From farming roots, I blossomed into an alchemist of natural medicinal creations, pairing the powerful substances produced by the Sweet Honey Bee into the purest organic products for the skin. I am passionately in love with my work.
Medicine Mama Visits the Marketplace
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On a recent journey 600 miles south of my mountain home I had many hours to contemplate the altogether new venture that was soon to be embarked upon… I had my true love by my side though, and by the time we arrived for the hectic power-packed week of meetings, trainings, introductions and new surroundings…. we had worked through our fears and doubts, we talked about the distance we would feel and perhaps the separation anxiety and the excitement of truly realizing our dream together and now apart… just like we planned… You see, I am a magic maker, in a small mountain Apothecary I gratefully and lovingly handcraft “Sweet Blessed Bee Magic”. ”Sweet Bee” is my love. She has been sold in to many large stores and we were called south to visit and train the store staff.
I am her maker, but in almost every good way she” Sweet Bee”, makes me feel helpful, useful, happy, fulfilled, healthy, generous, and wise about nature. Her destiny, though, is to live in the lives and homes of families all over the world, where she can do her good work. She is alive and actively vibrating with the essence of Her Majesty Honey Bee’s powerful Medicine. I am happily her humble servant.
This was a“Virgin Voyage” I had no idea what was expected of me, In the industry I am called a boutique “manufacturer”. I like to call what I do “traditional handcrafting” I am one of a very few people left in the USA that actually personally makes their own product that sells into the big Natural Food Stores. So far “Sweet Bee Magic” sells in about 100 stores in 15 states.
Also, I am literally my whole company, with the exception of the sales rep teams that show and sell “Sweet Bee Magic” into stores, I am it. I formulate, batch, label, package, print flyers, email, pay bills, deliver local product, source, order and talk to reps and stores every single day!!! And, most days, I love it!!
The Isles in the health and beauty departments of stores from Santa Barbara to San Diego were like tall canyons. I stood there amidst literally thousands of other brands, some I knew and had used and loved, and some I had never heard of, used for relieving symptoms I never new existed. I was dazed and dumbfounded, could I do this? Could I really expect “Sweet Bee” to show up here in the middle of what looked to me to be a maze of unlimited choices.
I carried my big Medicine Mama basket full of samples and the Sacred 6 glass viles containing the raw materials. (sweet bee magic contains only six ingredients, 5 honey bee products and extra virgin olive oil)
I was anxious and hopeful that I could inspire and create a connection with a few souls in the short training time allotted, I had to set up literally in the middle of the isles in the midst of curious searching customers busy overworked understaffed team leaders, loudspeakers “PRICE CHECK!!” Staff coming and going! I knew I would have to make magic, so to speak, right then and there or “Sweet Bee” would have a very short lifespan in the big busy Natural Foods Market Place.
Why? Because the store staff are the gatekeepers, they hold the key. All day long they lead people to their favorite products. The products that they love and trust… Products that don’t live in the minds and hearts of the staff have shorter lifespans. I had a few minutes to make an impact, to introduce “Sweet Bee” and make a lasting true impression.
My objectives:
- Give ”Sweet Bee” samples to every single staff member
- Capture their hearts and imagination by telling of the Old Fashioned Apothecary…enchant them with the vision of a Medicine woman handcrafting in traditional method. Five powerful hive products. NOTHING MORE NEEDED, tell them why.
- Speak of the mystical Apothecary hidden in the mist enshrouded mountain Range of Southern Oregon where the walls and floors are hand rubbed and sterilized with propolis just like the Honey Bees Hive. Adorned with Ancient Heiroglyphs of Bee Shaman’s and Natural Medicine makers the Apothecary “Hive” alive with the powerful medicinal nectars.
- Introduce them to the many many uses of the Honey Bees Medicine.
- Tell them about the secret Alchemical moment of the POUR.
- Invite every single staff member to visit the Apothecary and experience the inside of a Magical Ancient/Modern Way of Natural Medicine Making for themselves.
- Show that a vital connection and love of the honey bee and her medicines transmits into the product.
- It wasn’t just my product I was representing I was hoping to convey a Love, connection and Trust in nature. It is this simple, we let nature alone, we get stronger medicine. Help them understand that any work done with Honey Bee products must be done by permission and in deep respect and Gratitude.
- Try not to cry.
It’s funny, in retrospect this trip was more about my education into the Giant World of Commerce in the Health and Beauty Industry. More about meeting real people on the floor in the stores and seeing inside their hive of activity in the Market Place ….
What did I learn?:
- I cannot compete with the “Big Boys” and thank God!! I don’t have to.
- No matter how much power and money a giant company may have to buy shelf space they cannot manufacture heart and love and real true goodness.
- I learned that the truth stands Alone. I came without gimmicks ,flashy packaging and big end cap displays, I came almost penniless no marketing $$ no buy in money, what I did bring though was something priceless, for truth and goodness have no competition anywhere!
- I learned that real beautiful people work on the floor in the stores and they love to learn about true organic products that perform… they are paid to help their customers find their good medicine!! “Sweet Blessed Bee Magic” quietly, sweetly, jar-by-jar, day-by-day goes into the hands/shopping carts because those who know and trust her special brand of goodness, share it , and from there she GROWS.
My job was easy, from the heart, and in love I shared with every single employee who could be present, the great gift of my work with Bee Medicine in the Apothecary. Something powerful and wonderful transpires when a true meeting takes place. So, I did cry a little, but so did a few of the sweethearts that I was privileged to train. “Sweet Bee” and I had Fun!! We made friends!! WE inspired a few souls!!
It is certain, “ Sweet Bee” will thrive in the Big Marketplace , people everywhere will be able to choose and use the good Medicine of “ Sweet Blessed Bee Magic” and soon I hope to be able to hire a few Apothecary staff….. But today I am a grateful and a happy servant of ONE.
Tomorrow will take care of itself.
To learn more about the retail locations that stock Bee Magic, visit our Retail Locator page: http://sweetbeemagic.com/retailers.html
The most powerful alchemist’s throughout time were worshipped and praised from ancient Mesopotamia to the Incan pyramids for their golden mastery of sweet perfection. They are the bearers of the most precious elixirs. Their life inside the hive is a mysterious wonder. They are the honeybees. 