Frank and Orville Wright invented the world’s first successful airplane. Dave Packard and Bill Hewlett invented the world’s largest personal computer vendor. Larry Page and Sergey Brin, as PhD students whilst studying at Stanford University, invented Google.
Having a great partner in business can multiply the amount of ideas, intelligence, background and experience to draw upon. Batman and Robin, the Fantastic Four, the Avengers—even superheroes band together to compensate for each other’s weaknesses, so that individually they can focus on utilizing their strengths. That’s what great partners do.
When it comes to business, some argue that having a partner can be a recipe for disaster. But, what about when having that partner makes you far greater than you could ever be as a one-man-band? We met two sets of business partners, in two entirely different industries, to find out how they draw on each others strengths to help elevate their businesses.
JADE & CHERISH
Stylish Party Co. is a party business run by sisters, Jade and Cherish. With a love for colour, fun and parties, the pair share a passion in creating memorable and colourful special events, that celebrate people’s special days in their lives. Managing both an online party shop and their decor installation service, we met the duo to find out how working together has elevated their business success.
What first possessed you to join forces and start a business together?
Jade: After hosting lots of parties for friends and family, I soon realised that there was a gap in the market for a party shop which featured only cool, contemporary brands, especially in Jersey.
Cherish: I had worked in the events industry for 6 years and realised there was a need for good quality partyware on the island. Jade and I had dreamt of working together for a long time, and with a shared interest in all things decor, we decided it was time to join forces on a party adventure.
How do your talents differ?
Jade: Being a mother, I see things in a different light to Cherish, especially when it comes to children’s parties. There needs to be a balance between pretty and practical for these type of events, so in my role as the buyer, this is what I look for. I also take on all of the social media side of the business, as Cherish is not the best when it comes to social media!
Cherish: Having run my own company, Style to Cherish, for a few years, I’ve learnt many lessons that together we can avoid. With that, I also have the existing knowledge of venues and suppliers in Jersey and how installs can differ in each venue. Jade is great at social media and the client facing side of the business, so I’m normally working away in the background. I also built our e-commerce site alongside Quints of Jersey, so I take on this side of things too.
How has combining your talents helped your business grow?
Jade: With Cherish’s creative eye and high work ethic, along with both of us being utter perfectionists, I feel we make a great team.
Cherish: We both look at things very differently, so it’s great to have a balance in between. We value each other’s strengths and we acknowledge our weaknesses; together that works for us.
What do you love most about working together?
Jade: It’s amazing to be able to share your hobbies, interests and passions with someone and turn them into a business, especially when it’s your sister and best friend.
Cherish: We work from our studio and get to hang out together every day, whilst making our dreams a reality. I feel very blessed to share these experiences with my sister and empowered that I get to work alongside a strong female like Jade. We have always shared a very strong relationship, so it’s incredible to share this adventure with her.
TAYMOUR & NICOLA
Taymour amd Nicola are a husband and wife team whose business, simply put, is wellness; both physical and emotional. Based in St Helier, they combine their skill sets and experience to create a bespoke service for their clients. Their goal is to help them overcome challenges that could be preventing them from living their lives to the full and, by working holistically, offer them a practical way forward.
What first possessed you to join forces and start a business together?
Nicola: It felt very much like the a natural progression. Even though my work focuses on the body, a lot of my clients end up talking about their lives and the things that are causing them stress. These stresses were very evident in their physical body, which I can help with, however, the root cause is something that is Taymour’s area of expertise.
Taymour: To me, there’s an undeniable link between the mind & body. If one suffers, so will the other. IBS, headaches, stiff neck, backache and so much more can be easily linked to the difficulties that the mind goes through on a daily basis.
How do your talents differ?
Nicola: I look at the physical body and holding patterns. I observe how a person carries themselves and listen to the language they use when describing their aches and pains. Subconsciously, our bodies react to all the things that happen to us during the day, which then set up holding patterns and restrictions that cause pain, discomfort and limit mobility.
Taymour: My approach is very much about thought patterns, belief systems, past experiences and where clients want to go in respect to their life directions and goals. In that process, I aim to find root causes that prevent them from moving forward and address them using the many tools and techniques I use.
How has combining your talents helped your business grow?
Nicola: We are essentially two sides of the same coin. You can’t truly have optimal body health if your emotional state isn’t healthy and vice versa. Through my work, I’ve experienced many clients who have an emotional release whilst receiving bodywork, so I wanted to be able to offer them a more complete service.
Taymour: My approach has always been a wholistic one. I generally try to discover what my clients want to achieve and help identify what’s holding them back. Through that, I make suggestions on improving attitude, lifestyle choices, self-care and overall approach to their weekly routines. In most cases, clients have contained and stored so much stress in their muscle tissues, that Nicola helps release and filter. I suppose we are both stress whisperers who address both the mind and body.
What do you love most about working together?
Nicola: We are both passionate about what we do and it really takes the stress out of a working relationship, knowing that you are totally in sync with your partner. We are both striving for the same outcome and the fact I can share the good stuff (and the bad stuff) with someone who genuinely has my best interests at heart, with no hidden agenda, makes my work all the more enjoyable.
Taymour: Our genuine desire to help clients feel better and live more balanced lives. We’re definitely NOT linear in our thinking, so consequently we keep an open mind. No two people are the same. We offer a very bespoke service.
