At the point when most 15-year-olds are out at the motion pictures, playing computer games, or tuning in to music, Mikaila Ulmer of Austin is zeroing in on building her empire.
Mikaila is the CEO of Me and the Bees Lemonade, a business she began at age 4 after her family urged her to enter a local youth business competition. While she was contemplating what sort of business to dispatch, she got stung by a honeybee — twice. From the start, she was terrified, but later her fear went to interest when Mikaila found out about the imperative job honeybees play in the environment.
That is the point at which she chose to accomplish something that would help save honey bees: Sell lemonade sweetened with local nectar and give a portion of the donation from the deals to nearby and global associations battling to save honey bees. Her unique formula for Flaxseed Lemonade originated from her incredible grandma, Helen.
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“Being my own boss and being able to make my own money was important to me. I realized how fun it was to sit behind the stand and run it. That is why I decided to keep going on.”
In 2015 Mikaila presented her lemonade on the series of “Shark Tank” and handled a $60,000 investment from Daymond John. She has likewise settled herself as a voice of guidance for other people, talking at enterprising culminations and in any event, presenting previous U.S. president Barack Obama at The United States of Women Summit.
Future Plans
Today Me and the Bees are currently in excess of 1,500 stores from one side of the country to the other, including Whole Foods, Wegmans, and The Fresh Market, alongside a developing number of cafés, food trailers, and common food conveyance organizations. Soon Mikaila says she has plans to report two new associations with significant merchants. Me and the Bees has likewise extended its product offering to incorporate lip balms produced using honeybee’s wax.
Past the buzz
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Mikaila says she presently has objectives past Me and the Bees. “One of the hardest parts of growing was finding funding. I want to make that path easier for minority-run companies who have great ideas.”
As per research from American Express, people of color are beginning organizations quicker than some other racial groups. Since 2007, the quantity of firms claimed by African American ladies has developed by 164%. Notwithstanding the hustle, minority ladies are being closed out with regard to admittance to capital.
Men get an unbalanced portion of investment funding, with just 2% of capital going to the U.S.- based female-only founder groups, as per PitchBook. Of that 2%, just a part goes to women of color.
This youthful female business visionary additionally accepts that advanced organizations need to have a social mission: “I think it critical the companies have a social purpose. This generation is more likely to buy from a company that does good in the world. It is not just a company it is a movement”
Her best advice to anybody considering starting their own business. “Dream like a kid. The reason why kids are so fearless. A kid will do whatever needs to be done to achieve their dream.”
Opinions expressed by AsianBlurb contributors are their own.
Maham Qasim is an English Literature and Economics student at Forman Christian College University with an interest in writing. Maham was born in Pakistan and raised in Saudi Arabia and is now pursuing her education.
