FAMILY VALUES

THEY SAY FAMILY AND BUSINESS SHOULD NEVER MIX, BUT THESE MOM-AND-DAUGHTER DUOS ARE REVELLING IN THE TIME THEY GET TO SPEND TOGETHER AS BUSINESS PARTNERS.

- ASHLEIGH ROMAN

Feel Good & Co

Carla Pereira and Stefanie Davis

START-UP COSTS: 'We used our personal savings to invest as capital. In total, it cost about R50 000 to pay for marketing and to purchase the materials we needed. We spent the whole of 2020 putting in the work and took it step-by-step, continuing to invest our own money wherever it was needed.'

TURNOVER: 'In the short time we've been trading, we have grown by about 5% and the company is now paying for itself, which is a milestone achievement.'

Using the hard lockdown in 2020 as a chance to expand her existing business, Stefanie Davis and her mother, Carla Pereira, put their heads together to dream up a unique brand aimed at South African women. XO Underwear is a range of period-proof underwear that can be worn without any additional sanitary products.

Was it always your plan to start a business together? Stefanie: No, I started Feel Good & Co with an ex-partner, and when we broke up, the business changed direction. We were importing a different product when I decided I'd prefer to have a business that manufactures locally. So I asked my mom to get on board and we came up with XO Underwear.