AUSTIN, Texas, Jan. 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Representing the best and brightest individuals impacting the retail industry, Mikaila is a rising star whose imagination, inspiration and innovation is having a true impact on the retail industry. Mikaila, along with notable honorees from Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Facebook, Home Depot, West Elm and others, will be recognized at the 3rd Annual NRF Foundation Gala on January 15, 2017 in New York City.

Stung by two bees in the same week, Mikaila was encouraged by her parents to research bees rather than be upset with them. This is when she discovered the important role of honey bees in our ecosystem. Determined to create 'buzz' about saving honey bees and using her Great Granny Helen's flaxseed honey lemonade recipe, Mikaila launched her lemonade business from her home in Austin, Texas in 2009. As a social entrepreneur and role model, Mikaila is also committed to philanthropy and donates a percentage of her profits to organizations seeking to save honey bees, an insect crucial to pollination, crops and our food supply.

According to Mikaila, "What makes me most proud of Me & the Bees is that I can work hard to save honeybees while making a sustainable product which uses natural ingredients and produced in a glass bottle." When asked what being recognized as a "Dreamer' by NRF means to her, Mikaila says, "As a member of Gen Z, I want to help shape the future of retail and move from selling in Whole Foods Market and Wegmans and expand my sales from twenty states to all fifty. To sell to corporate cafeterias and universities is my dream!"

"You're never too young to start a business so don't let age stop you from following your dreams," – Mikaila Ulmer.

About Mikaila Ulmer and Me & the Bees, based in Austin, Texas

Being offered a deal by Daymond John on the show Shark Tank was just the beginning of business successes for Mikaila. The award winning Me & the Bees Lemonade is in grocery stores, coffee shops and natural and organic food stores across the country. Mikaila has shared her story with Good Morning America, NBC News, The Real, Forbes and TIME and introduced President Barack Obama at the White House United State of Women Summit. For additional information see MeandtheBees.com, Facebook.com/MikailasBees, Instagram.com/MikailasBees and @MikailasBees.

About the NRF Foundation

The NRF Foundation shapes retail's future by building awareness of the industry through statistics and stories; developing talent through education, experiences and scholarships; and fostering career growth among people who work in retail. The NRF Foundation is the 501(c)(3) nonprofit arm of the National Retail Federation and is funded in part by generous donations from retail industry supporters. www.NRF.com/Foundation.