Meghan Markle recently addressed the criticism surrounding the name of her new lifestyle brand As Ever on the latest episode of her podcast, Confessions of a Female Founder.
Joined by Kadi Lee, co-founder of Highbrow Hippie salon, the Duchess of Sussex discussed the process of building a brand with intention, authenticity, and community at its core.
Reflecting on the journey to choosing a name, Meghan revealed that she had secured the As Ever trademark back in 2022. Initially, she had considered launching under the name American Riviera Orchard, with the idea of building a broader lifestyle umbrella with multiple verticals beneath it.
“As everything started to evolve last year, especially as we brought in a partner of that scale, it just became this… word salad,” she explained. “I didn’t love that so much. So I said, ‘Okay, let’s go back to the name I’ve always loved—the one I protected for a reason.’”
She emphasized how valuable it was to have time to build quietly, away from public scrutiny: “We were able to focus in the quiet and put our heads down and build something meaningful—something no one was sniffing around to see. That was really, really helpful.”
Episode Two: Motherhood and Prioritizing Health
In the second episode of the series, Meghan was joined by Reshma Saujani, founder of Girls Who Code and Moms First. The two candidly discussed the pressures of balancing work and motherhood, especially during difficult moments.
“My kids right now—one has RSV, the other has influenza A,” Meghan shared. “It’s been cough syrup all night, rubbing backs, hearing little feet padding around because they’re home from school.”
Despite the challenges, she emphasized the importance of showing up for both work and family: “Sometimes it’s just about saying, ‘I’m here, but I’m in my sweatshirt today because I’ve been up all night. But I’m still showing up—because both things matter.’”
Episode One: Meghan’s Postpartum Health Scare
The series premiere featured a deeply personal conversation with Bumble founder Whitney Wolfe Herd, where Meghan opened up for the first time about experiencing postpartum pre-eclampsia.
“It’s so rare. And it’s so scary,” Meghan admitted. “You’re still trying to juggle everything, and the world has no idea what’s happening behind the scenes. But you keep showing up—especially for your children. Those moments are real medical emergencies.”
Whitney reflected on watching Meghan introduce Archie to the world just days after giving birth. “I remember thinking, ‘How is she doing this?’” she said. “I was a new mom, hiding from the doorbell, and she was in heels presenting her baby to the world.”
Confessions of a Female Founder is Meghan’s newest podcast project and marks the first original series from Lemonada Media. The eight-part series features weekly episodes and aims to highlight the raw, real, and often unseen stories of women building businesses and lives on their own terms.
