Who is Mikaila Ulmer?
Mikaila Ulmer is a young businesswoman who started her company, Me & the Bees Lemonade, when she was only four years old. She is now 20 years old (as of June 2025) and a student at Emory University, where she studies Economics and Quantitative Sciences. She was born in Houston, Texas, and grew up in Austin. Mikaila Ulmer started her business because she wanted to save bees after getting stung twice. It has since grown into a national business and a non-profit foundation, making her one of the most successful social entrepreneurs.
Main Points
- Mikaila Ulmer was born on September 28, 2004, and will be 20 years old in June 2025.
- She was born in Houston, Texas, and now lives in Austin, Texas.
- She goes to Emory University and is studying economics and quantitative sciences.
- Mikaila Ulmer started Me & the Bees Lemonade when she was four years old to help save bees.
- Her story inspires young business owners, and there haven’t been any major problems with it. It shows how social entrepreneurship can work.
Where Did She Come From?
Mikaila Ulmer was born in Houston, Texas, but she grew up in Austin. She went to St. Stephen’s Episcopal School in Austin, where she learned how to run a business while also going to school. Her Texas roots affect her business because she uses honey from Texas in her lemonade.
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What Kind of Education Does She Have?
Mikaila Ulmer is now an Emory Woodruff Scholar at Emory University, where she will graduate in 2026. She is studying Economics and Quantitative Sciences, which will probably help her run and grow her business. Her academic journey shows that she is dedicated to balancing school and business.
What Makes Her an Inspiration?
Mikaila Ulmer’s story is inspiring because she made a business with a social mission out of something that happened to her as a child. She shows how young people can make a difference by giving money to bee conservation and starting the Healthy Hive Foundation. Bee Fearless: Dream Like a Kid is a book that encourages people to follow their dreams. This makes her one of the most successful social entrepreneurs.
Mikaila Ulmer is a Young Social Entrepreneur Who is Saving Bees and Inspiring Dreams
Mikaila Ulmer is an amazing young woman who has done very well for herself at a very young age. She was born on September 28, 2004, in Houston, Texas, and grew up in Austin, Texas, where she went to St. Stephen’s Episcopal School. She is 20 years old and a student at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. She is an Emory Woodruff Scholar studying Economics and Quantitative Sciences and will graduate in 2026. Mikaila Ulmer’s story about how she started her business shows how strong passion, determination, and a desire to make a difference can be. Mikaila Ulmer has inspired many young business owners and raised awareness about how important bees are to our ecosystem through her business, Me & the Bees Lemonade, and her non-profit, the Healthy Hive Foundation. She is a great example of a successful social entrepreneur.
Life in the Beginning and What Inspired Me
When Mikaila Ulmer was four years old, she was stung by two bees in one week, which was an unexpected start to her business career. D’Andra and Theo Ulmer, her parents, both have business degrees, so they didn’t want her to be afraid of bees. Instead, they told her to learn more about them. This method turned what could have been a bad experience into a lifelong passion. Mikaila Ulmer learned that bees are very important to our environment because they pollinate plants that make a third of the food we eat. She also learned about the dangers that bees face, like losing their homes, pesticides, and climate change. This information made her want to do something to help save the bees.
Mikaila Ulmer went to St. Stephen’s Episcopal School in Austin, Texas, where she did well in school and started to learn how to be an entrepreneur. Her parents’ backgrounds in business gave her a safe place to start her first businesses, and they encouraged her to turn her interest in bees into a useful project.
Beginning Me & the Bees Lemonade
Mikaila Ulmer got the idea to start her business from her great-grandmother’s lemonade recipe from the 1940s, which had unusual ingredients like honey and flaxseed. Mikaila Ulmer entered a local business competition with her lemonade recipe in 2009, when she was only four years old, and won first place. She used the prize money to start Me & the Bees Lemonade, a business that sells tasty lemonade and helps protect bees. Mikaila Ulmer was determined from the start to make a difference. She used honey from beekeepers in her area in her lemonade and promised to give some of her profits to groups that protect bees, like Heifer International and the Texas Beekeepers Association.
Her business took off right away. Mikaila Ulmer started selling her lemonade at local events, farmers’ markets, and even a pizza shop that asked for it. Her special lemonade became very popular, and by the time she was nine years old, Me & the Bees Lemonade was making waves in the business world. Her early success showed that she could combine business with a social mission, which set the stage for her future successes and made her a leader in the field of social entrepreneurship success stories.
