Mypolonga sisters start a sweet small business
Two young entrepreneurs are making pocket money all while donating to charity through their honey business.
This story was contributed by Veronica Ward.
For Mypolonga’s Alexis and Piper Schutz, beekeeping is more than just a hobby; it's a family tradition.
Their grandfather, Grant Lienert, has been a dedicated beekeeper for years, passing on his knowledge, patience, and love for bees to his granddaughters.
What started as summer days spent in oversized bee suits, turned into something much sweeter.
Sisterhood Honey is the small business built by the two young entrepreneurs with a passion for bees and a mission to make a difference.
Alexis fondly remembered the early days with her sister and their grandpa.
“Piper and I helped grandpa with his bees – that’s how we got interested,” Alexis said.
“It was hot, hard work, wearing those suits, but carefully holding bees in our gloves and seeing the whole process up close made it worth it.”
It wasn’t long before the sisters' curiosity blossomed into a hands-on venture.
When their uncle decided to sell a few hives, Alexis and Piper pooled their savings and bought a few, making their first independent foray into beekeeping.
Soon they were managing their own small apiary, learning to care for the bees, harvest honey, and manage the equipment.
“We take the frames out, put them into our hand spinner, and spin to extract the honey,” Alexis said.
“We just extracted two boxes recently and got around 40 kilos – totally raw honey, no additives.”
Alexis holding one of their many frames; Piper showing her Mypolonga Primary School teacher Mrs Diement their grandpa’s bee and Piper showing Grandpa one of their bees. Photos: Veronica Ward.
From filling honey pots to calculating costs, Alexis and Piper quickly found
themselves managing an entire operation, with some help from their mum, Gemma Lienert of Mypolonga, who assists with labelling and filling jars.
They named their brand Sisterhood Honey, and soon word spread among locals and online through social media pages.
"We sell mostly to locals and teachers at our school who want raw, natural local honey,” Alexis said.
They also hold stalls at community events, building a reputation for their honey’s purity and their passion for bees.
Running a small business has also taught the girls valuable life skills.
From budgeting for pots and stickers, to planning donations, they’ve embraced the math and responsibility that come with managing their venture.
“We realized we had to work out what we spend on things like our jars and labels,” Alexis said.
“And then plan for the profits, too.”
Not only do they save some earnings, but they’ve chosen to donate a portion to the RSPCA, inspired by a desire to give back to other living creatures.
Both sisters agree that none of this would have been possible without their
grandfather's encouragement.
“Piper and I love our grandpa, he helps us so much,” Alexis said.
Grandpa, in turn, beams with pride seeing the commitment Alexis and
Piper show in running Sisterhood Honey.
With their hard work, determination, and love for the craft, Sisterhood Honey has
become more than just a family business; it’s a tribute to a grandfather’s legacy and a symbol of sisterhood and resilience.
Each jar holds not just the rich taste of raw honey but also the spirit of two sisters building something sweet, together.
- More information: Search for Sisterhood Honey on Facebook.
Correction: The girls' surname was corrected after this story was initially published.
