Friendship and Creativity: How Emily Persky and Ingrid Hung Built 'I Have This Friend'
Discover how two best friends turned a simple newsletter into a thriving lifestyle directory connecting creatives and supporters worldwide.
Hello Founders,
In this week’s edition of The Founders Society Substack, we’re thrilled to share insights from our conversation with Emily Persky and Ingrid Hung, the founders of I Have This Friend. What started as a simple newsletter celebrating the talents of their friends has grown into a dynamic lifestyle directory that connects creatives with supporters, fostering community and creativity. Emily and Ingrid’s story is a testament to the power of friendship, intentionality, and taking action.
Starting 'I Have This Friend': From Newsletter to Business
The idea for I Have This Friend emerged from Emily’s passion for helping creative friends build their businesses and Ingrid’s observations of talented professionals in the culinary world seeking opportunities beyond the traditional scope. Their journey began with a simple newsletter highlighting their friends’ talents, which quickly gained traction and went viral across several social platforms.
Their advice? Don’t wait for the “perfect” time or a fully-built website—take action and refine as you go.
Fostering Community Through Connections and Events
At its core, I Have This Friend is about celebrating creativity and fostering connections. Emily and Ingrid take pride in the stories and projects that emerge from their community. From celebratory events to creative milestones, the company facilitates meaningful relationships between talented creatives and those eager to support them. Two sweet stories of this last year include:
When a husband wanted to surprise his wife with a thoughtful gesture to show his full support for the baby name she had chosen, he turned to I Have This Friend for help. Working with a florist from the platform, he arranged for a beautiful bouquet to be delivered to her workplace with a notecard signed with the name of their future baby —a symbolic "stamp of approval" for her idea.
When someone wanted to preserve the memory of their late father in a unique and meaningful way, they were connected with an embroiderer who transformed their father’s beloved T-shirts into a special keepsake. The shirts were carefully embroidered onto a jacket, creating a wearable tribute.
The Foundation: Friendship and Co-Founding
Emily and Ingrid’s partnership is built on a strong foundation—their best-friendship dating back to 7th grade. While co-founding a business with your best friend comes with unique challenges, they’ve been intentional about preserving their relationship outside of work.
After consulting with other friend-founded companies, they created the following strategies:
Emotional Check-Ins: Weekly meetings to ensure open communication and mutual support.
Defined Boundaries: Clear guidelines for separating work and personal life
Separate Platforms: Using distinct messaging platforms for work and friendship conversations.
One of our favorite takeaways was their Founder Constitution—an agreement that set clear communication boundaries within their shared friend group. As co-founders of I Have This Friend, they saw it as their "baby," with the two of them acting as its parents. While they were always open to discussing the growth and progress of the baby itself with mutual friends, they made it a point to never speak of each other as co-parents.
This thoughtful approach allowed them to navigate any struggles within their partnership, creating a strong foundation built on mutual respect and understanding, while honoring what they have created together.
This or That
We wrapped up the episode with a fun lightning round of This or That —
Film Photography vs. Polaroids: Both Emily and Ingrid love film photography for its artistry and timelessness (although they both admitted to also having bowls of polaroid photos in their homes!).
Day in the Park vs. Evening on the Town: Ingrid embraces the nightlife of New York City, while Emily leans into sunny daytime activities like surfing in Los Angeles.
Coffee Shop or Speakeasy for a First Date: Both prefer the speakeasy vibe, as coffee dates don’t come with a clear cadence or end. Facts.
Restaurant List vs. Curated Playlist: No surprise, both love artisanal food and have more than enough recommendations in their respective cities to share!
Follow Along
If you loved this recap, follow I Have This Friend to learn more about their community and upcoming events. Their story is an inspiration for anyone looking to turn their passion into a purpose-driven business.
Want to shop tools and resources inspired by this episode? Visit our ShopMyShelf for curated picks, creative tools, and productivity essentials.
Find us online:
The Founders Society on Instagram: @founderssociety
I Have This Friend on Instagram: @ihavethisfriend
Explore I Have This Friend: I Have This Friend
Shop our episode picks: ShopMyShelf
Thank you for being part of The Founders Society. We’re honored to share stories like Emily and Ingrid’s that celebrate creativity, connection, and bold entrepreneurship.
With love,
Meg & Hayley