Carly is one of those inspiring entrepreneurs that started her own company from a personal need to heal herself naturally. After coming across propolis, a bee byproduct like honey, she took it upon herself to study beekeeping and learn everything she could about it.
Her background in finance helped her launch Beekeeper’s Naturals, that now carries a whole range of innovative products, that are good for your health and the environment.
Read on for more about how she turned her passion into a business, what keeps her motivated, and a mini education on some of the fascinating things bees can create.
What inspired you to start Beekeeper’s Naturals?
Beekeeper’s Naturals was born from a personal need. With an allergy to antibiotics, something as small as a cold or sore throat could set me off track for weeks! After years of searching for natural alternatives only to waste my time and money on remedies that didn’t work I was at my wits end. It was only after contracting a particularly nasty bout of tonsillitis during a semester abroad in Europe that I stumbled upon propolis. For the first time I had found something all natural that was actually effective!
The amazing health effects I experienced inspired a fascination with bees and bee products and after learning more about the expansive health benefits and important issues facing the bees, I was obsessed. Understanding the growing need for natural interventions and coupled with the rise of autoimmune conditions and unique allergies, I felt compelled to share these safe, effective, health tonics with others and Beekeeper’s Naturals was born.
Can you tell us about propolis?
Propolis is the substance the bees make from plant and tree resins and use to protect their hive and keep it germ free. It’s a different substance than honey – honey is used as their food source while propolis is essentially the bees’ immune system.
It is antibacterial, antiviral, antimicrobial, antI-inflammatory and antifungal which is why it’s so effective at combatting and preventing colds, flus, sore throats and allergies!
The thing that I love about propolis is that not only does it treat and prevent certain illnesses but it actually works to improve your health as whole. Researchers have identified more than 300 beneficial compounds in propolis, with many of them in the forms of polyphenols, which are antioxidants that fight disease and damage in the body. The antiviral effects of propolis will target the bug/virus while the antioxidants, vitamins and minerals found in propolis flood the body with nutrients and help to naturally build up your system.
Why should we choose bee products?
Humans have been using bee products for their health benefits for thousands of years. From propolis to royal jelly, these amazing compounds have played a major role in the natural health world. Both honey and propolis were used by ancient Greeks and Egyptians for their medicinal properties. In Central America, the Incas would drink propolis to reduce fevers and it’s said that Aristotle coined the term ‘Propolis’ which means defender of the city. In the 17th century, the London pharmacopoeia listed propolis as an official drug and during the Boer War propolis and honey were used to treat soldiers’ wounds.
Royal jelly is well recognized in traditional Chinese medicine and the application as a brain tonic are being looked at across cultures. Bee products have a wide range of powerful health boosting effects and in today’s world of gluten allergies and toxins, I think there is a major opportunity for people to introduce natural health aids into their daily lives to boost their well being.
What’s a typical work day like for you?
Every day is different for me! At a startup you need to be fluid and tackle whatever comes your way. Some days I’m focused on product development and working closely with our R&D team, and other days I’m completely sales focused. I like to do project based work and I try my best to stick to deadlines and schedules, but as with any new business, the role of CEO is to work for everyone else – make sure your team is supported, things are running smoothly and proactively tackle issues.
Do you have any other passions that you pursue or would like to?
I love yoga and exercising and always try to carve out some time in my day for activities that I love, even when I’m on the road.
What’s your favourite thing about being an entrepreneur?
My favourite thing is getting to work with and build a team. As our company grows and our family expands we get the amazing opportunity to learn from the people who join us. There is nothing quite as cool as watching another person find their stride and work on their passion!
What’s your least favourite thing?
In most cases you are building something completely new and by virtue of that it won’t make sense to everyone around you. The biggest challenge I have encountered as an entrepreneur is learning to tune out the negatives and keep your eye on the prize. Surrounding yourself with talented, positive and supportive people is crucial.
What are some ways in which your company practices sustainability?
At Beekeeper’s Naturals we are dedicated to saving the bees and the environment! We work to support these initiatives in everything we do from sourcing to social media. Starting with our production model, we work with a network of small scale, sustainable beekeepers to source our raw products, and support a segment of the beekeeping industry that partakes in nourishing and restorative beekeeping practices.
We also have a standing partnership with two of the leading North American bee research institutions, the Harry H. Laidlaw Jr. Honey Bee Research Facility at University of California Davis, and the Canadian Bee Research Fund. We donate a portion of profit from our ‘Save The Bees’ apparel line to these organizations and we also run various campaigns to generate awareness and funds throughout the year. We also regularly host bee oriented workshops and talks in different communities across the US and Canada and we work hard to provide meaningful information about the bees, the cause and how you can help on our blog and social media channels!
As a beekeeper led company this is a cause that’s incredibly valuable to us and we all work hard to support the beekeepers and researchers looking to make a difference and arm our community with the info and skills they need to create change.
Any advice for others who want to start their own business?
Starting a company is hard and you need to be ready to work longer days (and nights) and do so with what may be less support than you’re used to. You need to be action oriented, create a step by step plan, and be ready for the what if’s. It’s also important to not let the opinions of other cloud your judgement. When you run your own business it’s all on you. You can build it or sit with it and let it stagnate but you have the opportunity to create something special so if you have a plan in place don’t let fear hold you back.
What’s next for Beekeeper’s Naturals?
We just launched B. Chill, our high potency hemp oil honey, in the US and have had amazing feedback from our customers. We’re excited to bring it to Canada soon along with some other cool products we have in the pipeline!
