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Newsweek
5 days ago
- Business
- Newsweek
Meghan Markle's 'Lack of Confidence' Shows in As Ever Lifestyle Brand
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Meghan Markle's As Ever online shop sold out its second batch of products in minutes with the shortage of supply reflecting "a lack of confidence in their own product," a PR expert told Newsweek. Just days ago, the Duchess of Sussex said she did not want another lightning-fast sell out that would leave customers "fatigued." Yet that is exactly what happened after her As Ever online shop—featuring an apricot spread, a rosé or a crepe mix among others—restocked on Friday, June 20, despite a 10-fold increase in supply. No figures have been released for the number of products sold. Meghan Markle attends a holiday dinner for The Welcome Project in Celebration of Community at Our Place, in Venice, L.A., on October 26, 2024. Meghan Markle attends a holiday dinner for The Welcome Project in Celebration of Community at Our Place, in Venice, L.A., on October 26, 2024. Eric Charbonneau/The Archewell Foundation via Getty Images Mark Borkowski, a U.K.-based PR expert, told Newsweek it reflected a lack of confidence in her own ability to sell despite the success she has so far achieved. "Nobody wants to be left with a load of stock you can't shift," he said. "So it shows to a certain extent a lack of confidence in their own product because if they believed in it, they would go into overproduction or a greater production line. "It shows they're still unsure about the very thing that would seem to be quite successful. "Anyone with a rudimentary understanding of supply and demand would think they are surprised by their success." Afua Hagan, a U.K.-based royal expert, told Newsweek: "It's a good thing for her because obviously people love what she's selling and love what she has on offer. "But I think she needs to up the inventory because obviously you don't want everything to sell out really quickly. You want more people to be able to have it and maybe she's underestimated how popular her products would be. "Obviously, you're scaling as a business and still trying to start small and work her way into a big inventory but I think she does need to do that because obviously the products are so popular." And Nick Ede, a U.K.-based brand and culture expert, told Newsweek: "Obviously they've said they increased the inventory 10 times, but you wonder how large that inventory actually was. "You actually want to, as a customer, as a consumer, go onto a website and feel you can buy the product. "That spin of it's sold out and there's a demand for it becomes a bit obsolete because people want it there and then. We're in a world now where we can go onto Amazon and get something delivered the next morning that we've just purchased. "I think they need to get it right. If they do it a third time I would have a real issue." What Meghan told 'Aspire With Emma Grede' Podcast Meghan's first batch of As Ever products sold out in minutes on April 2 and as recently as last week Meghan indicated she had "exponentially increased" supply to avoid a repeat. She told the Aspire with Emma Grede podcast, which dropped on June 17: "I knew that I had a decision to make which came down to, what is our timeline to be able to restock these products that we had? "Well, we can restock what we had at those same quantities but then I'll have another sell out and I don't want that for people. "I think scarcity is great if it happens organically at the onset but at a certain point, even being consumer-minded, I would be fatigued if that kept happening and I was going to a website. "So I said, 'OK, let's take this opportunity to grow, to have exponentially more skews as well as more inventory.' "And that's what we've been doing right back to making sure we could scale up to that level and have the quality meet the quantity which was very key." Obviously, selling out is not all bad, though, and the As Ever account celebrated on Instagram: "Cheers, dears! Wishing you a wonderful weekend! You've certainly made ours wonderful. We sold "Sign up to be the first to order our debut As ever Napa Valley Rosé July 1st at 8 a.m. PT." Analysis The question of whether selling out is good or bad is a complicated one. On the one hand, a major brand like Nike might consider it a good thing to rapidly sell out a new line, creating buzz and a sense of exclusivity. On the other hand, major brands have numerous existing lines available for anyone content to simply buy another of their products. It would, in that sense, be inconceivable for a company like Nike to, like As Ever, go two-and-a-half months with nothing on sale. Meghan appears to have started with a stall at a farmer's market where her children sell produce and gradually, in stages, realized the need to do something far bigger. She told Grede: "I went from [being] about to onboard a CEO and a small team to having Netflix as my partner. "That takes it to a completely different level and goes very far beyond my ideas of 'oh I can sell locally, I could maybe be at a farmers' market,' I thought that would be cute." And the farmers' market was not a throw away idea. In fact, Meghan later said she and Prince Harry do have a stall at a farmer's market where their children Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet sell their homegrown vegetables in order to learn about money. She told the podcast: "So, you start from seed and you watch it grow and they [Archie and Lilibet] wait but with that it's like, 'now do you want to sell your harvest and do you want to share it with our community and also what do you want to do with those funds once you have them?'" In other words, the idea has already gone through at least four concepts: a stall at a farmers' market, a small team with a CEO, the version that launched with Netflix as a partner in April and now the "exponentially increased" supply which also sold out in minutes. The time may have come for Meghan to see where the business is actually headed in the long term and get it to that destination before it loses momentum. George Clooney sold his Casamigos tequila business for $1 billion in 2017, showing there is money to be made for stars who can shift product. Borkowski said Meghan's comments about not wanting to sell out in minutes days before she did just that showed "a certain amount of naivety," though he also acknowledged increasing supply might not be as straightforward as it sounds. "What is this business?" He said. "If this business is from her own land it will only have a limited amount of product to supply that global demand. "So, therefore, if she was to get involved in another supply chain, would that supply chain have the same credentials? "And would we be picking over it to say it's another complete and utter farce and it becomes another stick to attack her with." Meghan also acknowledged that issue when she described "making sure we could scale up to that level and have the quality meet the quantity." If there is significant demand, though, then the opportunity may be big enough to justify the risk. Jack Royston is chief royal correspondent for Newsweek, based in London. You can find him on Twitter at @jack_royston and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page. Do you have a question about King Charles III, William and Kate, Meghan and Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email royals@ We'd love to hear from you.
