A few weeks ago I dipped my toes back into a bit of Facebook advertising.
Nothing crazy. Just a small campaign to see what would happen.
And it worked.
A few sales came through. The kind that pop up on your phone and make you grin like an idiot for a minute.
Then… I got sick again.
Not “bit run down” sick. Proper hospital sick. IV antibiotics for 5–6 days. Website on hold. Orders paused. Life paused.
Not fun.
But here’s the thing — this business isn’t going anywhere.
And neither am I.
When Life Forces You to Hit Pause
Running a small business is one thing.
Running one while juggling family, health, and everything else? Different story.
There’s no big team behind Little Cutlery.
No marketing department.
No warehouse crew.
It’s just me, doing what I can, when I can.
So when I ended up in hospital again, the website had to go on hold. Simple as that.
And yes — it’s frustrating.
But sometimes the pause makes you realise how much you actually care about what you’re building.
Back Again (Round Two)
Once I was back on my feet, I restarted the ads.
This time a little more confident.
And something shifted.
We’re now getting:
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Consistent website traffic
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Proper engagement
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Genuine positive feedback
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Messages from people saying they love the concept
And honestly?
Positive feedback has to be one of the most rewarding things in business.
Not the sales.
Not the numbers.
The messages.
The “this is beautiful.”
The “I can’t wait to give this to my niece.”
That’s the good stuff.
Something New: Non-Engraved Cutlery & Giftware
Here’s where it gets interesting.
I’ve started dabbling in selling cutlery and giftware as is — no engraving.
At first I wasn’t sure.
Little Cutlery started with personalised engraving at its core. That’s our thing.
But the more I look at it, the more it makes sense:
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Some people want a beautiful gift without the custom wait
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Some keepsake pieces are perfect just as they are
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It opens the door to a wider range of price points
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It builds the brand beyond just one product type
And if I’m honest — I think it will work well.
It complements the engraved range instead of competing with it.
And for customers who come through from Facebook ads, it gives them more options once they land on the site.
Momentum Feels Different This Time
This round feels steadier.
Not a spike.
Not a burst.
Just consistent.
And after everything — especially a hospital stay — consistency feels like a win.
Little Cutlery isn’t built overnight.
It’s built between hospital visits.
Between family time.
Between late nights and early mornings.
And every bit of positive feedback reminds me why I started.
The Bigger Picture
This isn’t just about cutlery.
It’s about building something solid.
Something that lasts.
Something my kids can look back on and say,
“Dad kept going.”
Hospital stays aren’t part of the plan.
But resilience is.
And we’re back again.
Stronger.