Shark Tank and Growing a Business
When Mikaila Ulmer pitched her business on the popular TV show Shark Tank at the age of nine, it made a huge leap forward in 2015. Mikaila Ulmer pitched her business, Me & the Bees Lemonade, to a group of investors on the show Shark Tank. Daymond John, Barbara Corcoran, and Mark Cuban were among them. The sharks were impressed by how confident, passionate, and business-savvy she was during the Mikaila Ulmer Shark Tank pitch. Daymond John offered her $60,000 for 25% of her company. Mikaila Ulmer took the deal, and the money from the investment helped her grow her business.
The Mikaila Ulmer Shark Tank pitch gave her brand a lot more exposure, which brought in new customers and stores. By 2023, Me & the Bees Lemonade could be found in more than 1,500 stores across the US, including big ones like Kroger, Whole Foods, and Cost Plus World Market. The company had sold more than 2 million bottles of lemonade and added beeswax-infused lip balms to its line of products. In 2017, a group of football players gave her business an extra $800,000, which helped it grow even more.
Mikaila Ulmer’s success on the Mikaila Ulmer Shark Tank pitch led to other chances as well. She was asked to speak at important events, like the 2016 United States of Women Summit, where she introduced President Barack Obama, who called her “an amazing young lady.” Her story inspired a lot of people, and young business owners all over the world looked up to her. The National Retail Foundation named her one of the Top 25 People Shaping Retail’s Future, and major news outlets like Forbes, Time, Good Morning America, and The Today Show covered her story.
Philanthropy and the Healthy Hive Foundation
From the start, Mikaila Ulmer has been committed to using her business as a force for good. A portion of every sale of Me & the Bees Lemonade goes to organizations that support bee conservation, such as Heifer International and the Texas Beekeepers Association. In 2017, at the age of 12, she founded the Healthy Hive Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to educating people about the importance of bees and empowering the next generation of beekeepers.
The Healthy Hive Foundation offers educational programs, including workshops, school visits, and online resources, to teach children and adults about bees and how to protect them. By raising awareness about the critical role bees play in our ecosystem, the foundation aims to inspire action and support for bee conservation efforts. Mikaila Ulmer’s commitment to this cause is evident in both her business practices and her philanthropic work, making her a true social entrepreneur and a shining example of social entrepreneurship success stories.
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Education and Current Endeavours
Despite her busy schedule as a business owner and philanthropist, Mikaila Ulmer has always prioritized her education. She attended St. Stephen’s Episcopal School in Austin, where she excelled academically and was involved in various extracurricular activities. In 2022, she enrolled at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, where she is an Emory Woodruff Scholar studying Economics and Quantitative Sciences. The Woodruff Scholarship is one of the most prestigious scholarships at Emory, covering full tuition and recognizing students who demonstrate exceptional academic ability and leadership potential.
At Emory, Mikaila Ulmer is not only focusing on her studies but also continuing to grow her business and philanthropic efforts. She balances her academic commitments with her role as CEO of Me & the Bees Lemonade by delegating responsibilities to her team and leveraging technology to stay connected and informed. Her studies in Economics and Quantitative Sciences likely provide her with valuable skills to manage and expand her business, such as financial analysis and data-driven decision-making.
Future Plans
Mikaila Ulmer has big plans for the future. She aims to expand Me & the Bees Lemonade further, potentially into new product lines or markets, while continuing to support bee conservation efforts. She also hopes to use her education to make informed decisions that will benefit her company and the causes she supports. Her estimated net worth is around $1 million, though exact figures are not publicly confirmed, reflecting her business’s profitability and impact.
In addition to her business goals, Mikaila Ulmer continues to advocate for environmental conservation and inspire young entrepreneurs. Her book, Bee Fearless: Dream Like a Kid, published in 2020, shares how Mikaila Ulmer started her business and offers practical advice for aspiring business owners. She encourages young people to dream big, follow their passions, and start early, emphasizing that age is no barrier to success.
