Professionals Tamborine Mountain 
Mother of three Leisa Marshall was sick of having to travel off the mountain to find what she needed to support an eco-friendly lifestyle for her and her family. Her solution? Dandelions 3, an outlet where she can help others facing her struggles and help them leave them behind just as she did. She shares this story— and more— with us today.
by Kyle Hitchmough
How would you describe your business?
I like to think I’m a storefront for undiscovered local businesses. I’ve had the idea in my head for a long time, but I’m a local resident and I didn’t know where to go to get all of this product. So I thought I’d open my own store and put it all together, make it a destination store. I’m very passionate about Scenic Rim manufacturers. That’s my whole business model.
What was the original inspiration for you to open this store?
Just being a local resident, a local mum, I had nowhere to go to buy kids’ clothes and eco-friendly products that were local and safe for my children to use. They had skin conditions and I never knew where to start looking. That’s where the inspiration came from. I want people to walk in not just for the products but for the experience, to get the story behind my business. Even if they don’t buy anything, it doesn’t matter, as long as they know that I do exist and that I’ve got unique products that you can’t find anywhere else.
Do you have any particularly bestselling or popular items?
I’d say the Tamborine Mountain coffee, no-one else along Gallery Walk stocks it outside of the plantation, so people don’t have to go all the way to the other side of the mountain. We work well together.
Are there any particular trends in your clientele?
I get all walks of life coming through the door, from every age group. My target market is to get these unique products out there, and be sustainable while doing it. That’s the way the world’s going now. If you can start being eco-friendly with one thing, it’s like a domino effect, it keeps going.
As a local, what’s your opinion on the Tamborine Mountain area and community?
The schools are fantastic, we’re very lucky to have them here. It doesn’t matter what schools your kids go to on the mountain, it’s just a very community-minded, personal approach with the whole mountain. If you go to the other main street to have lunch, you call into shops and it’s very relaxed. Everyone has the same principles, it’s a small community.
What do you think Dandelions 3 really provides to the area?
Local product and showcasing local makers. There’s a little bit of everyone in here. I support all my suppliers that extra step by allowing them to do a pop-up store out the front on weekends if they want to get their brand out there even more. It’s good for me because it creates traffic. A big one is the septic-safe grey water-safe laundry powder. People don’t know where to begin when they want to go eco-friendly, they think it’s too hard. I like to think of this store as the first steps, with little things like beeswax food wraps which is very popular. I like to think there’s a bit in here for everyone.
What do you enjoy most about doing this?
Talking to people. Giving them my story. Sometimes I may get a little bit personal. I don’t get my bookwork done because I’m too busy talking! I want people to walk into my story and know a little bit about me so by the time they walk out, we know a little bit more about each other, and let people know the reason I opened the store. Most of the time I give them the story behind it and make a personal link. Local links and personal links are very important.
What’s been your most memorable moment working here?
My first time going into Christmas here, a couple of people said to me “Oh, I’m just buying Christmas presents for the sake of buying Christmas presents,” and I said “Let’s make it more personal for you and that person. I’ll gift-wrap it for you in eco-friendly product.” We were doing that over and over again with customers, and they found a more personal approach. It didn’t feel like a chore doing Christmas shopping. It was a more personal thing. People were happy when they walked out of the store, and I feel like they had a sense of relief that we could make it so easy for them. If we can make people’s lives easier by doing little things, or suggesting things, or stocking the wellbeing products and making people understand that it’s good for them to take some time out and treat themselves. The standout moments are when someone walks out of my store happy.
We are always looking for new topics for our blog. If there’s something you like to see more of, email your suggestions to: social@professionalsserendipity.com.au, or email the writer at kyle.hitchmough@hotmail.com.
