Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, once taught gift wrapping at Paper Source while auditioning as an actress. The American-born former actress, who played Rachel Zane on legal drama Suits, said at Fortune\u2019s Most Powerful Women Conference in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday that founding her As Ever brand has gotten her back to her roots in the most unexpected way.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s not the full circle I was expecting, but here we are,\u201d she said in an interview with Fortune\u2018s Editor in Chief Alyson Shontell.\u00a0<\/p>\n
This year, she launched her lifestyle and homemaking brand called As Ever, with Netflix<\/a> as her sole investor and partner. With a deep love and passion for tactile goods, her brand sells homegoods like jarred jams, flower sprinkles, and teas. The Duchess hinted that tactile products could be in the mix in the future, and she has also expanded her media presence with the Netflix show, \u201cWith Love, Meghan,\u201d and the podcast series \u201cConfessions of a Female Founder,\u201d both of which launched this year.<\/p>\n Formerly Meghan Markle, she became a member of the British Royal Family in 2018 upon her marriage to Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex\u2014an event watched by millions around the globe. She also ran a lifestyle blog, The Tig, before her marriage.<\/p>\n Considering the scrutiny Duchess Meghan faced during the early days of her relationship and marriage to Prince Harry, she has quite a complex relationship with social media.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cLook, I have had a very complicated relationship with social media, as you can probably imagine,\u201d Duchess Meghan said. But \u201cI also recognize the role that it plays in business.\u201d<\/p>\n Duchess Meghan had taken a hiatus from social media, only rejoining in January during the launch of As Ever. She\u2019s continuing to develop a social media plan that works for her, her family, and her business.\u00a0<\/p>\n One tactic she\u2019s used is turning off comments on social media posts because \u201ca lot of those people aren\u2019t going to my page to see negativity,\u201d she said. It\u2019s \u201cnot just protecting myself or the people that work with me, but also the supporters.\u201d<\/p>\n But to continue to grow the community, Duchess Meghan shares handwritten notes with supporters.<\/p>\n \u201cLet\u2019s find small and creative ways to engage the community and let them know that I\u2019m listening, that I really see and appreciate their feedback,\u201d she said. \u201cA lot of it is just designing what works best for you, while also being really cognizant of what it\u2019s going to help grow the business with an intentional and authentic point of view.\u201d<\/p>\n Duchess Meghan\u2019s dedication to women in business\u00a0<\/p>\n Meghan has long focused on women\u2019s rights and feminism. At age 11, she wrote a letter protesting what she called a sexist television commercial by Procter & Gamble for Ivory dish soap, which stated \u201cWomen all over America are fighting greasy pots and pans.\u201d She was motivated to speak up against the message and wrote a letter to P&G, then-First Lady Hillary Clinton, women\u2019s rights attorney Gloria Allred, and news anchor Linda Ellerbee. Meghan suggested they change the phrasing in the ad from \u201cwomen\u201d to \u201cpeople.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n She also delivered a high-profile speech at the UN on gender equality in 2015 and remains active about social and political issues like paid family leave and reproductive rights. Meghan also invests in female-led companies<\/a>, and says her investment approach is more like a \u201cdolphin tank\u201d than a \u201cShark Tank,\u201d meaning she approaches investing with a more supportive and friendly style.<\/p>\n Her media ventures\u2014Netflix projects, the end of Spotify\u2019s Archetypes<\/a>, and subsequent brand resets\u2014 have been prominent moments within the high-stakes economics of Hollywood deals and audience perception.<\/p>\n Historically, Fortune has featured her at its Most Powerful Women platform<\/a> to discuss online toxicity, civic engagement, and tech accountability, a thread that continues in coverage of her and Prince Harry\u2019s calls for platform policy changes<\/a> at Meta<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, once taught gift wrapping at Paper Source while auditioning as an actress. 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