Meet Mikaila Ulmer, bee advocate and teenage CEO

 

Her advice to anyone trying to start a business is simple: Be fearless. Believe in the impossible. And dream like a kid. At 15, Mikaila Ulmer is sharing her wisdom and taking on a global challenge: saving the world’s threatened honey bee population.

Saving the bees, one sip at a time

Teenage CEO and bee ambassador Mikaila Ulmer, of Me & the Bees Lemonade, is causing quite a buzz. She’s been featured on Good Morning America, NBC News, and in Forbes and Time magazines for her entrepreneurial success; inked a national distribution deal with Whole Foods; and been invited to the White House—twice. What Mikaila does is more than a full-time executive job: it’s her personal mission to fight the threats facing the world’s critically important honey bee population.

Mikaila’s recipe for success is all in the family. Her great-grandmother Helen’s flaxseed lemonade recipe is the base for each bottle of her fresh-squeezed lemonade, and she attributes much of her success to the support and contributions of her family (AKA her hive). Her mom D’Andra, dad Theo, and brother Jacob all play their part in developing the Me & the Bees brand.

Teenage CEO

Empowering the next generation of CEOs

To offer more of a glimpse into her bee-saving, lemonade-making, business-running world, Mikaila created her very own Bee-to-Z guide for young entrepreneurs. Aimed at future Gen-Z CEOs and their parents, it talks business, inspiration, and tips for finding the right technology to make big ideas happen.

Mikaila’s Bee-to-Z Business Guide

“When I was 4 years old, I became a kidpreneur and [teenage CEO] by creating a lemonade stand. Today, it’s turned into a nationwide business, a movement to save the bees, and a way to inspire both kids and adults to go big, follow their dreams, and make a difference along the way.” – Mikaila Ulmer, CEO of Me & the Bees Lemonade

CEO Mikaila Ulmer in Bee suit collecting honey

It’s really important to have people who support you, because you’re able to do so much more. It does take a community for your dreams to come true.

Mikaila Ulmer

“You never want to get in the way of her growth. She can dream beyond your ability to execute. And that’s when you realize, ‘I’m going to have [to get] a few good partners to be able to handle this girl’s dream.’ And not just handle it, but execute it, innovate it, take it to the next level.” – D’Andra Ulmer

“My generation—we’re the future,” Mikaila says. “When we grow up, we’re going to be the people who are the presidents and the leaders of the world. […]  If we start at a young age making a difference, donating back, giving back, when we grow up we can do that on a larger scale.”

By using technology, dedication, and the kind of dream-big ideas only a kid could have, along with the support of her family, Mikaila is proof that—just like the bees—you’re never too small to make a difference.

 

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