SmartCompany Holiday Gift Guide 2024: Eloise Keating recommends Merry People

The best business ideas are ones that solve a problem, and that’s exactly what Danielle Pearce set out to do when she created the first Merry People gumboots.

Merry People was “born out of a practical frustration” in 2014 when Pearce couldn’t find reliable and high-quality boots that could withstand Melbourne’s unpredictable weather and still be suitable for the office.

So she made her own, and 10 years later, her business has built a loyal following in the local footwear industry via its e-commerce store and the 70, mostly independent, stockists that sell its brightly colored and fashionable gumboots.

I’m proud to say that I am part of that loyal following, having purchased my pair of Merry People boots after my mum and aunties bought theirs.

I wear my Merry People boots everywhere, from work to bushwalking with my family. They are warm, indescribably comfortable, waterproof, and made from vegan, natural products.

I’ll tell anyone who will listen how much I love my green Bobbi boots (which are the perfect shoe to wear when commuting into the SmartCompany office in the middle of winter) but I’m also a big fan of the way Pearce runs her business.

Pearce made the decision early on that Merry People would never discount its boots, to help build transparency with both customers and stockists.

Merry People also regularly collaborates with other brands and is working closely with Bridge It to help tackle homelessness among young women.

As Pearce told me in August, it’s possible to create commercial value for your brand while “also making the world a better place”.

And if these weren’t reasons enough to buy from Merry People, the brand has just released its very first range of sandals with its signature waterproof comfyness.

I’m hoping there’s a pair of Merry People Lachie sandals under the Christmas tree for me this year. In green, of course.

Find out more about Merry People here.

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