Today we’d like to introduce you to Kathy Scalzo.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
“BEE HAPPY!” I still find it funny that I was bullied by kids in middle school because I was always smiling; they said I was “too happy”. As a grownup, I like to describe myself more as a positive person, rather than “happy.” I worked incredibly hard to get a master’s degree, to complete an internship, to become a registered dietitian, to be a good parent, a good volunteer…but I wasn’t always happy, perse. My parents were old and sick; my twin boys were premature and needed a lot of care; I was teaching college courses…and I hated it!
That said, keeping my eyes/ears open for opportunities to do things that made me happy began to fall into place. The blessings of being a caregiver and giving back to my parents when they needed me outweighed the strain it put on my life…I had free time to train as a beekeeper; to expand my knowledge about herbs and plants; to volunteer as a fundraiser and organizer for a community garden in New York. Watching my backyard bees nourish themselves on the plants I chose for them….well that definitely made me happy.
So fast-forwarding to the future…I am now writing to you as the “Queen Bee” of Backyard Bees (www.backyardbeesnyc.com), a small eco-friendly company that makes personal care products that are chemical-free, plastic-free, and compostable. As the Queen, I make the decisions to create products that are inspired by nature and thus, help to support a healthy environment for both humans and the bees. I also have the authority to make tons and tons of bee-puns, and it is unbee-leaveable just how happy they make people! BEE HAPPY! BEE POSITIVE! BEE STRONG! BEE YOURSELF!
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Every day is a new challenge and Backyard Bees is figuring it out as we go. We started our business in Queens, NY, but there were not many opportunities to meet the public and get the business going. NYC did not allow non-food vendors to be a part of farmer’s markets and street fairs/events required a lot of paperwork. The bees loved living in the city though, and the Backyard Bees garden rocked and the bees produced a lot of honey! Moving to Long Island (Nassau County) opened up tons of opportunities to be a part of weekly farmer’s markets and events. Meeting customers face to face and talking with them really helped the Queen to revise/revamp/prioritize her goals. Ironically, the bees are not so happy in Long Island as there seems to be a higher use of pesticides/herbicides and there are hive beetles (nuisances) that drive me crazy! I spend more time on the bees because I care about them, but that takes away from time in the workshop! New markets in Long Island helped us to expand our product line – there is a demand for eco-friendly, low-waste products like deodorant, lotion bars, and shampoo sticks – some of our most popular products!
Backyard Bees – what should we know? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Backyard Bees started out selling honey, when available, and plant-based, hand made soaps. Our first soap (still my favorite) was a Dirty Hands = gardening soap on a rope, made with coffee grinds, hemp oil, and lime essential oils. Our packaging sets us apart, particularly for green gifts that are creatively packaged using upcycled materials. We carry soaps but have added lotion bars, a unisex deodorant and shampoo bar…all plastic-free. We also have a really fun line of men’s products including beer soaps featuring a local brewery, shave soaps and plastic-free shaving options, and a delicious, nourishing beard balm; we even make a Mountain Man Soap! The Queen is super resourceful and creative; we change and create with every trip to a thrift shop!
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Bee-ing Happy! A nice day at a farmers market, talking with nice customers who are equally caring about the environment and the bees is always a successful day. Bee-cause…from there, success in the form of business growth always follows. A good relationship with a customer means that they will come back and that is another marker of success for the Queen. We started out with plans to simply not LOSE money, but are making more formal plans for a bit of financial success as we grow. We are entering our 5th year and it’s probably time to get a bit more formal (LOL!). We currently are attempting to engage our followers in the review process; word of mouth is the best way for the Queen to feel good about everything she does!
Pricing:
- Our Hand made, plant-based soaps range in price from $5 – $10/bar
- FRESH unisex deodorant (aluminum free and VERY effective) $9
- Solid lotion bars – perfect for travel and purses – $8
Contact Info:
- Website: www.backyardbeesnyc.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @backyardbees
- Facebook: facebook.com/backyardbeessunnyside
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