When Laura Campbell was five months pregnant, juggling a toddler, a full-time global sales role, and chronic pain from arthritis, launching a baby product business was not exactly in her five-year plan.

But, as she cradled her newborn son one evening, aching from the strain and the grind of motherhood, she had her lightbulb moment. That moment would become Hackerlily: a Gold Coast-based baby gear brand now stocked in major airports, theme parks and chemists, with a loyal following and a product that’s changing lives (and backs) for parents everywhere.

From pain to purpose

The seed for Hackerlily was planted during those sleep-deprived, mat leave nights. Laura had just moved back to Australia after over a decade in the UK. Her global sales role, with its endless Zooms across time zones, was losing its appeal, and a nasty flare-up of her spondyloarthritis and carpal tunnel left her physically drained.

“I was on maternity leave with my second child, Lincoln, and had just moved back to Queensland after 11 years in the UK,” she recalls. “I was five months pregnant when we relocated, and juggling a toddler, pregnancy, and a demanding global sales role. My workdays often started with early US calls and ended with late-night UK meetings, not exactly great for my sleep, mental health or sanity.”

The business she’d helped grow from startup to acquisition was changing too. “It lost its soul, and I lost my spark,” she says.

“While I was on mat leave and dealing with a nasty flare-up of my spondyloarthritis and carpal tunnel, I started thinking seriously about what kind of future I wanted.”

Feeling isolated and creatively unfulfilled, she tried a few dropshipping business ideas but none of them stuck. “I craved purpose, community, and something more real,” she says.

Then came the ‘aha’ moment. “One night, I was watching an eCommerce video while holding my son, feeling the aching pain in my wrists, back, and fingers. My arthritis was flaring, and I had swelling in my feet. I felt guilty constantly—guilty for not holding him long enough, guilty because I couldn’t carry or hold my two-year-old daughter for long either.”

She remembered a basic hipseat carrier she’d used years earlier. “It was grey, flimsy, had no pockets, and wasn’t particularly comfortable, but the idea behind it really resonated with me. What if I could take that concept and actually make it super comfortable, functional, customisable and stylish?”

Designing for real life (and real bodies)

Living with arthritis since she was 16, Laura has always had to work around physical limitations. Parenting with a chronic illness only amplified the challenge.

“The act of hip-popping to hold my kids started to cause even more injuries. The constant hunching from breastfeeding, changing nappies and reaching over cots meant my shoulders were always tense,” she says.

“I needed something that could take the load off. Literally. That’s what led me to design the HipSurfer to redistribute my child’s weight onto my hips, not my shoulders. It had to be ergonomic, quick to put on, strap-free (because fiddling with buckles was painful with sore hands), and generously padded.”

No background? No problem

Despite zero product development experience, Laura taught herself everything from compliance standards to prototyping. She joined communities like Foundr and Ecommerce Equation and reached out to over 25 manufacturers.

“One of them—my dream pick—quoted $30K USD upfront for innovation and development. Their client list was impressive, but that fee just wasn’t doable for a side hustle,” she says.

Instead, she found a manufacturer who charged around $250 per prototype and helped bring her vision to life. Surprisingly, some of her best samples came from a simple Canva collage, not CAD drawings.

“One of the biggest breakthroughs was the washable, interchangeable cover system,” she says. “At first, I thought it needed fasteners, but Velcro flaps ended up working better, [they’re] cleaner, easier, and more secure.”

She involved health professionals from the beginning. “I worked closely with paediatric chiropractors, physiotherapists, osteopaths and GPs to ensure the design promoted healthy hip positioning for babies and proper weight distribution for parents.”

Listening is the business strategy

Since launching in 2022, Hackerlily has gone through nine production runs.

“Every single one has included improvements based on feedback from customers, experts and the community. It’s a huge part of how I work,” Laura says.

From pocket sizing to fabric upgrades, customer feedback is her compass. “I regularly poll my customers when choosing new colour combos, accessories, and future features. Their feedback genuinely shapes what comes next—it’s not just part of my process, it’s one of my core values.”

