We’re looking forward to introducing you to Tamara Norris. Check out our conversation below.
Good morning Tamara, we’re so happy to have you here with us and we’d love to explore your story and how you think about life and legacy and so much more. So let’s start with a question we often ask: What makes you lose track of time—and find yourself again?
Nature. Being in nature. We would all be better off if we spent less time on our phones and more time sitting under a tree!
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Quandary Lake Mushrooms provides the freshest gourmet mushrooms and mushroom products to local tables. We encourage people to take their cuisine to the next level – to ‘Gourmet Everyday!’. Our mushrooms are delicious, nutritious superfoods you can’t find in just any grocery store. Guided by our passions for great food, a healthy environment, and strong communities, we established Quandary Lake Mushrooms in Swepsonville, North Carolina (in Alamance County). We are proud to be a women-and-minority-family owned business.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What was your earliest memory of feeling powerful?
When I was 4 my dad gave me a dollar bill to count to 100. I bought a troll doll with purple hair. My dad was always my champion and made me feel powerful as a girl.
What have been the defining wounds of your life—and how have you healed them?
My younger brother by 11 months was killed in a work accident when I was 24. I was in a complete daze for about six months when I felt life asking me, “so what are you going to do with your one life?”. Within a few months I moved from Seattle to New York City to get masters degrees in social work and public administration at Columbia University. I pursued my purpose and my life took a new trajectory.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
I am incredibly fortunate to have a group of very close friends whom I worked with for many years. As social work educators, our work was hard but important. They know how committed I am to making the world a better place in my small way (growing mushrooms for my community is one way!), and also to being the best parent I can be. I have two young adult sons and I’ve learned there is no job harder, and more important, than growing your children.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. When do you feel most at peace?
Hiking in the Cascade Mountains in Washington state, where I grew up. Preferably alone or with a friend or family member. In silence. Nothing compares to the exhilaration of powering up a mountain side in the Douglas Firs, listening to marmots chattering, and reaching an alpine lake to find you’re the only ones there. That is peace on earth.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://quandarylakemushrooms.com
