Mikaila Ulmer

Mikaila Ulmer
Born	(2004-09-28) September 28, 2004 Houston, Texas, U.S.
Occupation	Businesswoman
Known for	Founder of Me & The Bees Lemonade

Mikaila Ulmer (born September 28, 2004) is an American businesswoman who established a lemonade brand based in Austin, Texas. Her beverages are currently distributed in more than 1,500 retail locations.

Early life and career

Ulmer was born in Houston, Texas, to parents with academic backgrounds in business. She was raised in Austin and attended St. Stephen's Episcopal School. In 2009, drawing inspiration from a lemonade recipe her great-grandmother created in the 1940s, she started selling lemonade infused with local honey and flaxseed. The drink gained popularity after a nearby pizzeria requested to carry it, prompting her to begin bottling the product. Ulmer dedicates 10% of her earnings to organizations focused on bee preservation, with her parents later providing assistance for the enterprise. She is presently enrolled at Emory University.

In 2015, accompanied by her father, Ulmer appeared on Shark Tank and secured a $60,000 investment from Daymond John aimed at scaling her venture. That same year, she met President Barack Obama at the White House and introduced him during the 2016 United State of Women Summit, where Obama commended her as "an amazing young lady."

By 2017, "Me & The Bees Lemonade" was available in 500 stores, achieving annual sales of half a million bottles. That year also saw the company receive $800,000 in funding from a consortium of professional football players.

As of February 2020, Me & The Bees products are stocked nationwide by retailers such as Whole Foods, Cost Plus World Market, Vitamin Cottage Natural Grocers, H-E-B, Kroger, and The Fresh Market. Additionally, the brand has expanded its portfolio to include beeswax lip balms.