What started as a painful childhood memory turned into a teachable moment for Mikaila Ulmer – and now she’s helping educate the world!
Mikaila was just 4 years old when she was stung by a bee two times in one week. She was upset and scared, so her mother explained that bees are beneficial to the world around us. In fact, bees are vital to human survival, and they’re becoming more endangered with every passing year.
The news hit Mikaila hard, and she instantly changed her opinion about bees. When she received a gift of a battered cookbook that had once belonged to her great-grandmother, she found a flaxseed lemonade recipe from the 1940s that she couldn’t wait to try out. She decided to put her own twist on the beverage by using natural honey as a sweetener to cut down on sugar.
Her first lemonade stand was right outside her house, and the tasty treat was a huge hit! With help from her mother, D’Andra Ulmer, Mikaila created her very own brand when she was just 11 years old: Me & The Bees Lemonade.
Over the years, Mikaila’s business has grown a lot. As the CEO of her own company, she’s become an entrepreneur, public speaker, and philanthropist who is intent on spreading the word about the importance of bees. In 2015, the company received a Local Producer Loan from Whole Foods Market for $10,000.
In 2021, she appeared on ABC’s “Shark Tank,” where she netted an investment of $60,000 and secured a deal to get her lemonade sold in 55 Whole Foods across the nation. Today, Mikaila’s Me & The Bees company is pulling in 7-figures annually!
Not only has the business taken off, but Mikaila’s message about the bees is helping to support beekeepers around the world. She also donates a portion of profits to local and international organizations whose mission is to save honeybees from extinction. Naturally, her family couldn’t be prouder of all she’s accomplished at such a young age.
“I think she is a pretty hard worker,” said Mikaila’s mother, D’Andra. “I’m impressed with how she gets her homework done during her travels. She has a gift for public speaking but what makes me very proud is that she is not only a smart entrepreneur but she’s a good person and she’s kind to people. That’s more important than business.”
What an incredible journey! It’s hard to believe that a simple bee sting could lead to such a major impact on the world. Well done, Mikaila!
Share Mikaila’s story to help raise awareness of the importance of bees – and her tasty lemonade!
Want to be happier in just 5 minutes a day? Sign up for Morning Smile and join over 455,000+ people who start each day with good news.