THERE WAS ONE BIG ROW IN A CAR PARK...

NaoMi ReiLLy, 40, and sarah slade (far left), 41, who live in sussex, launched luxury candle firm seven seventeen in 2016, donating £1 of every sale to charity. Naomi has three children, iris, ten, Florence, eight, and arthur, five, while sarah has Max, seven, and sam, four. ‘ OUR name refers to that golden time, around 7.17pm, when, if it’s a good day, you’ve got the kids to bed and finally can clock off from the daily chaos,’ says Sarah, who, with co-founder Naomi, signs off emails ‘Chief CalmGivers’. Their candles follow suit, with names such as ‘hello Calm’ and ‘And Breathe’.

Their USP? Being eco-friendly — plant-based waxes, cotton wicks, recycled glass jars — and determinedly luxe.

‘We were always chatting about working together — our shared love of scented candles seemed the right route. One night, we decided to make it happen,’ says Naomi. each stumped up £ 2,500 — the amount they were prepared to lose if things went awry.

Their first batch was tiny — just 100 candles. Since then, a flurry of good press, highit. profile collaborations with Fearne Cotton and Not On The high Street and hitting every trade show going has meant they’re now stocked in Fenwick and have extended their range to include bath salts, soaps and lotions.

‘In the early days, we were there with double-sided tape making the boxes ourselves, then trudging to the Post Office with our kids hanging off our arms. It’s been gradual stepping stones,’ says Sarah.

They’re proudest of raising more than £20,000 for mental health charities, including Pandas, which helps mothers with post-natal depression: both have friends affected by ‘ There are times when we’re absolutely exhausted, but we spur each other on. If one of us has a wobble, we lift each other up,’ says Sarah. They’ve had one almighty row in a car park (‘we were exhausted, and something had to give!’), but nothing that 20 years of friendship can’t handle.

The real power in working with a friend? ‘you give each other confidence,’ explains Naomi. ‘Business success is all about getting out of your comfort zone — with a friend by your side, you’re more willing to push yourself a little further.’