Beekeeper, badass entrepreneur, and Barcelona bound. I talk to Amy, 29, from Los Gatos, CA about her unfortunately-timed move to a new city and how it led her to switch careers and embrace starting a business. We talk about submitting, making friends, strategy and more.
Meet Amy, the girl who uprooted her life just before Covid began
This year has been many things to many people, but one of the stories that has particularly played on my mind has been that of the people who moved just as the pandemic hit. Especially those who did it alone.
Due to my connection to the world of travel blogging, I’ve seen many online peers trapped in this situation. New country/city = great but not being able to do much to sink your toes into the foundation of your new home = not so great.
I knew Amy had had her sights set on moving for a while. I met her during my time in Sevilla, where we worked together in the marketing department of a startup that helped people holiday in nature.
Without sounding too much like a cheesy novel, if we were in one, and I were the narrator telling you about Amy, I would tell you she is the character of the woman who has a twinkle in her eye.
Sometimes when it was quiet in the evening we’d swivel around on our office chairs, in the heavily air-conditioned space, and talk about life, and most importantly what we really wanted out of it.
Without sounding too much like a cheesy novel, if we were in one, and I were the narrator telling you about Amy, I would tell you she is the character of the woman who has a twinkle in her eye. She’s bright, full of life with lazer-sharp wit and knowing eyes, but at the same time wide-smiled and breezy, with a natural ability to go with the flow. The latter of which I think you really need to live in Sevilla, and she was indeed happy there (unlike me I can hear you saying, you are right haha).
New city, alone, in Covid: why not start a business?
But the story of today takes place in February, a mere two weeks before the pandemic began, when after living in Sevilla for seven years, Amy uprooted her life, (and her cat) to Barcelona. It may not seem like a big leap, but I knew she had her dream flat there, community, and I had seen first-hand how Sevilla could pull you into its heavy tempo, making it hard to leave.
A couple of months after moving alone to Barcelona, in the middle of a pandemic, Amy had gone from being an office bound PR executive to building her very own business, in the business of bees: Honey House Barcelona. But how did it come to—excuse the pun here—be? How did she find the inspiration, resources, or energy to launch a venture in a new city during these wild, wild times?
As soon as we first begin chatting I am launched into the magic of Amy’s story. She tells me how her love for bees predated her time in Barcelona: “It started in Sevilla when I was finishing my masters. I studied neuroscience, and read an article discussing the parallels between our brains and bee swarms. This theory is referred to as “hive mind” and is used to describe how both the human brain and bee swarms navigate their internal differences to decide on a single course of action.
From that moment forward, I thought bees were one of the most fascinating things I’d ever come across. The more I learned about them the more I wanted to know – from their role in nature, their relationship to the survival of humans, to the frequency in which they appear in ancient history, I was completely obsessed. I decided that once I moved to Barcelona, I would sign up for a taller de abejas/beekeeping course. Unfortunately, these were cancelled due to Covid.”
“During the peak of Spain’s 2+ month lockdown, I briefly left the house for our 1x a week grocery store run when I saw a man returning home from work. He was getting out of his car a full beekeeping suit.”
“I was in this new city, looking for a job. Meanwhile people were losing theirs due to the pandemic and there was all this uncertainty. So I literally just asked the universe to guide me in to what I was supposed to do next”.
Simply because what else could she do? She had come to this new city without a plan, just a feeling that it was time for things to change. Instead of pulling her hair out about it, she chose to submit and let that change take place, whatever life had in store.
“During the peak of Spain’s 2+ month lockdown, I briefly left the house for our 1x a week grocery store run when I saw a man returning home from work. He was getting out of his car a full beekeeping suit. I had never seen this before, and I’m not sure I would ever see it again”.
Amy tells me how she struck up a conversation with him, asking about where he works, if he offers beekeeping classes, and so on. By the end of their encounter, he had invited her to come and work with him that Friday.
She did show up that Friday, and that one Friday turned into five days a week, spanning 10-12 hours a day, and just like that Amy found herself with a new job and purpose. In the tough (I learned) but rewarding labour that is beekeeping.
Making friends and finding your tribe
Amy is with a friend on one of the days I’m talking to her, at the beach, and she also lives with a like-minded girl named Zule I learn later in the call. As I know how hard it is to make friends abroad, especially in a pandemic, I ask how she formed these bonds, with people who were like-minded to her.
I also found my roommate on an app named Badi, which is like a Tinder for open rooms, you get to connect with people you are going to live with and talk to them.
“Due to this new interest of mine, I kept meeting people with common interests. The beekeeping lends itself to the slow food niche, and I also met people and the gym and yoga. It’s definitely less social than Sevilla, but maybe I am in a different place in my life now, not just physically that is. I feel like the events I do attend are more deliberate than just going for a casual beer. I’m meeting new people with similar interests that I would not have met otherwise”
“I also found my roommate on an app named Badi, which is like a Tinder for open rooms, you get to connect with people you could potentially live with and talk to them. In my case, I never saw the apartment in person before moving in. I got on a Facetime call where I connected with Zule, 30. It was a perfect match. She’s amazing, she loves my cat Peach and we get on so well”
On business learnings and imposter syndrome: who are you to just wake up one day and be a beekeeper or entrepreneur?
“This experience has really taught me that “energy goes where attention flows”. All of us are surrounded by unique opportunities, at all times. What we want is a lot closer than we think. As if we had windshield wipers on our eyes and heart, we need to clear the mud, quiet our insecurities, stop listening to other people, trust ourselves, believe we deserve what we genuinely desire, and only then will you see what is meant for you — and that it was there all along. The universe wants us to succeed. I truly believe this”
“We always think we need to be an expert in order to publically share things that interest us. I don’t claim to know everything – or anything that is. I’m forever learning”
I was very new to this world, with little to no experience. I said to myself, “who am I to think I can just be a beekeeper? Rather than someone who’s taken a more scientific route, and who am I to think I can just open a IG page about beekeeping and sell honey?
