For Mikaila Pickett, the idea for a better mealtime solution began at home, after growing frustrated with silicone tableware and discovering that her children much preferred eating from ceramic plates. What started as a simple solution to a problem she was experiencing with her own family soon became Lítill Lapsi, a growing business creating ceramic tableware designed specifically for little hands. Here, she talks to The Natural Parent Magazine about turning a kitchen-table idea into a business, balancing entrepreneurship with full-time work and family life, and why she hopes Lítill Lapsi will help make mealtimes a little easier for other Kiwi families.
The passion: What inspired you to set up your business?
Lítill Lapsi really started in my own kitchen. Like so many parents, I was dealing with meal refusals and trying everything to make mealtimes a little less stressful. I also became increasingly frustrated with silicone plates and bowls. The lingering soapy taste just never seemed to go away, no matter what I tried.
I started serving my kids’ meals on our ceramic dinner plates instead, and they preferred eating from them. The only problem was that adult plates and little hands don’t mix very well, and they kept ending up on the floor!
I couldn’t find a ceramic option in New Zealand that was designed specifically for young children, so I decided to bring one here for other families to enjoy. Surely I wasn’t the only parent having this problem.
What started as a solution for my own family has grown into something I’m so proud to share with other New Zealand families. The response has honestly been overwhelming, and hearing from parents who say our products have made mealtimes easier makes all the late nights worthwhile.
The launch: How did you start out in the beginning?
Very unglamorously, from our garage!
I’m a full-time working mum of two, so there wasn’t exactly a lot of spare time, but working towards Lítill Lapsi just felt right. I started the business just before returning to work after maternity leave with my second child.
It began with testing countless samples to find the best-quality products and doing a deep dive into international safety standards. I came up with the name, and a friend helped with the logo design. Before I knew it, I’d taken the leap and placed my first bulk order, and suddenly, our garage was filled with more than 600 pieces of tableware!
Most nights leading up to launch, I’d finish my corporate job, have dinner with my family, get the kids to bed and then work on the website, organise shipping, create content or pack orders. Weekends quickly became business time too.
There were definitely moments that felt overwhelming, especially at launch when orders came in faster than I expected, but they were the kind of problems you hope to have.
It’s still very much a family operation, and while there’s a lot happening behind the scenes, it’s exciting to see something that started as an idea in our home now sitting on tables in homes all around New Zealand.
The innovation: What was the biggest breakthrough for you with your business?
The biggest pinch-me moment was landing our first wholesale orders with The Sleep Store and Sleepy Tot less than six weeks after launch.
They’re two of New Zealand’s most trusted baby brands, so having them believe in Lítill Lapsi felt like a huge milestone and gave me confidence that I was building something people genuinely wanted.
Yin and Yang: How do you balance work and family?
I’m not sure balance is something I’ve mastered; it’s something I’m constantly working on!
Running a business while working full-time and raising two young kids means there’s always something that needs doing. Even when I’m with my family, there’s usually a mental to-do list running in the background. Every mum knows that mental load never really switches off, and adding a business into the mix has felt a little like having a third child!
One thing we really try to protect is dedicated family time on the weekends. We make a point of leaving the house, stepping away from the computer – which is easier said than done! – and being fully present with the kids.
A big part of why I’m building Lítill Lapsi is because I want more time with my family in the future. Right now, it means making sacrifices and working a lot of late nights, but I’m hopeful that by putting in the work now, I’m creating a future with more flexibility and more quality time with my kids as they grow up.
The drive: What challenges have you overcome?
The biggest challenge has been learning absolutely everything from scratch while juggling a full-time career, two young children and running a household.
I’ve had to figure out so much myself, from building a website and organising shipping to managing inventory, social media, wholesale and events. There have been printing issues, supplier delays, launch-day order surges and plenty of moments where I’ve had to learn on the fly.
But every challenge has taught me something, and I think that’s one of the biggest lessons of starting a business – you don’t need to know everything before you begin. You just have to be willing to keep learning.
Having the passion and purpose behind Lítill Lapsi certainly helps me keep going when I face these challenges.
For better or worse: What are the pros and cons of running your own business?
The biggest pro is seeing something you’ve built from the ground up make a genuine difference to other families. Hearing from parents who tell me their little one loves eating from our plates, or that mealtimes have become easier, is incredibly rewarding.
I also love the community we’ve built. Through Lítill Lapsi, I’ve made genuine connections with so many parents I would never have met otherwise, and their support has been incredible.
The biggest con is wanting the business to grow faster than time allows. Between a full-time job, two young children, running a household and building Lítill Lapsi, there simply aren’t enough hours in the day.
But I know why I’m doing it. I’m building something that solves a problem I experienced in my own home and is now helping other Kiwi families too. I hope that all the work I’m putting in now creates a future with more flexibility, more family time and something my children will one day be proud of.
Visit the Lítill Lapsi website to find out more and connect with them on Facebook and Instagram.
