Archive for Power

Mikaila Ulmer: Founder of “Me & the Bees” Lemonade

Mikaila Ulmer is a 17-year-old girl who started her own lemonade business at a very young age. The business idea started after young Mikaila got stung by a bee and wanted to learn more about bees to overcome her fear of them.  At age 4, she started a business by creating a very small lemonade stand. Very quickly, this turned into the business “Me & the Bees” as a result.

Mikaila is widely successful, at just age 9, she struck an $11 million distribution deal with US supermarket giants Whole Foods Market. Mikaila has also been invited to the White House twice, featured on Good Morning America, NBC News, Forbes Magazine, and Time Magazine for her entrepreneurial success. Mikaila is very busy; she juggles school, her business, and public speaking. The unique thing about her business is that 10% of her brand’s proceeds are donated to bee conservation charities. It is amazing how she used a challenge of hers (getting stung by a bee) to learn more about it and start up a profitable and charitable business.

Mikaila’s lemonade recipe is unique because it comes from her great Grandmother Helen’s flaxseed lemonade. It is fresh-squeezed, and each bottle is made with care. Her family has a huge part in helping her business thrive. As an extension to her business, Mikaila has created a “Bee-to-Z guide” for young entrepreneurs. Here, young entrepreneurs can find inspiration, business tips, and more to make their big ideas come to life. A very inspirational quote from Mikaila reads, “My generation—we’re the future,” Mikaila says. “When we grow up, we’re going to be the people who are the presidents and the leaders of the world. […]  If we start at a young age making a difference, donating back, giving back, when we grow up we can do that on a larger scale.” Mikaila’s business proves that, just like the bees, you are never too small to make a difference.

The 9 Most Successful Teen Entrepreneurs in the World (careeraddict.com)

Mikaila Ulmer of Me & the Bees Lemonade | Microsoft In Culture

Uncharted Power & Jessica O. Matthews’ Vision for Clean Energy

Jessica O. Matthews is the creator of Soccket — the soccer ball that develops power through kinetic energy. Jessica had a vision while traveling to visit family in Nigeria that she used to create what she calls her Image result for soccket ball“Anti-Silicon Valley” startup named Uncharted Power. Using her intellectual property rights to kinetic energy products Matthews used her initial capital to expand her toy product line. But she realized something bigger could come of her inventions. After unveiling her new power-generating products, Matthews told Forbes that she has been in communication with Disney to develop full-scale energy production in “light poverty” areas.

Matthews also talks about her experience as a female CEO and her “Anti-Silicon Valley” Energy Company. She talks about strategic location. Matthews says that she originally had Uncharted Power’s headquarters located in downtown Manhattan, but considering relations with lower incoming areas she moved her headquarters uptown to Harlem. 

Matthews, interestingly, noted that not only people matter but you matter. She gives her experience, or lack thereof, in the energy sector following her re-brand to Uncharted Power. Matthews says that she tried and failed to bring in experts in the field, that even though experts say they are “experts,” for her they did not get what she wanted done. After an overhaul of management and taking the reign herself, she says that less is more. Currently employing 17 people and 17 serving as advisers, Uncharted Power is working to accomplish great things for those who do not have clean energy.

Read more about Jessica Matthews and Uncharted Power in the link:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/tanyaklich/2018/11/12/uncharted-power-founder-jessica-o-matthews-on-building-the-anti-silicon-valley-energy-startup/?ss=entrepreneurs#d13735e44ffa