When Mikaila Ulmer was just four years old, she was stung by two bees in the same week. Her parents encouraged her to do some research on the bees rather than being upset with them. Upon discovering the important role that bees play in our ecosystem, Mikaila was determined to help them. Using her Great Granny Helen’s flaxseed honey lemonade recipe, Mikaila launched her business from her home in Austin, Texas in 2009. Landing a deal with Daymond John on the show Shark Tank was just the beginning of Me & the Bees’ many business successes.
Today, the award-winning lemonade is buzzing off the shelves of Whole Foods Markets, Wegmans, and natural and organic food stores across the country. At just 13 years old, Mikaila has shared her story with Good Morning America, NBC News, The Real, Forbes, and TIME among others, and has been invited to speak on social entrepreneurship at prestigious gatherings including the White House United State of Women Summit, where she introduced President Barack Obama, Microsoft We Day, alongside Satya Nadella, and the Dell Women’s Entrepreneur Network Summit in South Africa.
Mikaila’s first book, Bee Fearless, Dream Like a Kid, launches in August 2020. Published by Penguin Random House, it is about her adventures in being a social entrepreneur and heading up a purpose-based brand aimed at offering premium, all-natural lemonades in a way that helps save the bees.
