What began with a single hive gradually grew into a beekeeping business as Elizabeth Lamond balanced corporate contracts with her passion for working with bees. “Beekeeping has always been part of my blood. My dad was a small-scale bee farmer, so it has always been in the background,” said the owner of yoUBee Honey.

After returning to South Africa in 2022, Lamond continued doing corporate contract work while focusing on her beekeeping business. There are similarities between the lessons learnt from a bee swarm and those that can be applied in a corporate environment, she said.

What started with one hive gradually grew to ten, then 50, 100, and eventually 200, leading Lamond to become fully involved in the beekeeping business. “It wasn’t a hard decision. I resigned and moved to bees. It was a slow transition from one to the other.”

The corporate world and beekeeping are almost polar opposites. While her corporate experience taught her discipline and the importance of making quick decisions, beekeeping requires patience and the ability to work in challenging environments. It is also physically demanding.

“There’s night work, it’s hot work in suits, it’s difficult swarms and difficult people. The discipline I acquired over my corporate career helped me a lot. You just have to get on with it. Whatever you do today is tomorrow’s satisfaction. By procrastinating, you’re procrastinating your income.”

One challenge she did not expect was sexism in the beekeeping industry. It remains male-dominated and she has experienced a lot of mansplaining, said Lamond.

Elizabeth Lamond, owner of yoUBee Honey, in her suit. Photo supplied

Beekeeping is also expensive, and beekeepers depend on farmers’ goodwill to place their hives on land where bees can forage for food. The remote locations of many hives also leave them vulnerable to theft and vandalism. She lost 20 hives in April, wiping out a year’s investment in just two hours.

“Beekeeping has taught me patience and provides lessons that I share through motivational speaking, linking the dynamics of a hive to the corporate world. One of my most rewarding experiences is checking hives at night in the mountains during cherry pollination.”

Lamond advises aspiring beekeepers to take a course, buy equipment from reputable suppliers, and start small. She also urges them to price their honey fairly rather than compete with cheap sugar-based alternatives.

OFM News/Siyakholwa Mbatyazwa cvs

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