Mikaila Ulmer

One inspirational young entrepreneur that has made a difference in the lemonade industry is Mikaila Ulmer out of Austin, Texas. Mikaila was born in 2004 and is the founder of Me and the Bees Lemonade.

How this journey started and what gave her the idea for her business was her fear and reaction toward bees. When she was just 4 years old, she was always afraid of bees and reacted extremely whenever being stung. Because of this, Mikaila’s parents requested she do some research on bees so she could understand them and their purpose. In doing this, Mikaila discovered how valuable bees are in pollination but the creatures are dying rapidly. After discovering this, she wanted to create a product to support and save the bees. Mikaila does this by donating a portion of her profits to protect the bees.

The solution to this problem came with great timing, Mikaila discovered her Grandmother’s lemonade recipe from the 1940’s that is made with honey from bees rather than common lemonade made with corn syrup or sugar. After this discovery, Mikaila took action and she started small with local stores and businesses selling her bottled, honey-based lemonade. But soon after this at the age of just 10, her product caught major traction to the point of appearing on SharkTank and receiving a $60,000 investment.

Mikaila shows what it means for an entrepreneur to take action on a problem that is personal and find a solution to turn a profit. She displays true character and belief in her business, not focusing just on making money, while also showing a genuine care for the creatures. Mikaila has an ambitious spirit that has led to great success, and at 21 years old, is continuing to run her thriving business.

https://beecityusa.org/a-mighty-girl-10-year-old-mikaila-ulmer

https://www.meandthebees.com