Rachel and Jonathan Phillips

Event: 18th June 2009 19:30 UK Time

Rachel Phillips and her husband Jonathan met at Northumbria University (the Polytechnic as it was known back then) while they were studying between 1989 and 1993. They now live in Basingstoke, Hampshire with their three daughters Jessica 10, Chloe, 9 and Willow 2 years old.

Rachel explained “...Soon after our third daughter, Willow was born she was diagnosed with a common but misunderstood disease called Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease/GORD or for short ‘baby reflux’. Willow would bring up her stomach acids with feeds as projectile vomit and wake every two hours during the night. We had no idea this was even a recognised disease, but statistics state it affects as many as 1 in 5 babies worldwide.

We were prescribed various drugs with little effective, so we found a way to ‘manage’ Willow’s reflux by careful positioning at bedtime and feed times and using specialist products. We sourced sleeping positioners, baby feeding equipment and imported products from the USA and mainland Europe as there were none available for reflux in the UK...”

 “Being entrepreneurial types we took advantage of these contacts and started importing the products in bulk.  This led to a new business venture in May of 2007 called babyREFLUX selling wedges, sleep positoners and associated products to help manage infant reflux.” 

This wasn’t the first business that Rachel and Jonathan had set up; since 1998 they have successfully managed a number of businesses including a marketing consultancy, several software companies and even a cartoonist/illustration business. 

Not only are they selling reflux products, they offer various support lines from chat room, online support, email and phone support, as this is an area that customers need the most.  Most recently launching the sister website ‘Little Refluxers’ (www.littlerefluxers.co.uk) which adds additional support and provides a place for carers and parents to share stories ideas and help one another by sharing experiences.

 “The way we see it” Rachel said “having a great business idea is one thing, but an idea that helps so many parents is really why we do this. Of all the businesses we have built this has been our most rewarding which makes it all the better!”