Miranda Qu

In January of 2025, so-called TikTok refugees fearful that they might lose access to their favorite social media platform stumbled upon RedNote, also known by its Chinese name, Xiaohongshu. To the surprise of many—and perhaps Xiaohongshu itself—U.S. users fell in love with the Chinese social media platform and its mix of photos, advice, and memes.

Xiaohongshu is the brainchild of Miranda Qu, who founded the app with fellow Wuhan native Charlwin Mao. The app got its start as a collection of PDF cross-border shopping guides in 2013. Over a decade later, the app is transforming travel and tourism throughout Asia, as users use the platform for recommendations on where to eat and shop. 

Xiaohongshu now has a user base of 300 million, mostly young and female. The app crossed $1 billion in profit in 2024, according to Bloomberg.