Kat Fellows launched Lesh, a leak-proof nursing bra brand, from her Epsom home in August 2024. Now, with match funding from Surrey County Council’s Economic Growth Fund, she’s scaling the business and plans to hire local mothers as her team grows.
Before becoming an entrepreneur, Kat worked as a director in beauty marketing. “I got pregnant during Covid, not knowing what to expect when I returned to work,” she said. “As time went on, it became clear this corporate life wouldn’t mesh with being a mother.”
She decided to start a business solving a problem she’d experienced firsthand as a breastfeeding mother.
“The second my son latched on, it was amazing – I had this incredible experience,” Kat said. “I loved breastfeeding, but the only thing I didn’t love was that I leaked constantly.”
She cycled through countless disposable and reusable breast pads, and said: “They would move around, and I’d still wake up soaked, lying in a puddle of milk. Sleep is sacred when you have young children. Plus, the disposable ones are so wasteful.”
When she searched for alternatives, nothing met her needs. “Most products had clearly not been live-tested on a mum with oversupply like myself,” she said. I thought, “If no one is doing it the right way, I’m going to do it.”
Live-testing early Lesh prototypes
Kat spent a year and a half developing and testing prototypes during her second breastfeeding journey. “I never had to buy a disposable pad,” she said. “It took that long until I had something I was comfortable launching.”
Since launching in August 2024, Lesh has gained momentum, and the Economic Growth Fund will help propel it further.
“This grant will allow me to drive brand awareness and grow the business to a place where I can pitch for additional funding to become an internationally recognised brand in the maternity space,” Kat said.
Looking ahead, Kat envisions building a team of local mothers. “The first hire I needed was for social media – I’ve been using an agency, but I’d like that work to go to a local mum. I want to employ mothers who need that extra income. Eventually, I want to convert the garage into an office and warehouse, with local mums supporting customer service, order fulfilment, packaging, and returns.”
Evidently, big plans lie ahead for this innovative Surrey business.
More about the Surrey Economic Growth Fund
To date almost £2 million has been awarded to dozens of recipients via the Surrey Economic Growth Fund. This funding has helped to unlock significant match funding and private investment, growing Surrey’s economy by £9 million.
Any Surrey business looking for funding or help to grow can receive fully-funded support from Business Surrey. Get in touch via our Contact us form.
