Back Beat An entrepreneurial pair strike a chord with baby-toting mothers tired of back pain.

Vital Stats>> Jennifer Gilbert, 38, and Robin Stein, 39, of Heartbeat Products Inc.
Company>> PortaMEe, a New York City-based line of high-style baby carriers
Projected 2007 Sales>> About $600,000

Back to Basics>> In 2004, Robin Stein was a stay-at-home mom with a 21-pound 6-month-old and an aching back. She tried all types of baby carriers but didn't like the way they fit or looked. Because Stein had previously worked in product development and merchandising, "developing product was a sport," she says. She began sketching ideas for a carrier that rested the baby on the hip. "A hip carrier is more natural, and kids develop faster when they make eye contact with you and you can see what they're doing," she explains.