We always think we need to be an expert in order to publically share things that interest us. I don’t claim to know everything – or anything that is. I’m forever learning. I am just focused on where I am in my present moment on this journey, with an interested and open heart. This is all I know I can do. It’s much less daunting when I approach things this way. We put more pressure on ourselves than anyone else! (Reader whoever you are, bookmark this and remember it forever)
An entrepreneur friend of mine said: “if you are not embarrassed of your first launch, then you’ve waited too long”. Honey is the fruit of my labor, and I really am so proud of our first product. It would be a shame not to share it! So I wouldn’t say I was completely ready (logistics-wise), but time waits for no one and I’ve enjoyed learning along the way”.
And just like that, Amy launched her first product, wild thyme honey (because the bees were collecting pollen of the thyme plant during this time). Does it taste like thyme? I asked fascinated “yes it, has an essence of thyme. Thyme honey is one of the most versatile honeys and also has the most antioxidants” She smiles.
How Amy got her business buzzing
How are things going with the business? I ask. “The wild thyme honey is sold out, same with the candles and the golden latte mix. I will need to restock everything before the holidays begin! Most sales are from word of mouth, though friends, and a lot people have contacted me via the Honey House Barcelona IG page, as well” Amy tells me excitedly, her words laced with a smidge of surprise.
“In regards to the business model: I just wanted to see if the honey would even sell, if I can do this, then maybe I can do something bigger.”
What skills do you think helped you grow Honey House Barcelona? I continue.
“I think it was three things: focusing on trying to build a like-minded community and genuine content, approaching the business as a platform to share what I have learned vs. an expert, putting out thoughtful content with a focus.”
Did you have a strategy?
“Everything I did I really considered first. For example I really wanted to hone in on what felt the most authentic. Before I saw beekeeping as really magical, elegant, clean and whimsical–but guess what: beekeeping is so dirty and it’s physically intense! It’s still really beautiful, even more beautiful than I thought it was. But it’s hard work and brutal, bees are really badass”
“I wanted Honey House Barcelona’s marketing to stand out. I loved the idea of a retro, edgy brand for something that is usually portrayed as magical or whimsical (in my opinion). I am very much a hippy at heart, but am more influenced by the 70s versus the 60s, for example. Like how the 60s was all about free love, but 70s had more of a structure — or so it appears to me! I was born in the 90s”
“In regards to the business model: I just wanted to see if the honey would even sell, if I can do this, then maybe I can do something bigger.”
On physically making and sourcing the product
“I originally tried to get labels printed, but they looked really amateur, and the stickers themselves were wildly expensive.” Amy tells me.
“I was browsing on Amazon and spotted these ‘Hello my name it is’ stickers that you see on the product today. I wanted that less-than-perfect look and it matched it perfectly! The font seen on the sticker was carved from a piece of rubber, and then stamped onto each of the bottles.
Since then, I have invested in a complete label (vs. having to stamp each sticker). Actually, I didn’t intend on keeping the branding that is currently used now either, but I had such a pleasantly positive reaction by our audience that I don’t think I will change it after all — not yet at least”
What is currently sold at Honey House Barcelona
“At this time we currently have wild thyme honey, multi-floral honey, ginger-infused honey, aloe-infused honey, golden honey latte mix, bee pollen, and 100% beeswax candles. The ginger-infused honey is great for tea or glazing salmon, and I love using the aloe-infused honey as a base for face masks. It’s been fun to see what people are most interested in!
“My friend Karin refers to this as the “Lion Mix”. She says it makes me feel like a wild animal when she drinks it, and that gives her sustainable energy. It is an anti-inflammatory, health bomb!”
It’s clear where the product development for Honey House Barcelona comes from: Amy’s natural curiosity for the fascinating world of beekeeping. As I listen to her describe her offerings, I can’t help but absorb her excitement, and notice I am smiling through the descriptions.
“The first set of candles sold out faster than any other product. Since these were such a hit, I was wondering if there was something more we could do. Since then, I have collaborated with my friend and ceramicist, Caroline Chessia.
We came together to create a 100% eco-friendly candle. She created the beautiful ceramic dishes, and then we filled them with the beeswax and placed a wooden wick inside. I am fascinated by this niche between art, creativity, and sustainability.
“The Golden Honey Latte Mix is something I am most proud of. It is a generous blend of spices including turmeric, black pepper, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, and honey of course. I also recommend adding a scoop of bee pollen to the warm milk or coffee–whatever you decide to put it in.
“My friend Karin refers to this as the “Lion Mix”. She says it makes me feel like a wild animal when she drinks it, and that gives her sustainable energy. It is an anti-inflammatory, health bomb!”
What’s next for Amy and Honey House Barcelona?
I am currently experimenting with mead (fermented “honey wine”, which is made of three simple ingredients: yeast, water, honey), and Jun (a honey-based kombucha with a specialty SCOBY aka the bacteria that ferments the drink).
There are so many things you can do with honey and so many amazing products that come out of the hive. By Spring 2021, I hope to also have products with propolis, royal jelly, and even bee venom. I am also interested in beauty products. We will see what happens! I am looking forward to the future.
Since the interview took place Amy has continued to add more products to her honey empire. If you want to sample the delights of Honey House Barcelona, or follow the woman herself and the incredible journey, follow Amy on IG at @amyursula or find the honey at @honeyhousebarcelona
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