Sisters Michelle and Josephine know all too well the meaning of ‘quality family time’. They have spent day after day at each others’ side as the driving force behind their three-seasons-strong label Verduci-Smith.

“It’s not as easy as you might think,” says Jo.

“You should always be 100% aware of what you’re risking going into business with family,” adds Michelle. “It’s a relationship tester, and it takes a strong relationship to survive.”

“You quickly find that sitting down together for coffee isn’t always as fun as it used to be,” says Jo.

“Especially when all the gossip we used to swap is replaced with shop talk,” add Michelle.

The future, though, is not all bleak. They have each spent time in styling, travel, jewellery and design, and a lot of time together. Their collection is a clean-lined testament to the virtues of sisterly love. Fresh pleats; tailored lines, pale creams and soft pinks; there is an undeniable elegance to this label. This is not to say though, that if they had their time over, they wouldn’t opt to go their separate ways….


1. Sibling Rivalry

Michelle:  Because being the younger sister and partner in business means I have to let my sister get the better office.

Jo:  Because she steals all my peppermint tea.

Michelle:  Because she makes me do all the coffee runs.

Jo:  Because if I’m ever late, I’m terrified that Michelle might be on the phone to Mum, dobbing on me.

Michelle:  Serves you right for being late!

Jo:  Because I do all the work, while she gets all the glory!

Michelle:  That’s not true. I do all the bad jobs, and Jo takes all the credit… most of the time anyway.

 
2. Difference of Opinions…

Jo:  Because you’d be amazed at how much you can disagree with someone so close to you.

Michelle:  No, you wouldn’t!

Jo:  Because sometimes you can have too much of a good thing.

Michelle: Because sometimes great minds don’t think alike!
 
Jo:  Because making a business decision with a member of your family can be difficult.

Michelle:  And agreeing on whose idea it was in the first place once the decision pays off can be even harder!
 

3. Because it’s not all fun and games…
 
Jo:  Because despite what we had originally hoped, we’re far too busy to have ‘movie montage’ dress ups on a daily basis.

Michelle: … And weekly dress ups just aren’t enough.


On the web: www.verduci-smith.com