Friendlier was founded by Kayli Smith and Jacquie Hutchings, two engineers on a mission to revolutionize packaging with a smart, scalable reuse system. Their goal? To make sustainability effortless for businesses and consumers alike. We asked Kayli and Jacquie what International Women’s Day means to them and how their journey as female entrepreneurs has shaped Friendlier’s success.

Q: What does International Women’s Day mean to you?

Kayli: For me, it's a day to reflect on the incredible women in my life, I'm very grateful for all of them.

Jacquie: International Women's Day is a day to celebrate the accomplishments of women and how far we have come. It is a day to celebrate the path towards true gender equality. International Women's Day highlights the stories and experiences of women, to provide motivation and mentorship to all women out there.

Q: Is there a person or event that contributed to your success as a female leader?

Kayli: There was a time when I would sometimes fall in a victim mentality when looking at stats around women in entrepreneurship and the disparity in funding for women-led ventures. I had a woman mentor who told me "yes, it's harder as a woman, that just means you have to work harder." This was very impactful to me, as it made me realize that despite it not being "fair", I just needed to figure out how to get around the obstacles in front of me instead of complaining that they were there.

Jacquie: My parents have always pushed me to dream big, and work hard. Growing up, I had a bit of a delusional sense of confidence (I maybe still do..). I used to always compare myself to my older brother, and compete with him in everything (school, sports, art, etc.). This built a sense of "I can do anything" inside me, which I have carried with me all these years.

Q: How do you hope to unlock potential for other women and girls?

Kayli: In co-op terms, I would often see a certain "level" within the organization that women were not promoted past. The leadership positions that I envisioned for myself were not held by anyone who looked like me. My hope with Friendlier is to break that down and show other women and girls that it is possible for women to hold top leadership positions successfully.

Jacquie: I hope that other women and girls find their passion and unlock the resilience and determination to see it through. My story, as well as other women's stories, can teach us that it is possible to overcome adversity and that our experiences are strengths.

Q: Do you have a story of a time you had to use your resilience as a woman at work?

Kayli: Less than 2% of VC funding goes to women-led companies, despite the fact that they generally make up over half of start-ups (and historically provide better returns for investors). Every time I go out for funding, I get hundreds of no's, and that stat is often in the back of my mind. I have had to learn to be very resilient during these times, working hard to ensure that Friendlier gets the funding we need to be successful.

Jacquie: When starting Friendlier, I spoke to many industry professionals about their experience in the industry to aid with the business strategy and product roadmap. One particular person was a mentor for a trusted startup accelerator. Within 15 minutes of talking to him, he told me that the idea of Friendlier was going to be way too hard to execute, and unless I had a lot of my father's money to spend, I should really take a hard look at what I wanted my life to look like. He said that instead, I should put my focus in trying to find a husband. I was devastated to hear this, but used this to fuel my determination to build Friendlier into the company it is today.

Q: Do you have a story you could share about the power of women celebrating women?

Kayli: In each stage of building Friendlier, women have played critical roles in our success. Whether it be mentors, investors, or simply well-connected women making introductions for us, we've had women step up for us in incredibly impactful ways.

Jacquie: In one of my co-op terms, I was an illustrator of children's books. I was told that it was more effective to write and illustrate books about a boy hero because little girls will read stories about boys, but boys will not read stories about girls. This opened my eyes to the lack of representation of women at such a young age. It is so important that girls can look up to other women.

Q: In what ways do you think things have changed in a positive way, as a female leader through your career?

Kayli: I'm seeing more and more women in leadership positions, which I think is absolutely critical for true equality. I've been inspired by many kick-ass women founders like Katherine Harmouth (Sheertex), Joanna Griffiths (Knix), and Carol Leaman (Axonify) - my personal mentor to name a few.

Jacquie: Throughout my career, I have had the opportunity to surround myself with female mentors and colleagues. I have noticed that there are more women in leadership positions at the companies that we work with that are supporting and uplifting other women. This representation and mentorship will only continue to drive equality in the workplace.

Leading the Way in Sustainability

Women-led businesses are making a lasting impact across industries, redefining innovation and sustainability. At Friendlier, we’re proud to be part of this movement, proving that small changes, like choosing reuse, can drive big environmental change.

This International Women’s Day, we celebrate the women breaking barriers, building a greener future, and inspiring the next generation of changemakers. Here’s to a more sustainable world, led by women.