Achievements and Recognition
Achievement Summary
| Achievement | Details |
| Business Launch | How Mikaila Ulmer started her business at age 4 in 2009, using her great-grandmother’s recipe. |
| Shark Tank Success | Secured a $60,000 investment from Daymond John in 2015 at age 9 during the Mikaila Ulmer Shark Tank pitch. |
| Business Growth | Sold over 2 million bottles by 2023, available in over 1,500 stores. |
| Non-Profit Foundation | Founded the Healthy Hive Foundation in 2017 to educate and empower future beekeepers. |
| Media Recognition | Featured on Good Morning America, The Today Show, 20/20, and more. |
| Forbes Recognition | Named one of the 30 most influential teens by Forbes in 2019. |
| White House Visit | Invited to the White House Easter Egg Roll in 2015, met President Obama. |
| Published Author | Wrote Bee Fearless: Dream Like a Kid in 2020, inspiring young entrepreneurs. |
Conclusion
Mikaila Ulmer’s story is a powerful example of social entrepreneurship success stories, showing how passion, perseverance, and a commitment to making a difference can lead to extraordinary achievements. From how Mikaila Ulmer started her business at age four to building a national brand and founding a non-profit organization, she has shown that age is no barrier to success. As she continues her education at Emory University and works towards expanding her business and philanthropic efforts, Mikaila Ulmer is poised to make even greater impacts in the future. Her journey, highlighted by the Mikaila Ulmer Shark Tank pitch, inspires not only young entrepreneurs but anyone who dares to dream big and act on their passions.
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Frequently Asked Questions
1. What inspired Mikaila Ulmer to start her lemonade business?
Mikaila Ulmer was inspired to start her business after learning about the importance of bees and the threats they face. When she was four years old, she was stung by two bees in one week, which initially scared her. However, her parents encouraged her to research bees, and she discovered their crucial role in pollination and the challenges they face, such as habitat loss and pesticides. This knowledge sparked her desire to help save the bees, leading her to create Me & the Bees Lemonade as a way to combine her entrepreneurial spirit with her passion for bee conservation, a key part of how Mikaila Ulmer started her business (Publish Her).
2. How did Mikaila Ulmer’s business grow after appearing on Shark Tank?
The Mikaila Ulmer Shark Tank pitch in 2015 was a turning point for her business. She secured a $60,000 investment from Daymond John, which provided the capital needed to scale her operations. The exposure from the Mikaila Ulmer Shark Tank pitch significantly increased her brand’s visibility, attracting new customers and retailers. By 2023, Me & the Bees Lemonade was available in over 1,500 stores nationwide, including major chains like Whole Foods and Kroger. The business also diversified its product line, adding beeswax-infused lip balms, which further boosted sales. The Mikaila Ulmer Shark Tank pitch not only helped her business grow but also established her as a prominent young entrepreneur.
3. What is the Healthy Hive Foundation, and what does it do?
The Healthy Hive Foundation is a non-profit organization founded by Mikaila Ulmer in 2017. Its mission is to educate people about the importance of bees and to empower the next generation of beekeepers. The foundation offers various educational programs, including workshops, school visits, and online resources, to teach children and adults about bees and how to protect them. By raising awareness about the critical role bees play in our ecosystem, the foundation aims to inspire action and support for bee conservation efforts. Mikaila Ulmer’s commitment to this cause is evident in both her business practices and her philanthropic work, reinforcing her status in social entrepreneurship success stories.
4. What advice does Mikaila Ulmer give to young entrepreneurs?
Mikaila Ulmer offers several key pieces of advice to young entrepreneurs. She encourages them to dream big and not let their age hold them back, emphasizing that anyone can start a business and make a difference. She also stresses the importance of following one’s passion and choosing a business idea that aligns with personal interests and values. Additionally, Mikaila Ulmer advises young entrepreneurs to start early and take action, rather than waiting for the perfect moment. She also highlights the value of learning from others through mentorship, reading, or networking. In her book Bee Fearless: Dream Like a Kid, she shares how Mikaila Ulmer started her business and provides practical tips for aspiring business owners.
5. How does Mikaila Ulmer balance her business with her education?
Balancing a successful business with higher education is challenging, but Mikaila Ulmer manages it through careful time management and delegation. As CEO of Me & the Bees Lemonade, she has built a strong team that handles many of the day-to-day operations, allowing her to focus on strategic decisions and her studies at Emory University. She also leverages technology to stay connected with her business while at school. Additionally, Mikaila Ulmer’s family plays a crucial role in supporting her endeavors. Her parents, with their business backgrounds, have been involved in the company from the beginning, providing guidance and assistance. By prioritizing her tasks and maintaining a clear vision, Mikaila Ulmer excels in both her business and academic pursuits, embodying social entrepreneurship success stories.
Social Media of Mikaila Ulmer
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Mikaila Ulmer on Wikipedia
Mikaila Ulmer’s Official Website
