Jack from Rwanda. Through friends, I got connected with two talented Ugandan jewelry designers named Jalia and Daniel who were living in poverty but just needed access to a marketplace to truly thrive. I grew up with a mom, aunts, and grandmas who loved their statements accessories—so jewelry was in my blood. To fundraise for our adoption, I purchased some of Jalia and Daniel’s jewelry and sold it to my friends and family at a Trunk Show in my living room. The unique pieces and even more captivating story behind the collection was a hit—and that’s when I realized the potential for fashion to create economic opportunity for worldwide communities. Before I knew it, I had doubled down on this big dream, and Noonday Collection was born.
Today, you can find me hanging out in beautiful Austin, Texas with my husband Joe and our three kids, Amelie, Holden, and Jack. You will also find me traveling the world to inspire others to live lives of courage and impact.
Awards & Recognitions
2017 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award
2015 #45 on the Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Companies List
2015 Person of the Year by Austin’s lifestyle magazine TRIBEZA
Austin Business Journal Feature
Austin American Statesman Feature
Better Homes and Gardens Magazine Feature
The Today Show Feature
About Noonday
Noonday is a “not-just-for-profit” business that designs and sells an inspired collection of jewelry and accessories made by Artisans around the world to create dignified jobs for vulnerable communities. Noonday Collection develops Artisan businesses through fair trade, empowering them to grow sustainably and connecting them to a growing market for their goods.
Jessica has taken Noonday Collection a long way from its humble beginnings at that first Trunk Show in her Austin home. Today, Noonday is the world’s leading fair trade jewelry brand, partnering with 33 Artisan Businesses across 15 countries. Together, they create dignified work for more than 4,500 Artisans, impacting over 20,000 family members through sustainable income, community development, and opportunity.
Empowering Women
Through this growth, Jessica has remained committed to one guiding vision: empowering women to flourish. From artisan entrepreneurs leading thriving workshops to customers and advocates choosing purpose with every purchase, Noonday’s impact extends far beyond jewelry - it’s a story of women using their courage, creativity, and connection to change the world.
Supporting Families
Supporting families has always been central to Noonday’s mission. Rooted in Jessica’s own adoption journey, Noonday continues to invest in both adoption and family preservation around the world. By creating dignified jobs in vulnerable communities, the company empowers parents with the opportunity to earn sustainable income - helping families stay together and thrive.
Award-winning
In 2015, Inc. magazine named Noonday Collection number 45 out of the top 5,000 fastest growing companies in America, also designating it the third-fastest-growing American business owned by a woman. The same year, Noonday Collection landed the number one spot on the Austin Business Journal Fast 50 list.