Her dream of becoming an international diplomat ended, so she created a multi-million dollar candle company here in the U.S. instead…
Mei Xu is a Chinese American entrepreneur and founder of Chesapeake Bay Candle.
Born in Hangzhou, China, Mei was privy to her country’s transition from Mao’s era of communism into a more market-oriented economy. She was excited about the prospects of future diplomatic opportunities, but those ambitions were cut short, as you’ll hear on this Glambition Radio.
Following the Tinanmen Square uprising and ensuing personal and financial hardship, Mei moved to the United States. Here she discovered a knack for entrepreneurship… and a simple home candle-making experiment (using soup cans!) would become the start of a multi-million dollar home fragrance empire.
From developing a revolutionary candle scent process in her tiny basement, to unexpectedly selling out of retail stores such as Target, Mei’s Chesapeake Bay Candle line became a home staple.
And after selling her company in 2017, Mei is continuing her entrepreneurship streak with the launch of Yes She May: an online platform helping women-owned product companies grow and prosper.
Her recently released book, ‘Burn: How Grit, Innovation, and a Dash of Luck Ignited a Multi-Million Dollar Success Story’ is available wherever books are sold.
On this episode of #GlambitionRadio, you’ll hear:
- The ‘uh oh!’ phone call that tipped Mei off to the potential success of her candle line… and how she quickly resolved a BIG production crunch
- Why English movies + magazines, wandering the floors of Bloomingdale’s, men’s cologne, and observing discordant fashion trends honed Mei’s exquisite taste (and became the foundation for her bestselling brand)
- How Mei was the first candlemaker in the US to develop her fragrance sourcing method and revolutionize, stylize, and modernize your run of the mill ‘country candles’ (it’s no wonder consumers caught on to Chesapeake Bay so quickly)
- What—and who—convinced Mei to write her new book, ‘Burn’, and how writing her story helped Mei determine her next steps in business… and in life
- Finally, how Mei leveraged the pandemic to SUPPORT women-owned businesses facing immense challenges through her timely launch of the Yes She May online platform
Head to Apple Podcasts now to listen to this episode of Glambition Radio (or download it for later).
And come join in the conversation on Instagram or Facebook.
XO,
Ali
P.S. I would love your review! If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review and comment on Apple Podcasts. Select ‘Listen in Apple Podcasts,’ then choose the ‘Ratings and Reviews’ tab to share what you think. I would really appreciate it. Thanks!
Resource Links:
- Explore the Chesapeake Bay Candle line
- Shop women-owned businesses on Yes She May
- Order Mei’s new book, ‘Burn’
- Get on the ICONIC 2021: Liberation Priority Notification List
- Learn more about The Trust’s Private Informational Call on August 19
