Co-Owner And Marketing Director
CurrentIn 2014 Alex and her business partner Kellie were at opposite ends of the country independently researching and exploring the options of creating Australian made baby carriers. Both were new parents and had fallen in love with baby carriers as a way to make the difficult task of parenting a lot easier.It took trust and innovative use of technology to start a small textiles company with almost 2,500 kilometres between them. It was a big risk to take, particularly given this geographic distance. They had been running the company for over 12 months before physically meeting in person, but during this time had exchanged well over 100,000 electronic messages.Ankalia are now the largest Australian made baby Carrier company, bringing a premium product to the global marketplace. Ankalia sells directly to over 25 countries, has seven retailers around the world, an active online community of over 5500 members and an ever increasing following on social media.Being a new parent in the modern age can be a daunting and isolating experience. The social community that has emerged around Ankalia shows that it is more than just a product. It is a tool that connects parentsto others that are going through the same challenges. The members make themselves vulnerable by sharing their parenting triumphs, their heartache and their joys.Alex and Kellie are delighted to be the winners of the New Business category of the Telstra Business Awards, and are excited to continue their journey of expansion, particularly into the South East Asian market.
