Mei Xu

Owner & Creator of CHESAPEAKE BAY CANDLE^® and Blissliving^® Home

For

Women's Leadership Success Radio with Sabrina Braham MA PCC

A visionary for modern interior designs with global inspirations, Mei Xu is the owner and creator of Chesapeake Bay Candle and Blissliving Home.

As a modern traveler, Mei strives to bring authentic cultural experiences through home décor to the stylish consumer with a keen interest in travel and world cultures.

Together with her husband David Wang, Mei founded Chesapeake Bay Candle in 1994. Through Mei’s and David’s relentless drive for excellence, Chesapeake Bay Candle has experienced unparalleled growth - averaging 30 percent annual growth over the last 10 years – and was named twice by Inc. magazine as one of America’s fastest growing companies. By partnering with the most renowned retailers Chesapeake Bay Candle is bringing the latest trends in home fragrance and home décor to millions of consumers in the United

United States, Europe and Asia. The reputation of Chesapeake Bay Candle as a fashion force in the candle industry with unmatched efficiency and industry knowledge has made the company the success it is today.

In 2005 Mei created Blissliving Home – a new destination interior lifestyle brand for the stylish consumer seeking modern design with a global touch. In the United States Blissliving Home is available through e-commerce and catalog business. Blissliving Home is also available to premium retailers worldwide. In Asia Mei has established more than twenty Blissliving Home boutique stores.

In addition to driving her enterprises, Mei is also devoting time and resources to support education, cultural exchange programs, and global anti-poverty initiatives. In 2004 the Mei Xu Cultural Exchange Foundation was established. The foundation seeks to foster cross-cultural and language learning in the United States and China for kids and young students through cultural exchange programs.

In 2005 Mei became a member of the U.S. China Business Council, and participates in the State Department’s APEC CEO Roundtable and the Initiative for Global Development organized by Colin Powell, Madeleine Albright, and Bill Gates.

Recognizing Mei as a true connoisseur for modern interior lifestyle, 31 HomeTextile, a prominent Chinese home lifestyle publication, approached Mei in early 2006 to contribute a monthly column focusing on the latest trends in home décor. Today Mei is still contributing special home stories as part of her editorial engagement with 31 HomeTextile.

In 2007 Mei’s entrepreneurial accomplishments were recognized by two prominent organizations. She received the Entrepreneurial Leadership Award from the Asian Women In Business Organization, and a Top 100 Minority Business Award from the State of Maryland Governor’s Office of Minority Affairs.

Mei earned her MA in Journalism and Communication from the University of Maryland. She received her BA in American Studies from Beijing Foreign Studies University. Upon receiving her BA, she worked as a Project Officer for the World Bank in the Water and Environment sector in Beijing, China. 

Mei’s passion for travel takes her periodically on journeys all over the world and serves as a main source of inspirations for the development and design of Chesapeake Bay Candle and Blissliving Home collections. Mei also loves to practice Yoga and is an avid lover of contemporary art. Together with her husband and two children Mei resides in Potomac, MD.