From side hustle to seven-figure brand

Building trust, credibility and community has been her north star.

“Winning awards for product design, innovation, and the Bounty Parents Editors’ Choice in 2024 helped retailers see the quality of the product and better understand the real-life challenge it solves for parents,” Laura says.

She’s built a loyal affiliate network, with a good chunk of monthly revenue coming from happy customers. Tradeshows have also been a game-changer. “Even months down the track, they come back when their baby is in that in-between stage—doesn’t want to walk, hates the pram, still wants to be carried.”

Joining the Ecommerce Equation community proved pivotal. “Within three months, I 5x’d my monthly revenue. Nine months later, I had my first 6-figure month.”

Getting retail ready

Airport partnerships didn’t happen overnight. “Most replies, if any, were polite rejections or requests to come back when the brand was bigger.”

Things changed after she attended the Export Expo. “That’s where I met representatives from Trade & Investment Queensland… and after a few follow-up meetings, my pitch email made its way to APGP who looks after Amcal Express stores within airports.”

Turns out, the buyer was already a customer.

“It’s just so special and amazing to find this out as a small, growing business.”

She also backed up her pitch with hard data gleaned from her own surveys: “81 per cent of parents struggled with the physical strain of carrying kids and luggage; 72 per cent felt stressed juggling clingy or unpredictable toddlers; 66 per cent found traditional carriers frustrating to use at airports.”

Going global

Next stop: the UK. Laura’s preparing to take Hackerlily international, tapping into her dual citizenship and market knowledge.

“I know the market, the customer, and the lifestyle, and I’m confident the HipSurfer would genuinely make a difference for families over there.”

She’s also eyeing Amazon, depending on how the retail conversations pan out.

“I’m a big believer in leaning into what flows and not forcing it where there’s friction. The right time always comes,” she says.

More than just baby gear

The HipSurfer has gained popularity among families with children with disabilities, and carers managing their own health conditions.

“Parents of children with Down syndrome, autism, cerebral palsy, hip dysplasia and more, have told me that traditional carriers just don’t work for them. Some babies are too big for standard carriers, but still need to be held.”

The Hipsurfer is now recognised as an NDIS assistive technology device and stocked by NovitaTech.

“I’m currently in conversations with a hospital charity and support organisations, but I’d love to hear from any readers who can see how the HipSurfer might support their hospital, practice, or children’s charity.”

Juggling life and business

“I don’t think balance is the right word for it. I see life in seasons,” Laura shares.

“Some weeks I’m energised, ideas are flowing… Then there are the other weeks—my energy dips, the kids are sick, I’m flaring up or just not on form. Instead of pushing through, I try to call it a ‘low week,’ ease the pressure, and focus on what I can do.”

She’s honest about living with chronic pain. “Some days, it still feels like I’m dropping balls everywhere. But I’m working on being okay with that.”

Founder wisdom

“Take the first step and the rest will follow. Don’t hold back your idea just because you’re unsure. The only way to figure it out is to start taking messy, imperfect action. Focus on progress, not perfection.”

“Join a product or eCommerce community. It really is a game changer. You’ll halve your problems just by sharing them with business owners and mums who’ve been there done that.”

She adds: “I get messages from parents who tell me their backs finally don’t hurt, they’re going to the chiropractor less or that they’ve been able to hold their baby with hip dysplasia for the first time without fear or strain. That’s pure gold dust to me—it’s what keeps me going when I’m running on gas.”

In a sea of baby gear, Hackerlily stands out not just because of its clever design, but because it’s rooted in something rare in the business world: real empathy. Born from lived experience, fuelled by community, and growing with heart, it’s a brand redefining what modern parenting tools should feel like.

Or as Laura puts it: “It helps you carry the load. Literally and emotionally.”

Want to know more about Laura’s journey or try the HipSurfer for yourself? Visit hackerlily.com or follow @_hackerlily on Instagram to see how the HipSurfer helps parents carry the load every day.

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