What Friendship Means to Us

At Arize, we help people and brands find their voice by telling stories worth repeating – and one of our best stories worth repeating is the friendship of our CEO and COO, Honi and Meg. 

 Tomorrow is International Day of Friendship, and while this day sounds gimmicky, its sentiment rings true to the way we treat and value each other at Arize. We’re not just colleagues, we’re mates. 

The foundation of Meg and Honi’s friendship underpins our team culture. They’ve shown us how to look out for each other through all of life’s weird and wonderful moments; the good times, and the not-so-good times.  

 We recently interviewed them about what friendship means to them – and how their friendship has formed the way we connect with our people, clients, and community.   

How did you meet? 

Honi: 29 years ago, at the start of high school. We had a lot of mutual friends, but we didn’t become close until we circled back to each other at the age of 27.  

Meg: It’s the classic story of opposites attract. I was the sporty one and Honi the social butterfly. We knew of each other but realised we had something special in our late 20s. 

What does friendship mean to you?  

H: It’s about honesty and having someone’s back no matter what. In those moments where you reach your limit, the other person is already two steps ahead. I’ll check my phone and a message from Meg has already come through, telling me she’s cleared up my calendar or sent something to make me laugh. 

M: Like Honi said, it’s when you really “don’t got this” and the other person has already stepped in to lighten the load. 

How has your friendship played into the values and team culture at Arize? 

H: Laughing is a daily ritual. There is rarely a dull moment. When the going gets tough, someone is there to sing and dance, and make you smile. 

What is your favourite thing about running a business together? 

H: Companionship with someone with a similar drive, and the freedom it allows us to have. Comfortably disagreeing with each other and knowing that’s okay. 

M: Having equal energy with someone who matches your drive, enthusiasm and values. To navigate our own future without having someone navigate it for us. It’s not always sunshine and roses, but we ride the mostly-ups and sometimes-downs. 

What are your top tips for a long-term friendship? 

H: Leave your ego at the door and build each other up instead. Help them feel empowered and confident in their own skin. 

M: Appreciate each other. Acknowledge that you bring different strengths and skills to the table, and of course laughter and singing. 

Whether we’re breaking out in song to Bennie and the Jets or dancing interpretively to Wind Beneath My Wings, there’s truly never a dull moment at Arize. 

We’re an honest bunch. This is reflected not only in the way we communicate with each other, but also in our friendships with clients and community.   

Are you an advocate for having someone’s back and building people up? If you answered yes, we’d love to chat! Head to our careers page here.