Squad Goals

From the party starter to the nurturer and straight talker, these are the friends every woman needs in her life.

- Phila Tyekana

A great way to negotiate life is to surround yourself with well-meaning friends. The rich and famous know this – from Kendall Jenner’s model clan, which includes the likes of Gigi Hadid, Joan Smalls and Jourdan Dunn, to Beyoncé’s squad, which includes Kelly Rowland and La La Anthony. Even South African celebs like Terry Pheto and Pearl Thusi appreciate the value of having great friends. Our cliques really do mean everything to us women, and when we’re united, we’re all about girl power. It’s something many of us strive to have in our daily lives. The media is always trying to pit women against one another, but we’re over it! If you want to form your own girl squad, consider this your handy guide to creating your own #squadgoals.

1. NO-NONSENSE HUSTLER

This is the friend who’s just killing it professionally. She’s either in your field, or just an overall badass who inspires you to go after your dreams – no matter what!

For me, it’s Nicole. Not only does she run her own business, but she also helps me think through my own career goals. I’ll never forget how, two years ago, she asked me: ‘So what will you be doing in five years?’ That made me stop in my tracks. Naturally, I’m the ‘live in the moment’ type of person, but it made me think about my future and consider switching things up.

2. TOUGH-LOVE ADVOCATE