Bee Fearless: Dream Like a Kid

by Mikaila Ulmer

Overview

A middle grade memoir from fifteen year-old lemonade entrepreneur and one of TIME Magazine's Top 30 Most Influential Teens, Mikaila Ulmer, and her advice for life and business.

When Mikaila Ulmer was four, she was stung by a bee—twice in one week. She was terrified of going outside, so her parents encouraged her to learn more about bees so she wouldn't be afraid. It worked. Mikaila didn't just learn what an important role bees play in our ecosystem, but she also learned bees are endangered, and set out to save them. She started by selling cups of lemonade in front of her house and donating the small proceeds to organizations dedicated to bee conservation. When she realized the more lemonade she sold, the more bees she could help, Me & the Bees Lemonade was born. Now she sells her lemonade across the country. From meetings with Fortune 500 CEOs, to securing a deal on Shark Tank, to even visiting the Obama White House, Mikaila's lemonade and passion for bee conservation have taken her far.

In Bee Fearless, part memoir, part business guide, Mikaila—now fifteen—shares her personal journey and special brand of mindful entrepreneurship and offers helpful tips and guidance for young readers interested in pursuing their own ventures, instilling in them the bee-lief that they can bee fearless and achieve their dreams too.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781984815088
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	08/18/2020
Pages:	240
Sales rank:	42,417
Product dimensions:	5.80(w) x 8.40(h) x 1.10(d)
Age Range:	10 - 15 Years

About the Author

Mikaila Ulmer is the founder and CEO of Me & the Bees Lemonade. Using her great-granny Helen's flaxseed honey lemonade recipe, Mikaila launched her business from her home in Austin, Texas, in 2009. After landing a deal with Daymond John on Shark Tank, her lemonade is now sold in grocery stores across the country. In 2018, Mikaila launched her Healthy Hive Foundation, and 10 percent of the net profits from the sale of her lemonade goes to saving our honey bees.

Editorial Reviews

Praise for Bee Fearless:

★ “In sharing her story, this talented Black girl breaks down not only each opportunity and decision she and those who supported her had to make along the way, but also the lessons about business that she learned in the process, making this a manual as well as a memoir. Her growth is inspiring, her story is fascinating, and her wisdom is priceless for young entrepreneurs. Gift this to every aspiring and beginning entrepreneur; they will thank you.” —Kirkus, starred review

★ “Ulmer maintains a conversational style, displays appealing humbleness, and touts the importance of family support. She also offers solid entrepreneurial advice, honed through her experiences as a C.E.O, motivational speaker, and environmental activist. . . Aspiring business tycoons and environmentalists will be inspired by her story.” –Booklist, starred review

“A memoir and how-to guide with heart. Readers of any age will appreciate Ulmer's ingenuity and harness the strength they need to create and innovate.” —School Library Journal

“Bee Fearless is equal parts memoir and business playbook—and exactly what tweens and their parents need right now. After a bee sting, a family lemonade recipe, and plenty of ingenuity, fifteen-year-old Mikaila Ulmer has sold more than a million bottles of her Me & the Bees lemonade. She is wise beyond her years and reminds us all that making a beeline to follow your business dreams is never a bad idea.” —Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook COO and founder of LeanIn.Org and OptionB.Org
 
“From running a multimillion-dollar business to making time for her schoolwork, Mikaila will awaken the go-getter in you. Bee Fearless inspires us all to dream like kids and pair our passions with our purpose.” —Daymond John, Shark Tank panelist and investor

“Mikaila is one of the most impressive entrepreneurs I’ve had the privilege to meet. Her ingenuity paired with her mission to save the honey bees is an example of how businesses can lead with purpose. By sharing her story and inspiring readers of all ages to pursue their dreams with passion, the world will be a better place.” —Satya Nadella, CEO, Microsoft

From the Publisher

07/01/2020

Gr 5–8—Teen entrepreneur Ulmer shares her story and the best business strategies for success. At the age of four, she was stung by two different bees in the span of two weeks. As a result, Ulmer developed a fear of the insect. Her parents encouraged her to conquer her bee-related anxiety through knowledge. After learning that the bees were disappearing at an astonishing rate, she decided to sell lemonade to raise funds to save them. Now, the 15-year-old Austin, TX, resident is the director of Me & the Bees, a multimillion-dollar enterprise. Her memoir charts her rise and offers useful tips for other young people looking to make an impact in their neighborhood or the wider world. In the introduction, Ulmer notes, "The things that I've learned about what makes a great entrepreneur are qualities that come naturally to kids." This thesis is effectively supported by examples from her personal and professional growth. Ulmer emphasizes what she wants to share with other kids: identify a problem, research it, and then solve the issue in a way that incites one's passion. VERDICT A memoir and how-to guide with heart. Readers of any age will appreciate Ulmer's ingenuity and harness the strength they need to create and innovate.—Sierra Dickey, Ctr. for New Americans, Northampton, MA

School Library Journal

★ 2020-06-30
Child entrepreneur Ulmer shares the story of how she became a business owner, philanthropist, and environmental activist.

Ulmer and her family loved spending time outside, but when she was stung by a bee twice in the span of a week, she became afraid to go outside. She was only 4, and her parents encouraged her to learn about bees instead of letting her fear prevent her from doing things she loved. What Ulmer learned about bees fascinated her—and concerned her. Endangered bees meant an endangered food supply. Ulmer wanted to do something about that. She had seen kids selling lemonade for Austin Lemonade Day, and she decided to start saving the bees by raising money through a lemonade stand. Her passion for her business and for the bees, her parents’ support, her attention to every opportunity, and careful use of every bit of knowledge that came her way all carried her from weekly lemonade stands to bottling her lemonade for sale at one local pizza parlor, then an offer from Whole Foods, regional expansion, Shark Tank, and beyond. In sharing her story, this talented Black girl breaks down not only each opportunity and decision she and those who supported her had to make along the way, but also the lessons about business that she learned in the process, making this a manual as well as a memoir. Her growth is inspiring, her story is fascinating, and her wisdom is priceless for young entrepreneurs.

Gift this to every aspiring and beginning entrepreneur; they will thank you. (Nonfiction. 7-16)

Kirkus Reviews

Read More