Women who went into business with their best friend on making millions

If you want to make money as an entrepreneur, there have always been a few key rules, one of which is to avoid mixing business with pleasure.

But these women are testament to the fact that it is possible to go into business with your best friends – and make millions of dollars in the process.

In honour of International Friendship Day this July 30, FEMAIL looks at the female best friends who have launched successful companies with multi-million-dollar turnovers.

They also share their top tips as to how you can emulate their success.

In honour of International Friendship Day, FEMAIL looks at the best friends who have launched companies with multi-million-dollar turnovers (pictured: the founders of Nimble Activewear)

Nimble Activewear founders Vera Yan, 30, and Katia Santilli, 31, have been best friends since they were 14

They came up with their idea for their activewear label (pictured) when they dreamed of making good quality activewear for the everyday woman

Nimble Activewear founders Vera Yan, 30, and Katia Santilli, 31, have been best friends since they were 14, and they came up with their idea for their activewear label (left and right) when they dreamed of making good quality activewear for the everyday woman

NIMBLE ACTIVEWEAR

Nimble Activewear founders Vera Yan, 30, and Katia Santilli, 31, have been best friends since they were 14. 

They have long dreamed of creating good quality activewear for the everyday woman, which is how their exercise clothing label, Nimble, was born.

 ‘If we have issues with each other we bring it up and then we move on

These days, the pair turn over $4 million annually, and have plenty of savvy business tips for BFFS with an idea.

‘Katia and I live together, we work together and socialise a lot together as well,’ Vera told FEMAIL.

‘People find that really bizarre and a lot of people say that if they did that with their best friend they’d kill each other but what we’ve learnt is how important it is to communicate and that can go across lots of part of your life.

‘If we have issues with each other we bring it up and then we move on.’

These days, the pair turn over $4 million annually, and have plenty of savvy business tips for BFFS with an idea (pictured: their clothing)

These days, the pair turn over $4 million annually, and have plenty of savvy business tips for BFFS with an idea (pictured: their clothing)

Speaking about their tips for aspiring businesswomen, Vera and Katia said it's all about making sure you go into business with someone who has the same business vision as you and is willing to put in the hard yards (pictured: their activewear)

Speaking about their tips for aspiring businesswomen, Vera and Katia said it’s all about making sure you go into business with someone who has the same business vision as you and is willing to put in the hard yards (pictured: their activewear)

Speaking about their tips for aspiring businesswomen, Vera and Katia said it’s all about making sure you go into business with someone who has the same business vision as you and is willing to put in the hard yards:

‘Before you and your friend dive in to start your new business, ensure that you’re both on the same page regarding your vision,’ Katia told Sporteluxe.

You also need to be honest – sometimes brutally honest – with your long-term friend:

‘Rather than holding onto things and ruminating on certain issues, we’re really honest and upfront with each other and never hold back when it comes to sharing our opinion,’ Vera said. 

‘This means that small issues don’t snowball into major conflicts.’

Maddy Balderson and Rhiannon Hall (both pictured) are the brains behind Luna Bronze - which came about after Maddy had a cancer scare at age 27

Maddy Balderson and Rhiannon Hall (both pictured) are the brains behind Luna Bronze – which came about after Maddy had a cancer scare at age 27

The pair had always loved having a tan, but no longer wanted to compromise their health

And so they started working on their own natural and organic fake tan product (pictured)

The pair had always loved having a tan, but no longer wanted to compromise their health – and so they started working on their own natural and organic fake tan product (left and right)

LUNA BRONZE

For best friends Maddy Balderson and Rhiannon Hall, growing up in Australia meant countless weekends spent at the beach together.

However, it was only after a serious health scare for Maddy at age 27 – when she ‘had a run in’ with Basal Cell Carcinoma – that the pair, both 31, knew their attitudes towards sunbathing had to change.

‘As soon as that happened, it really woke us up to the horrible way we were treating our skin; sunbaking and rarely wearing sunblock,’ Maddy told Daily Mail Australia.

‘I always feel better with a tan but no longer wanted to risk further damage and ageing.’

And so, the pair started working on their own natural and organic fake tan product – a natural-looking sunless tan with a nice fragrance and beautiful packaging. 

While neither of them had much experience in running a business (previously Rhiannon had worked in design and architecture, while Maddy had been in finance and accounting for a decade), the pair harnessed their skills and set to work. 

While neither of them had much experience in running a business, the pair (pictured) harnessed their skills and set to work

While neither of them had much experience in running a business, the pair (pictured) harnessed their skills and set to work

Nowadays, Luna Bronze has gone from a successful start-up to a fully-fledged business. One of their product sells more than every five minutes around the world (pictured: their products)

Nowadays, Luna Bronze has gone from a successful start-up to a fully-fledged business. One of their product sells more than every five minutes around the world (pictured: their products)

Nowadays, Luna Bronze has gone from a successful start-up to a fully-fledged business. One of their product sells more than every five minutes around the world.

