Meghan Markle Shares How Oprah’s Advice Inspired Her Lifestyle Brand ‘As Ever’

On her podcast, Meghan reflects on overcoming fear, building her business, and the valuable lessons she learned from Oprah Winfrey and Jamie Kern Lima.

New Delhi, April 29:
Meghan Markle is opening up about the business advice that helped shape her entrepreneurial journey.

During the April 29 episode of Confessions of a Female Founder, her podcast with Lemonada Media, the Duchess of Sussex welcomed friend and IT Cosmetics co-founder Jamie Kern Lima. The conversation offered a rare glimpse into Meghan’s mindset while launching her lifestyle brand, As Ever — and the powerful influence of friends like Oprah Winfrey.

“At the beginning, I just liked making jam,” Meghan shared. “It started as something simple — sharing small batches with family and friends. It brought me joy, and I thought, ‘Maybe I can share it more broadly.’”

However, fear of failure initially held her back from thinking big. “I had to ask myself — am I genuinely wanting to stay small, or am I afraid?” she admitted.

It was Oprah, a guest at Meghan and Prince Harry’s 2018 wedding, who offered a piece of advice that stuck:
“Oprah said, ‘There are tons of things you could put your name on. But for you, once you figure out how to encapsulate your essence, then you’ll know.’”

Following that guidance, Meghan launched her first As Ever product — a raspberry spread — which sold out in under an hour earlier this month.

Jamie Kern Lima also offered Meghan critical advice during the early stages of As Ever.
“You asked about my timeline and I said, ‘a couple of months,’” Meghan recalled. “You told me, ‘That’s too soon.’ I didn’t want to hear it, but it was exactly what I needed.”

Meghan credited Kern Lima’s perspective with giving her the patience to launch when truly ready, rather than rushing due to external pressures.
“It’s important not to let others’ urgency become your urgency,” Meghan said, reflecting on the pressures of public expectations.

The conversation also touched on the illusions created by social media.
“People only see the finished product, perfectly tied with a bow,” Meghan said. “They don’t see the messy, painful, questioning process that often comes before success.”

Kern Lima added, “When you look at businesses online, you see the highlight reel, not the struggles behind it.”

Meghan’s discussion with Kern Lima comes just a day after she made her first-ever podcast appearance as a guest on The Jamie Kern Lima Show, where she discussed her life with Prince Harry, secret letters to Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, and whether she plans to enter politics or write a memoir in the future.