Devon and Sydney Carlson: Sisters, Situationships, & Starting a Business

The Carlson Clap [00:00:00]

• Devin and Sydney Carlson, the first sister duo on Call Daddy, explain their family's tradition of "The Carlson Clap," a frequent clapping habit stemming from their parents' encouragement.
• They discuss how their parents always celebrated their achievements, no matter how small.

  "My parents will always start a clap and it just has gone down to us."

Vegas Birthday Surprise [00:01:00]

• Sydney recounts her recent birthday trip to Las Vegas, which was a surprise planned by her sister.
• The trip was inspired by wanting to see Katy Perry perform, marking Sydney's first single birthday celebration in a while.

  "Can part of my gift just be that I don't plan it? Like, can you guys just plan it?"

Sisterly Friendship [00:02:00]

• The sisters describe their relationship as friends rather than just sisters, noting they rarely fight except over clothes.
• They explain that arguments over clothes often stem from borrowing without asking.

  "Every fight has been about clothes. Like screaming, crying, everything. In unison."

A Near Loss Strengthens Bond [00:03:00]

• Devin shares how Sydney's difficult relationship led to a period where they weren't close, making Devin realize how much she could lose.
• After the relationship ended, they became much closer, with Devin actively ensuring they stayed connected.

  "It showed me like what I almost lost my sister, I felt like, as of like in my life, and I was like, I can't... I'm like forcing her to be my friend, basically."

Personality Clash and Complement [00:04:00]

• The sisters describe each other's personalities: Sydney is the dry, witty, serious humorist, while Devin is the natural social butterfly who can make friends easily.
• They acknowledge their differences but emphasize how well they complement each other.

  "She's not silly or goofy. She's just like dry, funny, serious."

Wildflower's Accidental Beginnings [00:05:00]

• The sisters explain that Wildflower started about 10 years ago when their mom, a former art teacher, began making custom phone cases for them.
• Their mom would put fabric and studs into clear phone cases, a DIY approach that caught people's attention.

  "She just like loves doing stuff like that. So she thought to get a clear phone case, put fabric in it and stud the outside of it like herself."

The Miley Cyrus Connection [00:06:00]

• A pivotal moment occurred when Miley Cyrus saw their phone cases and asked about them.
• Cyrus encouraged them to start a business, and their dad, a graphic designer, promised a website by morning.

  "She said, is your mom here? We were like, yeah. She said, can I go meet her? We were like, sure."

Going Viral and Funding the Dream [00:07:00]

• Miley Cyrus tweeted about the phone cases, tagging Devin, which led to an explosion of interest.
• To fund Wildflower, the sisters sold their house and moved in with their grandparents, running the business from there for five years.

  "My dad looked at her. My dad was a graphic designer for years. And so we looked at Miley and said, we'll have a website in the morning."

Early Challenges and Doubts [00:08:00]

• Starting a business was not as common or supported as it is now, leading to embarrassment and questions from peers.
• Sydney, in particular, felt it was strange to start a business instead of focusing on college and social life.

  "It was very like. You're not going to college. And we were. I was like. I had one friend in high school. Throughout all of this."

Reconnecting with Miley [00:09:00]

• The sisters recently reconnected with Miley Cyrus, expressing their gratitude for her role in their company's origin.
• Cyrus was impressed by their growth and their continued close relationship.

  "I did recent. Not like recently. Yeah. But beginning of this year. One of our friends was working with her. And I got the opportunity to like. Meet her. And hang out with her."

Devin's Dating Evolution [00:10:00]

• Devin discusses her "wild year" of dating after a long-term public relationship, exploring her single life and now exclusively seeing someone.
• She admits to being insecure about dating again but found someone who accepts her through her "craziest moments."

  "So the guy I'm currently with. Was a part of that early on. And has just kind of been with me back and forth through that."

Sydney's Dating Philosophy [00:11:00]

• Sydney explains she's not a traditional dater, preferring to develop relationships with people she's already friends with.
• She rarely goes on first dates, finding she doesn't often meet people she can date seriously.

  "I just have never been interested in that type of dating like going on dates with new people at everyone that I have gotten into a relationship with I have been friends with and become really close with."

Sisterly Dating Critiques [00:12:00]

• The sisters playfully critique each other's dating choices, with Sydney often calling out potential partners.
• Devin admits to calling a guy she was seeing an "Uber driver" to humble him.

  "I thought you were the Uber driver. I literally said that. And then afterwards. I was like. Oh my god. I called him the Uber driver."

Devin's Past Relationship Trauma [00:13:00]

• Devin opens up about her first intense relationship, which lasted from ages 19 to 22, involving a partner who was a drug addict.
• This experience led to significant personal struggles, including an eating disorder and isolation from friends and family.

  "He was a drug addict. And that was something that kind of developed over the years. And also something that I didn't know much about being so young."

The Cheating Revelation [00:14:00]

• Devin discovered her ex-boyfriend's infidelity when the other woman DM'd her with photographic evidence.
• This betrayal, though devastating, ultimately led her to leave the toxic relationship and begin healing.

  "The girl DM'd me. And it was classic. He was also a musician but was on tour and it happened somewhere and she, like, sent me photos in his shirt."

Sisterly Support During Hardship [00:15:00]

• When Devin went through her breakup, her sister Sydney and their childhood best friend rallied around her, offering support and distraction.
• They actively tried to show Devin what healthy relationships and friendships looked like.

  "So we all literally, I called everyone and we all got there as fast as we could. And then my best friend Nicole and I took Sydney to Disneyland the next day."

The "Which Sister" Game [00:16:00]

• The sisters play "Which Sister is More Likely To," revealing humorous insights into their personalities and habits.
• Topics include being the favorite child, stealing clothes, posting drunk on Instagram, and having a threesome.

  "Which sister is more likely to be the favorite child?"

Toxic Attractions and Behaviors [00:17:00]

• Devin is attracted to men with big personalities who are confident and witty, sometimes getting too wrapped up in their lives.
• Sydney is attracted to those who are witty and good with their words, admitting she can match that energy and drive each other insane.

  "I think the toxic I'm attracted to, because this could also be someone who's non-toxic, but it mainly is, is like big personalities, like people who are very much their own life, their own ways, big personalities."

Sydney's Chaotic First Date [00:18:00]

• Sydney shares a wild dating story from New York where her date was extremely late, forgot his wallet, had his car towed, and she ended up paying for dinner and retrieving his car.
• Despite the mishaps, they ended up sleeping together and had a fun time.

  "The bill comes. He's like, forgot his wallet. And I was like, he's the one I called a new driver. Are you fucking serious?"

Sisterly Roasting and Support [00:19:00]

• The sisters discuss how they roast the guys Devin dates, putting them in their place.
• They agree that while they haven't dated "bad guys," they can be "cringey" and point out those behaviors.

  "I also love how you, like, roast kind of the guys that Kevin is with. Yeah. Because it puts them in their fucking place. They deserve it."