We are talking this week to Laura Campbell, the entrepreneur behind Hackerlily, which has made a buzz for its HipSurfer baby carrier. The HipSurfer is a Aussie-made hipseat baby carrier that is ergonomic, strap-free, has a built-in storage, and is the first hipseat baby carrier in the world to have washable covers. More importantly, it is designed to alleviate pain that comes with carrying infants.
ISB: What drove you to come up with the idea that would become Hackerlily HipSurfer?
LC: Since I was 16, I have suffered from chronic rheumatoid arthritis and following the births of both of my children I had swelling in my feet, knees and fingers, as well as having intense carpal tunnel. This made carrying, cuddling, travelling, nursing and playing with my kids strainful, painful and exhausting. I also experienced a lot of mum guilt for having to put them down all the time, even when they were upset and wanted to be held. After my son Lincoln was born in 2021, I couldn’t find a baby carrier that was easy and quick to put on, that took the load off my shoulders and body, that didn’t have complex straps and buckles…and that actually looked stylish – so I decided to use my maternity leave to create the solution to my own problem.
ISB: What was the most challenging aspect of introducing the first homegrown baby carrier of this design to the Australian market and how did you overcome it?
LC: I conducted a survey with over 100 families when I was developing the idea of the HipSurfer and found that only about seven per cent of mums had seen or heard of a hipseat baby carrier before. Interesting fact, the product is not new, it has been around for 30 years or longer, it has just never taken off or been properly marketed (or designed) for the Australian market. So, customer education has been a really big job and learning how to articulate and communicate the customer pain points and product benefits has been a real journey over the last 14 months since launching.
ISB: Can you share the secret of how the business was able to achieve such growth and recognition in just a span of 12 months?
LC: I went all in on five key areas: 1) community engagement and customer support; 2) building credibility through awards and health practitioner recommendations; 3) emotive storytelling and creative testing; 4) digital advertising; and 5) wholesale partnerships. The basis for Hackerlily’s success is really in the quality of the product and pain points it solves, with no other Australian or international brand really addressing underserved product category in a localised and personalised way. I place a big focus on nurturing my community and building genuine relationships with every new follower. These genuine reviews have helped me to gain the support and recommendations of health practitioners which in turn has helped with PR and this very editorial article that is featuring me right now. Bringing this all full circle – all of these elements are like stardust for Hackerlily’s creative marketing, paid advertising and retail partnership growth strategy.
ISB: Why is giving back to the community such an important part of your business?
LC: I passionately believe that every brand, no matter how big or small, should support the very communities that are helping them to grow and profit. I’m so excited to partner with I=Change, supporting three charities and giving back one-to-three dollars with every purchase. Women’s Community Shelters, SurfAid and The Hunger Project are three charities that deeply resonate with Hackerlily’s mission.
ISB: How do you envision Hackerlily’s growth in the next couple of years?
LC: Over the next two years, my goals for Hackerlily are ambitious and deeply rooted in supporting the needs of families locally and internationally. My vision is to place the HipSurfer onto the hips of 1.5 per cent of Australian families expecting a baby by 2025, translating to over $1 million in annual revenue. My strategy to achieve this encompasses product innovation, market expansion (UK, Europe, US), strategic partnerships, and a commitment to social impact.
ISB: What would be your single advice to someone with aspirations of becoming an entrepreneur?
LC: Focus on progress, not perfection. Get your idea out of your head ASAP. Share it with a friend, write it down, secure that website, file the trademark, sign up to that course. There is never a perfect time to start a business (so stop waiting) and you absolutely do not ever want to launch with the most perfect product or solution. Take the first messy step, get your most basic idea/product/service out into the universe, into the hands of paying customers and then adapt, refine, optimise or pivot from there.
