Today we’d like to introduce you to Rachael Messner.
Hi Rachael, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
We started Messner Bee Farm in 2014 with a couple of beehives in our backyard and a fascination with making things with our hands and sharing joy with our community. In the early years, we spent our evenings and weekends experimenting—learning beekeeping, selling honey at small markets, and slowly growing product by product. What we lacked in experience, we made up for in curiosity, grit, and a willingness to say “yes” and figure things out as we went.
For years we poured candles in our kitchen, labeled products on our living-room floor, and reinvested almost everything we earned back into the business. As demand grew, we expanded into beeswax goods, lip balms, lotions, and bee-themed merchandise, all grounded in our mission to be “bringers of joy.”
In 2017, we opened our first brick-and-mortar store in Raytown. Since then, we’ve added a second location, consigning locations at Made in KC, Shop Local KC and Queen Bee Boutiques, built a full production workshop, expanded into wholesale, partnered with regional retailers, created a mobile trolley shop, and grown our team to over 20 employees!
When we think about what has gotten us to where we are today, our first thought goes to our incredibly supportive community. We’ve also been very lucky to earn the loyalty of some amazing employees. Together, we obsess over product quality, bees and other pollinators, and how to bring joy in everything we do!
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Well, at first the biggest struggle was just learning everything at once! That’s probably true for all small businesses. We were beekeepers, makers, marketers, bookkeepers, salespeople…etc.
Along the way, we’ve made countless mistakes. I think one principle that has served us well has been to make all the most critical mistakes when we were still small, and not try to grow too fast. We’re also really big on continuous learning. One thing Covid taught us is that the world is always changing, and you have to continuously adjust and look for your blind spots before they take you down.
These days, the hardest transition has been learning to step out of “doing everything ourselves. After a decade of being in the trenches, moving into more leadership roles has required us to let go of habits that once served us well. We’ve had to build better financial visibility, clarify responsibilities, and learn how to lead a growing team instead of trying to personally hold every piece together.
We’ve been impressed with Messner Bee Farm, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Messner Bee Farm is a joyful, maker-driven brand built around bees, craft, and community. We design, produce, and package many of our products in-house. We keep bees and make raw honey, creamed and infused honeys, beeswax goods, lip balms, candles, solid perfumes, cotton candy, and more.
We’re known for creating products that are both high quality and full of personality. From our lip tint collection inspired by heirloom tomatoes to our intricately molded beeswax candles, we hope that customers can feel the care and craftsmanship in every detail. We handle every step—from raw material to finished good—with intention.
What sets us apart is our mission to be “bringers of joy.” It shows up in everything: our bright stores, our storytelling, our handcrafted scents, our designs, and our curated customer experiences. We look for ways to bring joy to others in every aspect of our business.
We’re also proud to stand at the intersection of creativity and sustainability. Bees are at the center of everything we do, and we work hard to honor them by producing clean, thoughtful products and sharing our love for pollinators with the community.
What matters most to you?
Bringing joy in our community, advocating for honeybees and pollinators in general, and making premium quality products and experiences for our customers.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.messnerbeefarm.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/messnerbeefarm/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MessnerBeeFarm