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Diversity group drops Tri-Cities event over ‘threats to safety, identity, well-being'
The souring climate around diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, has forced a Tri-Cities group to halt an annual event labeled a 'critical community cornerstone.' But Naima Chambers, founder and CEO of the Tri-Cities Diversity and Inclusion Council, promises the Celebration of Community, Culture and Diversity event will eventually return in full force. 'While this pause is necessary, it is not a step back — it's a strategic step forward,' she said in an email to supporters obtained by the Tri-City Herald. 'We plan to bring this celebration back in 2026, stronger and more impactful than ever.' Chambers could not be reached Friday afternoon about the decision. The Diversity and Inclusion Council is a local nonprofit dedicated to 'fostering a unified community, embracing cultures, and celebrating diversity through education, advocacy and the promotion of cultural competence and compassion.' Incorporated in 2019, the organization works to uplift the diverse voices of the region and create a climate where all community members feel valued and respected. It has held regular events, paid for student scholarships and collaborated to hold training on workplace diversity and conflict resolution. The group planned to hold its sixth-annual Celebration of Community, Culture and Diversity event this September. The family-friendly event last year at Howard Amon Par reportedly drew thousands of attendees, artists, musicians, food trucks, vendors and community leaders in an effort to 'uplift cultural pride, share diverse traditions and foster joy, healing and a sense of belonging in the Tri-Cities,' Chambers wrote. The decision to cancel this year's event was not made lightly. 'The growing climate of anti-DEI, anti-immigrant, and anti-nonprofit sentiment has created real and painful challenges. It has impacted our funding, strained our staffing and volunteer capacity, and reminded us of our responsibility to protect the safety and dignity of the communities we serve,' Chambers said. 'Many of our community members are navigating threats to their safety, identity, and well-being. We refuse to compromise your trust or your safety by hosting an event we cannot fully support with the care and resources it deserves,' she continued. Chambers says in order to create a better event next year, they're inviting Tri-Cities residents to start planning early by 'laying the groundwork for meaningful partnerships, pursuing aligned funding opportunities and building the infrastructure this event deserves.' 'We're inviting funders and partners to join us in shaping the next chapter — one rooted in purpose, cultural pride and the vibrant diversity of the Tri-Cities region,' she wrote.
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
GCC Foundation to host annual 'Building Bridges and Belonging' fundraising dinner
GREENFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – Greenfield Community College (GCC) Foundation is inviting alumni, community members, and supporters to its annual fundraising dinner, 'Building Bridges and Belonging: GCC's Celebration of Community.' The event will occur on February 27 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the Cohn Family Dining Commons at GCC. Springfield City Council extends residency requirement deadline for city employees The evening will feature a catered dinner, a cash bar, and the presentation of several prestigious awards recognizing outstanding alumni and community partners. The event highlights GCC's ongoing contributions to the region while providing an opportunity for attendees to connect and celebrate the college's impact. 'It is an honor to bring together and celebrate the people that make up our vibrant GCC community,' said Alexis Page, Executive Director of the GCC Foundation. 'We are inspired by our alumni, grateful to our champions, and proud to be part of this community that has such a huge impact on the lives of individuals and families in our area.' This year's Community Catalyst Award will be presented to Clare Higgins, a long-time GCC Board of Trustees member and the recently retired Executive Director of Community Action Pioneer Valley. The Community Champion Award will be given to Stone Soup Café, a nonprofit known for its dedication to providing meals and fostering connection through outreach initiatives. GCC will also recognize two distinguished alumni. Jillian Morgan, class of 2008, will receive the Young Alumni in Action Award for her work as Director of Development at the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts. Ken Chartrand, class of 2015, will be honored with the Distinguished Alumni Award for his efforts as a Reentry Case Manager at the Franklin County House of Corrections, where he assists individuals reintegrating into society after incarceration. Thanks to donors and sponsors, including lead sponsor Greenfield Cooperative Bank, GCC students interested in attending the event can do so free of charge. Tickets are $50, with proceeds supporting GCC's students and programs. Registration is required. WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
