Today is National Honey Bee Day. Beekeepers are celebrating the buzzing pollinators that support our food supply, as well as the success of a University of Florida accelerator that elevated bee-based small businesses.

A roughly $626,000 grant from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, or  NIFA, Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program fueled a two-year business incubator, which bred 30 new Florida small businesses.

Led by Amy Vu, state specialized Extension agent in apiculture for the UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Honey Bee Research and Extension Laboratory, the program aimed to give beekeepers a way to “level up” their hobby into a full-fledged business, Vu said.

Gayle Goodfriend, a mortgage broker and founder of Goodfriend Honey Company in Bradenton, said the program’s focus on business planning, product creation, digital marketing and apiary safety gave her the confidence to pursue her spot in the marketplace.

“Small businesses are so important to the economy as a whole, and it’s difficult to find resources to support small businesspeople,” she said. “This accelerator gave me the confidence to say, ‘Why not me?’”

Vu said the accelerator also helped participants navigate rules and regulations critical to launching a compliant and sustainable business.

Now, many of these participants can be found at local farmer’s markets and online, selling their honey, beeswax items and honey-infused products – including Goodfriend.

“This program has pretty much meant everything to me,” she said. “In addition to creating a sustainable business, I’ve made a lot of lifelong friends.”