This Is How an 11-Year-Old Is Saving the Bees

This article originally appeared on Yoganonymous.com

Photo via BirdsandBeesHoney.com

MAKAILA ULMER IS AN 11-YEAR-OLD GIRL FROM TEXAS, WHO IS PASSIONATELY TRYING TO SAVE THE BEES WITH HER LEMONADE COMPANY, BEESWEET LEMONADE. 

She came up with the idea to launch her lemonade brand after a heart-opening interaction with a bee that led her to research the environmental health of the species. In this interview with NBC, Mikaila stated that “last year, beekeepers lost 40 percent of all their hives. Bees are dying. If the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe then man would only have four years of life left.”

So what is she doing to help save the bees? She's using local honey in her lemonade recipe to help support bee farmers—and guess what? Her efforts are about to get a lot bigger. 

Ulmer just signed a multi-million dollar contract with Whole Foods that stocks her brand in over 55 different stores across three different states around the country—this Texan is going big, and it's only her first year of business. 

So what's helping her reach this platform for success? Her passion. After deciding that lemonade stands weren't the ultimate goal, Ulmer landed herself on a spot the show, Shark Tank. After presenting her pitch, she was selected to receive an investment of $60,000, and she's making moves with that money.