When the first season of Meghan Markle’s Archetypes podcast came out on Spotify, the show got mixed reviews. The podcast, in which the royal and her A-list guests “investigate, dissect, and subvert the labels that try to hold women back,” talked about some important injustices and stereotypes – but it didn’t have the universal stamp of approval she might’ve expected.
Then, when Spotify dropped the mom of two after the first season despite their $20 million contract, the world considered the podcast a “flop.” But, now that Markle has partnered with a new production company, Lemonada Media, she’s starting fresh.
On Instagram, Markle announced the new name and look for her podcast.
“I’m so excited to share with you something else I’ve been working on: Confessions of a Female Founder, my new podcast with @lemonadamedia!” she wrote.
For the cover, Markle is seen looking sideways to the camera with her hair up in a ponytail and wearing a semi-sheer vibrant blue top (see the photo here!).
“I’ve been having candid conversations with amazing women who have turned dreams into realities, and scaled small ideas into massively successful businesses,” she teased of the show. “They’re opening up, sharing their tips, tricks (and tumbles), and letting me pick their brains as I build out my own business, As ever.”
As a reminder, Markle confirmed that her brand, initially named America Riviera Orchard, was renamed to As Ever last month.
“It has been absolutely eye-opening, inspiring…and fun!” Markle said of filming the series. “(Because what’s the point if we can’t have some fun on this wild adventure?)”
She ended the caption by revealing when Confessions of a Female Founder will premiere. “First episode is April 8th!” she ended.
Overall, it seems Markle is doing much more than a rebrand here. Confessions of a Female Founder has a whole new focus; instead of talking to guests like Mindy Kaling and Paris Hilton about their experiences as women and in the spotlight, Markle will be talking to female founders about what it takes to build and succeed in business. (We’re sure she’ll have some A-list guests too, though!)
In the announcement, Markle, who released her lifestyle Netflix show With Love, Meghan, earlier this month, gushed about what’s to come.
“I’m so proud of what we’re creating, and the candid conversations that I’m able to have with other female founders as we unpack the twists and turns of building a business,” Markle said in the press release. “Through my friendships and relationships, we’re able to dive into the type of insights that everyone wants to know as they’re building a business, and that I’m able to tap into as I’m building my own business with As ever.”
Lemonada Media founders Jessica Cordova Kramer and Stephanie Wittels Wachs also showed their support for Markle. “As female founders ourselves, Steph and I are grateful to get a chance to build alongside Meghan the exact podcast we needed when we started Lemonada,” Kramer wrote.
“Meghan is such a warm and welcoming person, and you feel that in her interviews,” Wachs added of Markle as a host. “She creates a comfortable space for her guests to bring fascinating personal stories to the table and open up in a way they likely haven’t before publicly. Listeners can expect conversations that are way more break room than boardroom.”
Whether you tuned in to Archetypes or not, it looks like Markle’s starting fresh with this new series. We can’t wait to tune in on April 8!
Click here to see Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s complete relationship timeline.
