Conversations with the Inspiring Amanda Mellon

Today we’d like to introduce you to Amanda Mellon.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Amanda. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I dreamed of owning a boutique like mine from the time I was a teenager. I would go to antique shops with my husband Todd (before he was my husband), and would just dream of curating a beautiful shop with pieces old and new. I kept that dream tucked away in my heart for safe keeping for when the season was right.

I grew up learning how to sew and craft and create from my mother. She also taught me that we could make something beautiful with whatever was in our hand, even if it wasn’t much. She helped me discover the importance of gathering people and showing love to them through food or a glass of sweet tea, or a meal around our well-worn table… these early influences definitely impacted my desires in crafting my Dandy dream. The name of our shop, Dandy, also has a special place in my heart. My 97-year-old grandfather used to call me that when I was l was growing up.

Even though I spent years waiting for the right time to launch Dandy, the three years leading up to our grand opening were spent in serious planning mode. I used that time to really focus on developing ideas and exploring the possibilities when it came time to crafting the brand I was wanting to achieve. I researched, made vision boards, collected resources, built relationships with vendors, and designed to the last detail how I wanted the shop to look, how I wanted it to sound and smell, and how I wanted people to feel when they walked through our doors.

Even though planning was fun, Todd was instrumental in giving me the courage to pull the trigger and set a launch date, so we set the date for September 1, 2017. He runs the business side of our family farm and is comfortable with the daily operations involved in running a business. I, on the other hand, was terrified of this piece. Designing, building a brand, curating product, merchandising, staffing and so many other elements of the business were right in my wheelhouse, but I definitely needed the push from Todd to actually help me set up the business structure and logistics.

Our friends, Jake & Laura Dunn, convinced us to open our shop in the 2500 square foot old motorcycle showroom of a building they had just purchased, and we began renovations. We transformed a dingy, old motorcycle shop into a warm, farmhouse boutique, complete with shiplap walls, new lighting, wood floors, and a 16-ft-long sales counter that my uncle wrapped in beautiful wood detail.

Our community has embraced our little shop, and we have absolutely loved serving them, thus far. In addition to selling farmhouse-inspired home decor and gift items, we host gatherings and dinners, workshops, private parties, and many special events. We recently launched an online store as well, and are just beginning to get our feet wet in this new branch of the shop.

The definition of dandy is: “An excellent thing of its kind.” We strive to be that in the services we provide, the products that we curate, how we inspire others, but most importantly, how we treat people. Everyone should walk out of Dandy feeling better than when they came. This whole dream-come-true thing really is “fine and dandy!”

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I really believe that our path has been relatively smooth, and I accredit that to the months and years of prep-work and planning. There really is truth to the old adage, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” I knew there would be lots to learn along the way (and there has been!), but I wanted to be very comfortable with the vision and brand before we ever shared it with people. That would be a good recommendation to someone starting out. I would also suggest gathering a strong team around you to help you in the areas you’re not naturally strong in. When we were getting ready to launch, we had friends and family come out of the woodwork to help. Cast a vision and include other people in the process, it will be a blessing to you and to them.

I am constantly in a state of learning this business, and as soon as I begin to get familiar with it, it’s already time to raise the bar! I’m getting used to swimming in the deep end, and it’s not that scary anymore. There will be times that I make mistakes, or have a bad day, or have to learn the hard way in different situations. There are other times that I can foresee an area of growth that needs to happen before it becomes an issue. There’s grace in all of it… grace to adjust, change, and grow.

What should we know about Dandy Home and Ranch? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Dandy really is a fun place to be! We always joke that we are so fortunate that 99 % of all the people who walk through our doors are genuinely happy to be there! So, I feel like that naturally sets us apart… but it’s intentional. We want people to want to hang out with us. That is why we thoughtfully curate spaces and gifts, filling the shop with inspiration for home design and decor, as well as for creative gift-giving. We play a very specific playlist of music, which is always a mix of 40’s jazz or big band, and the appeal is to every age. We have signature pot pouring that we carry in bulk, which people can bag up themselves… and the scent just permeates the shop with orange blossom and apple jack. We have people tell us all the time that they want their homes to look like, sound like and smell like Dandy! What an honor!

I love the shopping piece. I love to shop for new items, but my heart really is in picking the old! I travel far to pick for days out in fields or in sheds, looking for perfectly chippy and rusty furniture and home decor that tells a story. I am happiest covered in dirt and rust and falling into bed completely exhausted after a long day of “junking.” We load up our livestock trailer and haul it home to mix in with all the shiny new… and the combination is just magic!

I love to think ahead to different holidays and consider thoughtful gift options and pairings that people might not have thought of on their own. I love displaying things in a way that makes it easy for people to visualize and duplicate. I also enjoy creating tablescapes for people, and we have many repeat customers who bring back the original vessels or containers they purchased in the shop for us to fill with fresh items for a new season. We are also becoming known for our locally branded items. We created product lines for Yuma and for Arizona to help foster the pride of being from our gorgeous state and special city.

My husband and I are leadership geeks and love to read books and listen to podcasts on leadership and excellence. We really do try to “major on the minors” when it comes to excellence and details. We don’t always get it right, but we try to notice the little things that make the difference in our customers’ experience. We want to make life lighter and easier for them, so are always looking for different ways of doing that.

Lastly, I am only as successful as my team, and I have to say that I have THE most amazing one! I have added to it over the past year, and have managed to attract employees who are passionate about people, the products and services we offer, and the atmosphere that we set, and I couldn’t be more grateful.

What do you feel are the biggest barriers today to female leadership, in your industry or generally?
I truly have not felt any external barriers personally while being on this journey as a female entrepreneur, just for the sake of being a woman. Maybe I’m naive, but I really feel that men and women alike have treated me with respect and with kindness. That is not to say that I haven’t experienced roadblocks, but most of those have been in my own head (Do I have what it takes to do this? Is anyone even going to want to come? Am I doing a good enough job? Am I able to still be the wife and mother and daughter and friend that I want to be while devoting a huge chunk of my life to this? etc., etc.).

I think we all can suffer from imposter syndrome, or from moments of doubt, but those are just phantoms, and I choose to not let them take residence in my heart.

Women are full of creativity, the ability to make something out of nothing, the ability to nurture and love people, time management skills, planning abilities… we wear many hats. We should not ever be afraid of any barrier life throws our way. We are overcomers and dreamers and doers… and we can and should lead, and lead well.

Contact Info:

• Address: Dandy Home and Ranch
  2500 E. 16th St. Suite C
  Yuma, AZ 85365
• Website: Www.dandyhomeandranch.com
• Phone: 928-302-2120
• Email: sales@dandyhomeandranch.com
• Instagram: Instagram.com/dandyhomeandranch
• Facebook: Facebook.com/dandyhomeandranch

Image Credit:
Tammy Porter: The Porter’s Wife Photography

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