As a little girls and boys I know we all either had or thought about creating a lemonade stand. Our parents
would either provide us with lemons and our first dollar to start. We would get coins here and there but never in a million years would we think about having our lemonade sold on the shelves of a grocery store. Unlike many child lemonade start-ups, Mikaila Ulmer landed a $60,000 investment on ABC’s Shark Tank for her BeeSweet Lemonade, which will be in 55 Whole Foods shelves across Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana and Oklahoma.
How did this 11 year-old create this outstanding lemonade?! Well this Austin, Texas sixth grader’s idea for the lemonade was brought upon by her parents. At the tender age of four, they encouraged her to make a product for children’s business competition and Austin’s Lemonade Day. During this time a bee had stung her two times her great grandmother just happened to send her a 1940’s cookbook, which included a recipe for special flaxseed lemonade. Although Mikaila was afraid of bees, they quickly fascinated her. She began learning about what they do for her and the ecosystem. She decided to combine honey with her great grandmothers flaxseed lemonade recipe and thus BeeSweet Lemonade was born.
She is not only a young, successful entrepreneur, but a bee advocate as well. She donates a percentage of her profits to local and international organizations that fight to save honeybees. When she’s not behind the lemonade stand, you can find her at workshops spitting knowledge on how to save honeybees and putting her skills to use at social entrepreneurship panels.
Our young queens are out here getting things done. I am overly exuberant and proud. She is such a great representation and role model to other young girls of color.
Anything is possible with the right push, motivation and most importantly, support.
