Meet Mikaila Ulmer, the owner of the lucrative lemonade business that everyone seems to be talking about.
The Texas native made her own brand of lemonade in 2016. The things that came together for Mikaila changed her family’s lives forever, even though the book was falling apart.
The young woman found a 1940s recipe for making lemonade with flaxseed as one of the main ingredients, per The New York Post. For many teens, she began with a lemonade stand outside her house, and the rest is history.
Based on what Ulmer’s team says, Whole Foods Market gave her company a $10,000 Local Producer Loan back in 2015. She has used the money to grow and expand her business since then, and it just recently reached seven figures in sales.
Me & the Bees Lemonade is an inspiring business with an even more inspiring backstory The company was started by Mikaila Ulmer when she was just 4 years old, and has blossomed into a multi-million dollar company with a mission to save the bees Let’s take a look at how a kid’s lemonade stand grew into a successful business empire, and founder Mikaila Ulmer’s impressive net worth.
Mikaila’s Humble Beginnings
When Mikaila Ulmer was just 4 years old, she got stung by a bee twice in one week. She became terrified of bees and didn’t want to go outside anymore. But with encouragement from her parents, she decided to learn more about bees instead of being afraid.
Mikaila educated herself at the library, reading every book she could find about bees. She learned they were important pollinators and their populations were declining at an alarming rate. She became fascinated and wanted to help save the bees.
Around the same time, Mikaila’s great grandmother Helen sent her an old cookbook with a flaxseed lemonade recipe. Mikaila had the idea to start a lemonade stand using honey instead of sugar to help promote awareness and save bees. That’s how Me & the Bees Lemonade was born in 2009.
Mikaila’s Early Success
The business started as a simple lemonade stand in front of Mikaila’s house in Austin, Texas. The lemonade quickly became popular, and a local pizza shop started ordering it. Mikaila began bottling her lemonades and supplied them in different flavors like prickly pear, ginger, and lavender.
In 2015 at age 9, Mikaila landed a deal on Shark Tank, receiving a $60,000 investment from FUBU CEO Daymond John. This propelled her business to new heights. That same year, she got to meet President Obama at the White House.
By 2017 at age 13, Me & the Bees Lemonade was being sold in 500 stores nationwide and producing 500,000 bottles annually. Mikaila’s inspirational story also led to a $800,000 investment from a group of football players that year.
Rapid Growth and Impact
Today at age 18, Mikaila’s products are available in over 1,500 grocery stores across all 50 states including Whole Foods, Kroger, Costco and Target. Total sales to date have surpassed $10 million.
The company donates a portion of profits to organizations working to save the bees, and has contributed over $250,000 so far. Mikaila also speaks globally about social entrepreneurship and teaches youth how to start their own businesses.
She’s authored a book, received numerous awards and accolades, and continues to run Me & the Bees while attending college at Emory University. Mikaila’s incredible drive, vision and heart are an inspiration.
Mikaila Ulmer’s Impressive Net Worth
So what is Mikaila Ulmer’s net worth after growing a multi-million dollar business from age 4? While her exact net worth is unknown, estimates put it between $1-5 million.
At just age 18, Mikaila has already achieved financial success that takes most people a lifetime to attain. But she remains humble and focused on her mission of saving bees and empowering youth.
Mikaila still owns over 75% of Me & the Bees Lemonade. With sales continuing to expand year after year, her net worth has enormous growth potential as she enters adulthood.
Key Takeaways
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Mikaila Ulmer started Me & the Bees at age 4 after learning about declining bee populations.
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Her lemonade business grew from a stand in front of her house to over 1,500 stores nationwide.
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Total sales to date have surpassed $10 million, with 10% of profits donated to help bees.
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Mikaila’s estimated net worth is $1-5 million at just age 18, with huge future earning potential.
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She’s inspiring the next generation of socially-conscious entrepreneurs.
Mikaila Ulmer’s journey proves you don’t need money or business degrees to make an impact. With creativity, passion and drive, she turned a childhood hobby into a company making a real difference in the world. Her net worth at such a young age is just one metric of her impressive achievements so far.
Making it Her Own
While Mikaila used the recipe book from her great grandmother for inspiration, she put her own spin on the concoction through the use of honey. She was moved to check out the benefits of the sweet substance produced by bees after she was stung twice and left horrified by the experiences. In fact, Thrillist reports “she was inspired to create BeeSweet lemonade after being stung by a bee when she was 4.”
“I added honey from bees instead of just sugar to her favorite lemonade to make it more interesting,” reads the Me “That’s how Be Sweet Lemonade was born. ”.
She did more research and found out what would happen to the world if bees went extinct, not just the bee community.
Many people enjoy Mikaila’s lemonade because it is cool and refreshing, but she also uses it as a way to raise awareness about the need to protect bees.
Mikaila started her lemonade stand when she was four years old. It has now set her up for wealth, ownership, and more.
Editorial Note: This piece has been edited for clarity.
Jennifer Shanique Liz Yates is a journalist and content creator from Atlanta who loves telling stories about business, culture, entertainment, and news. Her work can be found across platforms like aspireTV, REVOLT, BAUCE, and more!.
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FAQ
Are me and the bees still in business?
Who is the CEO of Me and the Bees?
How much money does Mikaila Ulmer make?
What happened to bee Sweet lemonade after Shark Tank?
What happened to me & the Bees?
After its initial success, Me & the Bees — then known as BeeSweet — landed a deal with Whole Foods to sell the lemonade in some regional stores. Shortly after, while receiving an award at South by Southwest, Ulmer announced an expanded distribution deal through United Natural Foods — worth $11 million!
Does me & the bees sell lemonade?
Now, there is a marketing and sales team. Me and the Bees has sold 2 million bottles of lemonade, and the company continued to soar well into 2023. Today, the business is in nearly 6,000 spots in 40 states, including Publix, Target, and H-E-B, in addition to Costco and Kroger.
How much money did beesweet get from FUBU?
She was on ABC’s “Shark Tank” at the age of nine — and received $60,000 from FUBU CEO Daymond John. After its initial success, Me & the Bees — then known as BeeSweet — landed a deal with Whole Foods to sell the lemonade in some regional stores.
Why did Mikaila change ‘be sweet lemonade’ to ‘me & the Bees’?
“Be Sweet Lemonade” was a fun play on words. But Mikaila soon changed it to Me & the Bees Lemonade because of copyright issues. While the secret to its sweetness is honey, the rest of her proprietary blend is a well-kept secret. Most lemonade stands only last for a single hot summer afternoon.