Mikaila Ulmer: Turning a Bee Sting into a Business

In 2016, at the age of 15, while preparing for a local children’s business fair, Mikaila Ulmer was stung by two bees. Most kids would have been scared, but for her, this moment became a turning point. After learning how important bees were to the environment and that they were dying at a rapid rate, she wanted to help them. Around the same time, her grandmother sent her an old family cookbook that included a recipe for flaxseed lemonade. Combining the two ideas, Mikaila decided to sweeten her lemonade with honey instead of sugar and called it Me & the Bees Lemonade.

She started slowly, first selling her lemonade at youth entrepreneurship events and local farmers markets in Austin, Texas. She said in an interview that her biggest challenge early on was keeping up with school while managing her growing business. She also admitted that her parents were a big help, especially her dad, who taught her about business and helped her handle the early logistics. Her mom helped her design the brand and promote it on social media.

Shortly after starting her company, Mikaila appeared on the TV show Shark Tank, where she received a $60,000 investment from Daymond John. That opportunity helped her grow the business into stores like Whole Foods and other major retailers across the U.S. She also created a nonprofit called the Healthy Hive Foundation to support bee conservation and research.

Now, Me & the Bees Lemonade brings in millions in revenue each year and is sold in over 1,500 stores nationwide. Despite her success, Mikaila has said she plans to expand her company into new beverage flavors and eco-friendly products. What stands out about her story is her passion to keep learning and her commitment to helping the environment. Like Rachel Zeitz, she wasn’t satisfied with stopping at one success—she continues to dream bigger and make a positive impact.