Sure, you probably used to fight over the remote control or who took the biggest slice of cake, but having a sibling actually has a ton of benefits. They keep us happier, healthier, and sisters, in particular, are great mood and confidence boosters. Many of us even consider them our besties.
Since starting Cocofloss in 2015, sisters Chrystle and Cat Cu have learned a thing or two about the big benefits of having a sibling. Below, they describe eight perks of jumping into business with someone who shares 50% of your DNA.
1. They Keep It 💯
“People usually put on their best face with their colleagues. With us, there’s no filter,” says big sis Chrystle. “Cat and I can say whatever we need to say to each other. We can disagree about things without worrying that it’ll break up the company.”
2. Everything Is Win-Win
“There’s no competition,” says younger sister Cat. “Our lives are so intertwined. I know that if she does well, I will too. And vice versa. Even when I was in college at Stanford, she’d pull all-nighters with me.”
3. You Get to Live out Your Childhood Dreams
“As kids, we used to play business together a lot,” says Cat. “We had these fantasy empires. I was always the CEO and Chrystle always wanted to be my assistant. She had fun pretending that I was a big tycoon and she was taking care of all my executive needs.”
4. They Know Your Core Values
“We understand each other at a very core level,” says Cat. “We know the other’s values and how creating a meaningful business that helps people fits into those essential beliefs. We are aligned in why we’re building the business, but, even more so, we understand how we each want to live and enjoy life.”
5. They Know You Have a Life Outside of the Business
“We know the ins and outs of each other’s lives,” adds Chrystle. “And we get that sometimes other parts need more attention. Like when I decided to build a new dental office — so our mom, who is also a dentist, and I could continue working together — Cat was fully supportive and picked up my slack at Cocofloss. I was basically M.I.A. for a year, but Cat knew exactly what I was doing for our family and why.”
6. They’re the Yin to Your Yang
“Cat and I basically grew up to form complementary abilities,” says Chrystle. “In terms of how we think as adults, I became the scientist and she became the artist. Sometimes I get paralyzed by perfectionism, but then Cat comes in with her artistic brain and finds creative solutions.”
7. You’ve Got a Built-In Product Tester
“Before Cocofloss, I never flossed daily,” confesses Cat. “I’ve always worn the hat of the laziest possible consumer. So Chrystle can come to me with technical information about how gum disease and other oral care issues work, and then I’ll try to distill the information down to what resonates most with me as a self-confessed lazy flosser.”
8. You Share Mutual Trust
“I have complete trust in Cat,” says Chrystle. “At the end of the day, I never have to worry about the company moving in a direction that I wouldn’t approve of.” Adds Cat, “I’ve had this trust in Chrystle pretty much since I was born. She’s always been there and would do anything for me.”
