Meghan Markle admitted she felt nervous and full of self-doubt before launching her new lifestyle brand, As Ever. On the May 6 episode of her podcast, Confessions of a Female Founder, she shared how being in the public eye made her second-guess whether her business would succeed.
“I called someone and asked, ‘Is this even going to work?’” Meghan said. “I had doubts.” She explained that as a leader, she couldn’t show uncertainty to her team, but she still needed someone to confide in.
Her team encouraged her and reminded her of the excitement around the brand. “Thankfully, my partner said, ‘Are you kidding? This is amazing!’” she recalled.
Because Meghan is so well-known, she said anything she does gets extra attention — both good and bad. But when her As Ever honey sold out in under five minutes, it gave her the confidence that people believed in her and her vision.
Launching the brand wasn’t easy. Her first brand name, American Riviera Orchard, ran into legal problems because the U.S. Patent Office doesn’t allow trademarks of geographic locations. Plus, the name was challenged by another company, Harry & David, which sells “Royal Riviera” products.
Eventually, Meghan rebranded to As Ever and moved forward. She credits support from Netflix and her close circle of friends for helping her push through.
