Colleagues to co-founders: 6 workplace friendships that built billion-dollar businesses

Workplace friendships can lead to major business ventures, a business expert has said. These partnerships show how professional bonds can drive innovation and create successful businesses.

The expert notes that collaboration and shared vision played key roles in these ventures. Encouraging professionals to explore opportunities with colleagues, the expert suggests that the next major business idea could come from workplace connections.

“People assume boardrooms and pitch decks are where the best ideas are born, but more often than not, it’s two friends brainstorming over pizza or troubleshooting a work problem together,” says Tim Brown, business expert and founder of Hook Agency.

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Here are 6 workplace friendships that built billion-dollar businesses

Ben & Jerry’s: A business built on friendship

Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield were childhood friends who reconnected in adulthood. Searching for business opportunities, they took a $5 ice cream-making course and launched Ben & Jerry’s in 1978 from a converted gas station. Their focus on creative flavours and social responsibility set them apart in the ice cream industry. Their brand remains a symbol of purpose-driven business growth.

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Airbnb: From roommates to industry disruptors

Brian Chesky and Joe Gebbia struggled to pay rent in San Francisco in 2007. To generate income, they rented out air mattresses in their apartment to conference attendees. This idea grew into Airbnb, a global platform operating in over 220 countries. Their ability to turn a temporary solution into a long-term business changed the travel accommodation industry.

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Warby Parker: Affordable eyewear through collaboration

Four Wharton classmates—Neil Blumenthal, Andrew Hunt, David Gilboa, and Jeffrey Raider—were frustrated with the high cost of eyeglasses. In 2010, they launched Warby Parker, eliminating traditional retail markups by selling directly to consumers. Their business model provided affordable, stylish eyewear while implementing a buy-one-give-one initiative. Their partnership helped redefine how glasses are sold worldwide.

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WhatsApp: Simplifying global communication

Jan Koum and Brian Acton spent years working together at Yahoo. Disillusioned with the advertising-driven tech industry, they created WhatsApp in 2009 as a simple, secure messaging platform. The app’s growth led to its $19 billion acquisition by Facebook in 2014. Their experience as colleagues helped them build a service that prioritised user privacy and efficiency.

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Twitter: A side project that became a social media giant

Jack Dorsey, Biz Stone, Evan Williams, and Noah Glass worked together at Odeo, a podcasting company struggling against competition from Apple’s iTunes. During a brainstorming session, they developed the concept for Twitter (now X), a platform for real-time updates. What started as a side project became one of the most influential social media platforms in history.

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Pixar: The intersection of art and technology

Ed Catmull, Steve Jobs, and John Lasseter had different backgrounds—technology, business, and storytelling. Their combined expertise led to the creation of Pixar. The company revolutionised animation with films like Toy Story and Finding Nemo. Their collaboration demonstrated how diverse skill sets can drive industry-wide transformation.