246 – Launch, Listen, Improve: A Smarter Way to Build a Product
October 20, 2026
A challenging personal experience can sometimes reveal a much bigger opportunity. In this episode of The Business Behind Your Business, Paul Sweeney speaks with Elysia Krstevski, founder of MEKE Baby, about turning a problem as a new mum into a product and a growing business. Her journey offers practical lessons for anyone developing a product, testing an idea or trying to take a business to its next stage.
After working her way from receptionist to co-CEO at Stage School Australia, Elysia brought years of hands-on business experience into a completely different industry. The idea for MEKE Baby came after she found herself unable to conveniently warm expressed milk while out with her baby. Instead of accepting that frustration, she began researching whether there could be a better solution.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
- How a personal problem can reveal a genuine opportunity in the market
- Why customer research and listening to feedback matter from the very beginning
- Why launching a good product can be more valuable than waiting indefinitely for perfection
- How MEKE Baby evolved through multiple product upgrades based on real customer needs
- How Elysia built market validation through direct-to-consumer sales before securing retail distribution
- Why thinking internationally early can influence product development
- How looking at the business by months and quarters, rather than obsessing over daily results, can support more considered decision-making
Elysia’s story is a reminder that building a successful product rarely happens in one perfect leap. It involves research, experimentation, customer conversations, persistence and a willingness to improve as you go. If you’re sitting on an idea, developing a product or trying to prove your business is ready for bigger opportunities, this conversation offers an honest look at what that journey can involve.
Elysia Krstevski is an award-winning Australian entrepreneur and founder of MEKE Baby, a premium baby technology brand redefining the standard of feeding. A former CEO who scaled Stage School Australia to 27 locations. Elysia has built her career around innovation, growth and challenging the status quo. Her achievements include Telstra Small Business State Winner for Product Innovation, Top 50 in E-commerce, Top 50 Business Leaders, CommBank Young Hero Product Innovation Winner and Westpac Top 5 Trailblazer. Today, she is focused on building MEKE Baby into a globally recognised brand.
This episode is supported by the Business Planning Operating System. My 9-module course is built from 30 years of experience as an accountant, giving business owners a simple, one-page 90-day plan they’ll actually use. Learn more at thebusinessbehindyourbusiness.com/focus