‘Working alongside my best friend has allowed a direct path of honest communication and accurate decision making,’ Maddy told FEMAIL.

‘After 20 years of friendship we have the advantage of being able to sift through the BS and get straight to the point.

 We are able to tell each other exactly how it is without getting our egos bruised. If one of us needs a break or some extra assistance to achieve a set target, the other will pick up the slack

‘We are able to tell each other exactly how it is without getting our egos bruised. If one of us needs a break or some extra assistance to achieve a set target, the other will pick up the slack.

‘We really do read each other like a book.’

Speaking about their advice for other friends wanting to go into business, Rhiannon said: ‘Go for it.

‘Maddy and I learned very quickly to always lay your cards on the table, make sure that we maintain the friendship/business balance.’

She added that you always need to ‘pick the right time to talk shop, and don’t let business get in the way of socialising and having fun’.

‘Ultimately, we are friends first. Maddy is the person I pick up the phone to talk about life with, so it’s important that we maintain that.

‘Being able to switch between the friendship and the business is key.’ 

What are the secrets of launching a successful business with your best friend? 

The founders of Luna Bronze said you need to be able to switch between friendship and business

The founders of Luna Bronze said you need to be able to switch between friendship and business

* Communication is key: Nimble Activewear founders and best friends Vera Yan, 30, and Katia Santilli, 31, said you need to be honest with each other, even if it’s something you don’t like. They said if you have an issue, then you should bring it straight up and move on.

* Get to the point: According to Luna Bronze founders Maddy Balderson and Rhiannon Hall, it’s important to ‘skip the BS’ and move forwards, straight to the point. 

* Lay your cards on the table: Maddy and Rhiannon said you also need to be honest, maintain a good friendship/business balance by picking the right time to talk shop, and quit letting business get in the way of socialising. 

* Trust each other completely: Know your other half and their strengths and weaknesses, said Frank Body founders, Bree Johnson and Jess Hatzis. 

* Know you don’t need millions of dollars: The Frank Body girls said they started with just $10,000 in investment. Don’t be embarrassed by this – just get your product out there.

* There is no right time: Jess and Bree also said that there is never a good time to get your product out there and start a business, but sometimes the best thing to do is to dive in head first. 

Bree Johnson, an avid latte drinker, and Jess Hatzis (both pictured), are the brains behind Frank Body - which has an estimated worth of more than $20 million

Bree Johnson, an avid latte drinker, and Jess Hatzis (both pictured), are the brains behind Frank Body – which has an estimated worth of more than $20 million

The pair were attending university at the time, Jess studying commerce and Bree completing a Journalism degree, when they started their first marketing venture, Frank Body

The pair were attending university at the time, Jess studying commerce and Bree completing a Journalism degree, when they started their first marketing venture, Frank Body

FRANK BODY

When it comes to success stories, they don’t get better than that of Frank Body. 

Bree Johnson, an avid latte drinker, and Jess Hatzis, who prefers an espresso, have built their lives on the sacred coffee bean.

The Melbourne duo met while working at Red Bull – and became fast friends.

They were attending university at the time, Jess studying commerce and Bree completing a Journalism degree, when they started their first marketing venture, Frank Body.

The girls had no formal beauty training before launching Frank Body but had spent a decade of their adult lives trying different products out

The girls had no formal beauty training before launching Frank Body but had spent a decade of their adult lives trying different products out

Speaking about their tips, they said you need to remember that you don't need millions of dollars to start a business

They added that there is never a good time to set up your own business

Speaking about their tips, they said you need to remember that you don’t need millions of dollars to start a business and there is never a good time to set up your own business

These days, the coffee scrub company is worth more than $20 million.

‘We were friends before we went into business. I think you need to be before you jump into something like this. You need to be able to trust each other completely,’ Bree told FEMAIL.

Frank came about when they heard about women using coffee beans to exfoliate.

‘The idea seemed brilliant. We wanted to have complete creative control of a brand,’ Jess explained. 

The girls had no formal beauty training before launching Frank Body but had spent a decade of their adult lives trying different products out. 

‘We always say that one of our weaknesses became our strengths. So while we didn’t start in the beauty space, we have evolved into it,’ Bree said. 

They also said that it’s a good idea to remember that you don’t need millions of dollars to succeed.

‘We started Frank Body with a $10,000 investment. We’re always telling people you don’t need millions in capital to start. Don’t be embarrassed by what you do have – just get the product out there!,’ Bree said.

‘There is no right time to start a business. The stars will never perfectly align. Sometimes you’ve got to just bite the bullet and dive in,’ Jess added. 



Read more at DailyMail.co.uk