Women of the Year: How Charlie Ercan turned her endometriosis struggle into a multimillion dollar business

Forced to quit her job as a lawyer due to debilitating endometriosis, Charlie Ercan and her partner found themselves at their lowest point. Four years on, they’ve turned a drive to get healthy into an international business.

FOUR years ago Charlie Ercan found herself at her lowest point.

Forced to quit her job as a lawyer due to debilitating endometriosis, she was living in her grandmother’s spare room, with partner Daniel Papanikolaou couch surfing.

Endometriosis is caused when tissues lining the inside of the uterus begins growing in other places, often over the bladder and ovaries.

In the severe stage Ms Ercan had reached, it had already spread across several organs and left her screaming in pain.

Daniel Papanikolaou and Charlie Ercan were both at the lowest point of their lives. Photo: @sliceofcharlie / Instagram

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“There’s other symptoms associated with it like fatigue and migraines,” Ms Ercan said. “It’s not just the pain, it’s all these little things that take over your life.

“I found myself in the situation where I couldn’t have a job where I’m constantly having to take time off or I’m tired, I have migraines, I knew I was going to get fired if it kept going that way.”

After almost a year of struggling with her health she made the decision to help others, and in the couple’s local library “Unique Muscle” was born.

They lived off only a meal a day and spent their last $5000 buying a small amount of product for the completely vegan health food store.

“We built our own website, our own graphic design, everything we did ourselves. We were there until they closed at night every night,” Ms Ercan said.

Charlie Ercan says she and partner Daniel worked day and night to make their business dream a reality. Picture: Jerad Williams

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“It was backs to the wall really, I wasn’t as positive back then so I often ask myself how I kept going. I’m not sure what kept me going.

“Maybe it was just that we were able to lean on each other, maybe we were seeming courageous without letting each other know how scared we were.”

The company, which sells healthy protein powders, brownie mix and hot chocolates, has made it into the top one per cent of earners of online store Shopify, racking up millions of dollars in sales.

For Ms Ercan, the success means more than words can say.

“When we made 10 sales in one night we were just screaming and so excited, we never thought it was going to be anything like what it is now,” she said.

“We just kept reaching new milestones and setting new goals.”