Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, on Life and Business Beyond the Royal Spotlight

Key Concepts

• Meghan Markle's entrepreneurial ventures: Netflix show ("With Love, Meghan"), podcast, and lifestyle brand "As Ever."
• Owning your own story and presenting an authentic self.
• Balancing relatability with being the Duchess of Sussex.
• The "Meghan Effect" and its impact on small businesses.
• Financial literacy and independence for women.
• The challenges of scaling a home recipe to mass production.
• The influence of clickbait culture and media portrayal.
• The importance of values and raising kind, aware children.
• The role of Netflix as a partner and investor.

Meghan's Entrepreneurial Ventures

• "With Love, Meghan": A Netflix show focused on cooking, gardening, and hosting.
  • Season 1 hit the Top 10 globally but received mixed reviews.
  • Season 2 was released, and a holiday special is planned.
  • Meghan emphasizes the intention of sharing herself and having fun.
  • She addresses criticism about glorifying homemaking, stating she finds joy in the "sweet spot in the middle."
• As Ever: A lifestyle brand that started with a $9 jar of jam.
  • The first product, rose, sold out in 44 minutes.
  • Inventory was increased tenfold for the second drop, which sold out in hours.
  • The brand aims to be global and affordable.
  • Meghan is focused on authenticity and pouring love into the brand.
• Scaling Challenges:
  • Tedious process of scaling home recipes to mass production while maintaining quality and flavor.
  • Navigating the complexities of canning and the "Brix method."
• Pricing Strategy:
  • Prioritizing affordability to make the brand accessible to a wider audience.
  • Referencing her own experience of wanting to buy a "Bebe" shirt as a teenager.

Owning Your Story and Authenticity

• Importance of Owning Your Story: Meghan emphasizes that owning your story is "the most important thing in the world."
• Dealing with Misrepresentation: She acknowledges the difficulty of reconciling with stories told about a "caricature" of herself.
• Authenticity: Meghan states she is "just being myself" and feels more comfortable now that she can be more vocal and dress authentically.
• Relatability: She addresses the perceived tension between being relatable and being a duchess, stating she doesn't feel the need to prove anything.
• Childhood Activism: Meghan recounts protesting a sexist ad at age 11, highlighting her long-standing commitment to speaking out against injustice.

Netflix Partnership

• Creative Control: Netflix allows Meghan to have the final say on creative decisions for "With Love, Meghan."
• CPG Division: Netflix has a CPG division that works with shows and brands to create consumable products.
• Standalone Business: As Ever is a separate standalone business, not just an extension of the Netflix series.
• Investment: Netflix is Meghan's partner and investor in As Ever.
• First-Look Deal: Meghan and Harry have a first-look deal with Netflix, allowing them to shop their shows elsewhere if Netflix doesn't bite.

The "Meghan Effect" and Brand Impact

• The Meghan Effect: The concept that Meghan can transform a small business by wearing or using their products.
• Fashion Choices: Meghan's fashion choices are often decisive and designed to uplift smaller, female-founded brands.
• Shop My Instagram: Meghan uses Shop My Instagram to share the actual brands she supports.

Financial Literacy and Independence

• Importance for Women: Meghan emphasizes the importance of financial literacy and independence for women.
• Personal Journey: She shares her experience of growing up clipping coupons, working from a young age, and valuing what she earned.
• Teaching Children: Meghan teaches her children the value of money and self-reliance.

Challenges and Criticisms

• Mixed Reviews: "With Love, Meghan" received mixed reviews despite hitting the Top 10 globally.
• Criticism of Glorifying Homemaking: Meghan addresses criticism that her show glorifies homemaking, stating she finds joy in the "sweet spot in the middle."
• Clickbait Culture: Meghan acknowledges the powerful machine of clickbait and how it can create false or damaging stories.
• Pressure to Be Perfect: Meghan admits to feeling pressure to be perfect and curate what she shows to the public.

Values and Raising Children

• Values: Meghan emphasizes the importance of values and raising kind, aware children.
• Hands-On Parenting: She and Harry are hands-on parents who prioritize being present and involved in their children's lives.
• Normalizing: They try to normalize their children's lives as much as possible despite their privilege.
• Truth: Meghan believes in telling her children the truth based on what they can carry in that moment.

Future Aspirations

• Expansion of As Ever: Meghan is open to expanding As Ever into beauty and fashion.
• Angel Investing: She is involved in angel investing, focusing on women at different generations.
• Dolphin Tank: Meghan calls her approach to angel investing "Dolphin Tank," emphasizing friendly waters.
• AI: While cautious, Meghan acknowledges that AI will likely be a part of their lives in some capacity.

Personal Reflections

• Feeling the Least Duchess of Sussex: Meghan feels the least like the Duchess of Sussex when she is "sitting here eating a smashburger" and being asked personal questions.
• Navigating Tough Times: She emphasizes the importance of having close friends, a supportive partner, and relying on the support around you.
• Truth About Herself: Meghan wants people to know that she is a "real person" and that much gets lost in the dehumanizing clickbait culture.

Notable Quotes

• "It's the most important thing in the world." - Meghan, on owning your own story.
• "I'm just being myself." - Meghan, on balancing relatability with being the Duchess of Sussex.
• "I just want people to know that I'm a real person." - Meghan, on what she wants people to know about her.

Technical Terms and Concepts

• Brix Method: A method used in canning to measure the sugar content of a solution.
• SKUs: Stock Keeping Units, a unique identifier for each distinct product or service that can be purchased.
• D2C: Direct-to-Consumer, a business model where companies sell products directly to customers without intermediaries.
• CPG: Consumer Packaged Goods, products that are consumed and replaced frequently.
• AI: Artificial Intelligence, the simulation of human intelligence processes by computer systems.
• ChatGPT: A large language model chatbot developed by OpenAI.
• SEO: Search Engine Optimization, the process of improving the visibility of a website or a web page in a search engine's unpaid results.

Synthesis/Conclusion

Meghan Markle is actively building a new chapter as an entrepreneur, navigating the challenges of scaling a business, managing her public image, and staying true to her values. She is focused on authenticity, affordability, and empowering women, while also acknowledging the complexities of her unique position. Her ventures, including "With Love, Meghan" and As Ever, represent her efforts to connect with a wider audience and create a lasting impact beyond her royal associations. The interview reveals a determined and thoughtful individual striving to define her own narrative in a world often shaped by clickbait and preconceived notions.