One Year of Let's Make & Do: The Things I Didn't Expect About Starting a Business

Technically, Let's Make & Do turned one back in April.

But in true small business fashion, we've only just found the time to sit down and properly reflect on it now.

Between designing new products, packing orders, speaking to stockists, creating content (or trying to remember to), and generally spinning all the plates that come with running a small business, our first birthday came and went in a bit of a blur.

So now that it's June, here's a slightly belated look back at our first year and some of the things that have surprised me most about building Let's Make & Do.

Eighteen months ago, our dining table had effectively disappeared.

It was covered in product samples, packaging mock-ups, instruction cards, fabric swatches, sketches and endless to-do lists.

We were deep in development mode: refining designs, testing ideas, organising photography shoots, filming tutorial videos, sourcing materials and trying to turn a growing collection of ideas into something real and coherent.

The products were taking shape, but there was still so much uncertainty about how everything would come together.

It felt chaotic at the time. Looking back now, it was the beginning of everything.

Fast forward to today and our craft kits can be found in more than 100 wonderful independent retailers and have travelled to customers in over 10 countries around the world.

It’s a sentence that still feels slightly surreal to write.

Every Order Still Feels Exciting

You know the saying, “Every time you buy from a small business, someone does a happy dance”?

It turns out that’s completely true.

I assumed that after a while, orders would feel routine. That the excitement would wear off.

But I still get butterflies when an order comes through.

I still remember our first order from someone we didn’t know.

Not a friend. Not family. Not someone we’d gently persuaded to support us. A complete stranger.

I felt sick.

I remember staring at the order thinking: have we got everything right? Will they like it? What if the instructions don’t make sense? What if we’ve missed something?

Looking back, it’s funny how much emotional weight one small order carried.

But I think every small business owner remembers that first moment when someone chooses you with no obligation at all. It felt like proof that maybe this was actually working.

Reviews Mean More Than You Know

Every review matters.

Not just because it helps other customers discover us, but because it tells us we’ve created something that landed with someone on the other side.

Running a small business can sometimes feel like sending things out into the world and hoping for the best.

Reviews are the moment they come back and tell you how it went.

A kind message, a photo of a finished project, a five-star review - they all genuinely make my day.

They remind me there is a real person behind every order, and that what we’re making is actually being used, enjoyed and shared.

It Really Does Take a Village

One of the biggest lessons from this year is that small businesses are rarely built alone.

We are incredibly lucky to be surrounded by a wildly talented group of family and friends.

Over the past year they’ve stepped in as photographers, artists, illustrators, designers, stylists, musicians, product testers, models, sounding boards and cheerleaders.

They’ve offered honest feedback, listened to half-formed ideas, appeared in shoots, lent music tracks for videos, helped shape visuals, shared posts, celebrated wins and supported the inevitable wobbly moments.

Building this business has made me realise just how generous and creative the people around me are.

Let's Make & Do may have started at my kitchen table, but it has been shaped by so many hands.

Independent Retailers Are Some of the Kindest People You’ll Meet

One of my favourite discoveries this year has been the world of independent retail.

Across the UK, there are so many beautiful shops run by passionate, creative people who genuinely care about what they stock and the customers they serve.

Approaching stockists for the first time can feel intimidating. You’re essentially putting your work in front of someone and hoping they see what you see in it.

What I’ve found instead is encouragement, generosity and genuine enthusiasm.

People taking the time to reply, to offer advice, to share experience, and to genuinely champion small brands has been one of the most unexpected joys of the year.

A Full-Circle Moment in Pembrokeshire

I’ll never forget our first stockist order.

It came from a beautiful independent shop in Pembrokeshire, a place I spent childhood holidays.

There was something slightly surreal about seeing our products heading to somewhere so familiar and meaningful.

It felt like a small full-circle moment; a connection between something personal from years ago and something entirely new we were building now.

At the time, I couldn’t have imagined we’d go on to be stocked in over 100 independent retailers across multiple countries, but that first order will always stay with me.

People Really Do Want Small Businesses to Succeed

Before starting Let's Make & Do, I think I expected things to feel more competitive.

Instead, I’ve found encouragement everywhere.

From customers leaving thoughtful reviews, to retailers taking a chance on a new brand, to fellow small business owners sharing advice, there has been so much generosity.

It’s easy to forget, in a noisy online world, how many people are quietly rooting for you.

Sustainability Is a Journey

Like many small businesses, we’ve spent this year learning and improving.

One area we’ve focused on is packaging.

As we’ve grown, we’ve made changes to reduce waste, improve materials and make more considered choices where we can.

It’s an ongoing process. There’s always more to do, but we’re proud of the steps we’ve taken so far.

Consistency Is Harder Than It Looks

If I’m honest, this is probably the lesson I’m still learning.

There is always something more urgent: orders, product development, stockists, emails, life.

Social media often slips down the list.

But some of our biggest opportunities have come from simply showing up consistently and sharing what we’re working on.

It’s something we’re actively working on, even when it’s messy, even when it’s not perfect.

Building a Business Is Far More Emotional Than I Expected

This might be the biggest surprise of all.

I expected it to be hard work. I didn’t expect it to feel so personal.

When you create something from scratch and put it into the world, it carries pieces of you in it - your ideas, your taste, your decisions, your energy.

That makes the highs feel incredibly high.

A lovely review, a stockist saying yes, a customer photo, or a repeat order can completely shift your day.

But it also means you care deeply in a way I didn’t fully anticipate.

Success Looks Different Than I Thought It Would

When people talk about business success, it’s usually framed around growth and numbers.

Those matter, of course.

But this year has shown me that success can also look like flexibility.

It can look like building something you’re proud of.

It can look like school pick-ups and family life woven into work.

It can look like creating something that fits around life, not despite it.

It’s not always easy.

It’s really bloody hard at times.

But it’s also one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done.

Thank You

If you’ve bought a kit, left a review, stocked our products, shared a post, recommended us, appeared in a photo, tested an idea, lent a hand or simply cheered us on - thank you.

Every order, every message and every bit of support has shaped Let's Make & Do’s first year.

We’re still at the beginning of this journey, and there is so much more to come.

But for now, I’m taking a moment to pause and appreciate how far we’ve come.

And yes - I still do a little happy dance every time an order comes through.