Born from the Chaos, Built with Heart
Here's the story behind Kove & Co
2021
The Spark Ignites
I was on maternity leave, right in the thick of new motherhood. We’d just started swimming lessons, and I was totally unprepared for what that really meant stepping out of the water, cold and soaked, with a crying baby in my arms and a bag that couldn’t keep up. Wet towels. Damp clothes. Fumbling around for nappies and snacks, hoping everything had stayed dry.
I remember thinking: There has to be a better way.
That’s when the idea came.
I wanted a bag that could handle real life, one that was waterproof, easy to clean, stayed upright, and actually looked good. I took my very first prototype to mothers group and within minutes, mums were asking where I got it. That’s when I knew: I wasn’t the only one looking for something like this.
2022
The Hustle Begins
I returned to full-time work, but the idea of the bag kept tugging at me. I knew this product could change things for so many mums, something that was practical, lightweight, and beautiful. I hired an industrial designer to help bring the vision to life, then spent months searching for the right overseas manufacturer after hitting roadblocks in Australia.
In October, we launched, and within the first three months, we sold 500 bags. Every night I came home from work, bathed Flossy, packed orders, and built this business from the ground up.
Exhausting? Yes.
Worth it? Absolutely.
2023
Growth, Grit & Lessons in Real Time
We launched two new colours, one was an instant hit that gave me confidence in my choices. The second? Not quite right. I knew as soon as I opened the first box that it had missed the mark, a hard but necessary lesson in product development.
Despite that, the brand kept growing. I was still working full time, packing orders late at night and running local market stalls on weekends.
We pulled off our second photoshoot, four scenes, one toddler and introduced our first Cooler Bag. We sold out of Tribe Bags for the third time just before Christmas, which was both thrilling and a little chaotic. And to top off a big year, we were highly commended in the 2023 She Com Awards, a huge honour and moment of validation that reminded me we were on the right path.
2024
Full Time, Full Heart, Full Steam Ahead
In February, I officially left my full-time job and stepped into Kove & Co full-time, terrifying and exhilarating all at once.
We were featured on Seven News, became finalists in the Sunshine Coast Business Awards, and grew our retail footprint to over 50 stockists.
We launched two new colours, one becoming our second best-seller, and celebrated with a party cruise, an afternoon filled with music, mum chats, and our most loyal customers.
We introduced two new bag sizes, Mini and Midi, with our community helping name them. We now had 8 Maxi colours, 2 Midi colours and 4 Mini colours in the collection.
We pulled off two major photo shoots, back-to-back, and experienced double sell-outs, which was both incredible and tough during our biggest summer yet.
It was a wild ride, but one that made it clear, we are just getting started.
2025
Building Bigger, Bolder & Braver
We started the year with no stock in peak season after selling out over Christmas — an incredible problem to have, but tough timing.
Once restocked, we launched two new products: the Maxi Tribe Bag Organiser and our Nappy Wallets. We also added two new Mini colours for Easter and launched the Midi in Black for winter.
In February, I shaved my head to raise funds for cancer research — a deeply personal moment and a reminder of the power of community.
A pinch-me highlight: we were featured in a double spread in Who Magazine. And I did something I never thought I could — I built our new website from scratch.
The year’s not over yet, and there’s still so much more to come.