The Build Up with Monique Becker & Elyse Wolf

Monique Becker and Elyse Wolf call each other "sisters since four." 

They went to school together and live together. And in the last five years, the two have navigated the challenges of parlaying a lifelong friendship into a business partnership. It hasn't always been easy. 

"The work never ends," says Becker. "It's really hard to have any types of boundaries."

"We definitely have other friends who have to remind us to pump the breaks on things," added Wolf.

The 28-year-olds are now developing properties into multi-unit housing and Airbnb properties in Detroit while doing their own general contracting and management through their company Mona Lisa Living. They've also purchased an 11-acre property near Mackinaw City with a lake which they plan to turn into an elevated camp and cabin experience. 

"It just kind of started from that idea of really wanting a place to be able to go and rest our minds and be creative and just explore Northern Michigan," Wolf said. 

Listen for more on:

1:25 - Challenges of going into business with your friend

3:20 - Dividing the workload

4:35 - Getting help from family

6:30 - Why they rebranded

7:30 - Why they chose to develop in the Virginia Park neighborhood

9:10 - What it's like to renovate and live in a duplex

10:35 - Why co-living spaces and equitable development are important to them

13:45 - How to overcome financing issues

17:15 - How their vision has changed for their company

19:15 - Why they are expanding to Up North

25:15 - Challenges of being young women in a field dominated by older men

29:15 - Their biggest mistake in business