Welcome to the Season 1, Episode 1 of Smart As A Cookie: The Podcast, presented by USA Girl Scouts Overseas in partnership with Pop Singer/Songwriter Kristina Lachaga! It's time to meet Mikaila Ulmer: Teen Entrepreneur, Bee Ambassador, Philanthropist and Author!

Mikaila Ulmer is founder and CEO of Me & the Bees Lemonade. When she was just four years old, Mikaila was stung by two bees in the same week. Her parents encouraged her to do some research on the bees rather than being upset with them. Upon discovering the important role that bees play in our ecosystem, Mikaila was determined to help them. Using her Great Granny Helen's flaxseed honey lemonade recipe, Mikaila launched her business from her home in Austin, Texas in 2009.

Landing a deal with Daymond John on the show Shark Tank was just the beginning of Me & the Bees' many business successes. Today, the award-winning lemonade is buzzing off the shelves of over 5300+ stores across the United States, including Publix Super Market, Target, H-E-B, Whole Foods Market, Earth Fare, The Fresh Market, Kroger, and more.

Mikaila has shared her story with Good Morning America, NBC News, ABC 20/20, The Real, Forbes and TIME among others, and has been invited to speak on social entrepreneurship at prestigious gatherings including the White House and the United State of Women Summit, where she introduced President Barack Obama.

In our interview, you'll learn how to make a compelling pitch, how to talk to and meet new customers, tips for attracting new customers, how to turn a "no" into a "yes", ways to create a positive and great experience at your Cookie Booth, tips for having great people skills, and how to represent yourself and the Girl Scouts organization professionally at your Cookie Booth. Plus, how to let your personality shine and tips for calming your nerves when you're pitching your product (think: Girl Scout Cookies!).

Mikaila even shared some amazing and inspiring business tips from her new book, Bee Fearless: Dream Like a Kid! Mikaila released her book in August of 2020 and she wants to inspire YOU through Bee Fearless. Mikaila says, "I wrote this book to share my journey of starting Me & the Bees, teach entrepreneurship, and empower you to Bee Fearless." Order your copy of Bee Fearless HERE!

Learn more about the Healthy Hive Foundation and what you can do to help.

Follow @mikailasbees and @healthyhivefdn on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, and shop Me & the Bees Lemonade online and in-store HERE!

Notable Moments:

0:24 - Welcome to the kickoff of Season 1 of Smart As A Cookie: The Podcast!

1:29 - Meet your Host, Pop Singer/Songwriter Kristina Lachaga

2:46 - Meet Mikaela Ulmer, Teen Founder of Me and the Bees Lemonade

6:16 - Turning Lemons into Lemonade: How Mikaela founded her Lemonade Business at just 4-years-old thanks to bees and her Grandma’s flaxseed lemonade recipe!

8:25 - The Entrepreneurial Journey: Convincing Shark Tank’s Damon John to invest in her company at 10-years-old + tips for a compelling pitch

9:10 - Representing Your Business: The importance of knowing your product, your audience, and the story behind your business

10:40 - Taste Testing: People Skills in Business, engaging potential new customers, + why “no” isn’t a bad thing

12:45 - Branding + creating a positive Customer Experience

13:50 - Bee You: Selling by being yourself (and staying calm under pressure)

16:02 - Work Now, Play Later: Staying professional as a kid entrepreneur

17:18 - Mikaela shares business tips from her book “Bee Fearless, Dream Like a Kid”

18:47 - Making the most of Girl Scouts’ Digital Cookie platform when selling Girl Scout cookies

20:40 - Bee a Social Entrepreneur: How the Healthy Hive Foundation is saving pollinators

23:41 - Dreaming big, like a kid!

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Host: @KristinaLachaga

Website: www.USAGSO.org, www.KristinaLachaga.com

Stream/Download “R.S.V.P.” by Kristina Lachaga: https://www.kristinalachaga.com/the-music