Every Business Has a Beginning — What’s Yours?
Back in 2023 Merry People supplied Mums of the Hills volunteers with boots while we redesigned the entrance garden for the MotHs Hub as part of the Chanel 9 TV show The Garden Hustle.
Every business begins somewhere—with a need, an idea, or a moment of frustration that becomes something more.
For Danielle Pearce, it began with wet socks.
Back in 2014, she was working a corporate job in Melbourne, commuting in and out of the city while battling through soggy weather with no decent footwear. Gumboots were clunky and unfashionable. City shoes weren’t built for muddy streets and sudden downpours.
So she did what so many women do when they spot a problem no one else seems to care about—she fixed it herself.
Danielle started Merry People with a vision: to create stylish, comfortable, durable gumboots that could hold their own from the farm to the footpath. She left her job, invested her savings, and set out to design a better boot—traveling to manufacturers, selling at local markets, and gradually building a brand that people not only loved but believed in.
And here’s where Danielle’s story meets ours.
In 2023, while we were redesigning the garden at the MotHs Hub for Channel 9’s The Garden Hustle, Merry People literally stepped in. They donated boots for our hardworking volunteers—mostly mums, digging and planting and creating a community space from the ground up. Their boots helped keep feet dry, spirits high, and backs a little less sore.
They understood what we were doing because they’d been there. They’d started something small and poured their heart into it.
Now we want to hear from you.
Introducing: MotHs Business Origin Stories
At Mums of the Hills, we believe the best way to strengthen community is to share it—stories, successes, setbacks and all. That’s why we’re inviting all of the businesses in our directory to share their origin story with us.
You might not have flown overseas to source rubber. Maybe your story started at a kitchen bench at midnight, or after a big life change, or with a chat in a park. Maybe it started because someone told you you couldn’t—and you did anyway.
Whether you’re a side hustle, a legacy business, a bold new startup or something in between—we want to know:
What was the moment that started it all?
What pushed you to take the leap?
What did the early days look like?
Who supported you (or didn’t)?
What are you most proud of now?
Ready to tell it?
👉 Fill out the form here: https://www.mumsofthehills.com.au/origin-stories
We’ll be featuring your stories across our website, social media, and newsletters—shining a light on the incredible people behind our local economy. Because we don’t just want to support local—we want to know the why behind it.
If you're listed in our Business Directory, this is your moment.
And if you’re not yet, now’s the time to join us.
Let’s fill this hills community with the stories that started with a spark—and grew into something real.
We can’t wait to read yours.
With heart,
The Mums of the Hills Team