Hey Lemonade

Hey Lemonade is an Australian-born mental health support app created to help turn life’s lemons into something more fruitful. Launched in November 2022 by co-founders Lucy Durack and Elise McCann, the business is the result of a simple, yet powerful, idea born during a shared walk in the midst of COVID-inspired personal stress.

Both Lucy and Elise come from vibrant careers in entertainment and were navigating challenges during the pandemic. Overnight, everything stopped. They realised that what they needed – a quick, uplifting reminder of their resilience – didn’t exist. So, they created it.

Hey Lemonade provides bite-sized, evidence-based pep talks to help people manage everyday stresses. For each three-minute talk, users can choose from a range of diverse voices so that they can find the voice that is perfect for them at that moment. 

Before launching, Lucy and Elise partnered with the CSIRO to research the impact of their pep talks and found that users experienced a 50 per cent increase in calmness and significant improvements in vitality and resilience. These results validated their vision and gave them the confidence to bring Hey Lemonade to life.

Since then, the app has grown to include hundreds of pep talks crafted by award-winning entertainment writers and voiced by trusted Australian personalities.

A significant milestone came with a grant from the NSW Government’s Student Innovation Wellbeing Fund, allowing the development of a version specifically for high school students.

Beyond individual users, Hey Lemonade has expanded into the corporate sector to provide content tailored to the experience of employees in their workplaces.

To be named the New South Wales Building Communities Award Winner is a testament to the incredible work that Hey Lemonade does to support people’s mental health.

It’s more than an app – it’s like having your best friend in your pocket,” Lucy says. “We are thrilled by this award and hope that we can use the platform to bring Hey Lemonade’s optimism and practicality to even more people.

Plans include launching new content, expanding their corporate partnerships and exploring international markets. The duo believes the need for accessible mental health and motivation tools will only grow in a world filled with constant stressors.

“Life throws lemons at everyone,” says Elise. “We’re here to remind people they already have the tools to make lemonade.”

As Hey Lemonade continues to grow, the mission remains simple: to help people feel seen, heard and supported – one pep talk at a time.

Hey Lemonade’s incredible work was recognised with the Telstra Best of Business Awards New South Wales Building Communities Award.