We sat down with Missta co-foundersMelinda Baxter to talk about business, balance, and what really makes a partnership work.
They Weren’t Friends First — And That Might Be Why It Works
Not every business partnership starts with friendship.
In fact, sometimes it’s better if it doesn’t.
For these two, the foundation wasn’t built on long lunches or years of history — it started with something simpler: mutual respect, very different strengths, and a shared way of seeing the world.
And somehow, that’s exactly what made it work.
Opposites — in the best way
From the outside, their roles are clear.
One is the ideas person — the creative, the visionary, the one bringing energy and direction to the brand.
The other? The backbone. The structure. The one who makes sure everything actually runs.
“I’m definitely the more creative one,” she explains. “And Demi is the operational powerhouse. She thrives in the numbers and the detail — I live in the ideas.”
It’s not overlap — it’s alignment. And that difference? It’s their biggest strength.
No egos. No power struggles. Just trust.
If you ask them to describe their dynamic, it’s simple:
honest, reliable, trust.
And it shows.
Because when it comes to decision-making, there’s no fighting for control. No need to “win.”
Instead, there’s a quiet confidence in each other.
“We don’t really disagree often,” she says. “But when we do, we talk it through. It usually ends up being, ‘let’s try your way — and if it doesn’t work, we’ll try mine.’”
No scorekeeping. No tension. Just mutual respect.
And maybe that’s the difference — no one is trying to prove anything. They’re just trying to make it work.
The kind of support you can’t fake
Building a business can be isolating — but for them, it never has been.
Because behind it all, there’s someone who just gets it.
“We’re the only two people who truly understand how the other feels,” she says. “It’s never felt lonely.”
There’s an unspoken rhythm to it — when one dips, the other steps in.
A pep talk. A push. A reminder of why they started.
“It’s the best journey together — the good and the bad.”
When life shifts, so does the business
Like any partnership, it hasn’t all been seamless.
The biggest challenge? Distance.
When Demi moved interstate for family, everything changed — not in their connection, but in how they worked.
“We can’t create content together in the same way anymore, which is hard,” she admits. “But we’ve always been flexible — we make it work.”
Because at the core of it all, there’s a shared understanding:
family comes first.
And instead of breaking the partnership, that shift only reinforced it.
What trust really looks like
For them, trust isn’t about perfection.
It’s about effort.
“Trust is knowing the other person is always doing their best — whatever that looks like on any given day.”
There’s no judgement. No blame when things don’t go to plan. Just space to figure it out — together.
And in business, that kind of trust is rare.
Why some partnerships don’t last
They’ve seen it before — partnerships that look good on paper but don’t go the distance.
And more often than not, it comes down to one thing: sameness.
“I think when two people have the same skill set, it can be really hard,” she says. “Demi and I are completely different — and that’s why it works.”
It helps, too, that they’re comfortable in their roles.
“I don’t love being ‘in charge,’” she admits. “Demi is a great leader. I’m happy to sit back and focus on my part.”
No competition. Just clarity.
The one conversation you have to have
Before starting anything together, there’s one non-negotiable:
Values.
“You have to be aligned on your morals,” she says. “Without that, it won’t last.”
Because when things get hard — and they always do — that’s what everything comes back to.
The unexpected part? The friendship
Here’s the twist: they weren’t close before all of this.
“We were more acquaintances than friends,” she says.
“My honest advice? If you can avoid going into business with a friend… avoid it.
It really does change the dynamic. Work life and personal life can become hard to separate.”
That said, Demi and Melinda have built something really special. Their friendship has grown slowly over many years — but the foundation, in the beginning, was business.
Now?
They couldn’t imagine life without each other.
Curious? Discover more about Missta.
