The Best Collaborations Start Before the Work Does

Ariane and I have known each other for years — long before Lys Link, long before any of this made professional sense.What started as a friendship in Montréal eventually became something else entirely: a working relationship built on mutual trust, shared standards, and the kind of honesty that only comes from knowing someone well enough to tell them the truth.We are a flight apart. We have never worked in the same room.And yet this past year has been one of the most aligned professional experiences I have had.There is something particular about working with someone who already knows how you think — and who pushes back when they disagree, not to create friction, but because they care about the outcome as much as you do.This Canada Day felt worth marking.Not because of geography or celebration — but because of what this year has quietly become. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit clairelysbastienwald.substack.com