The Year of Yes: A Sweet Journey with Katie Merchant

"I thought, I'm going to make mistakes and that's okay. And I was okay with it all. So just be kind to myself about it. But learn as much as I can." In this episode of Resilient as F*k!, host Vivian Perez (Vamp Brand Studio) sits down with Katie Merchant, the beekeeper and visionary behind The Honey Merchants, to discuss her transformation from a stay-at-home mom to a thriving CPG founder. Key Topics Covered: The Spark: How her toddler's fear of a house fly inspired Katie to buy 20,000 bees and eventually start a honey empire. The "Year of Yes": Leveraging ADHD as a superpower to hyper-focus and jump from doing just 1 or 2 markets to 47 in a single year. Scaling and Imposter Syndrome: Surviving a 10.5-hour booth setup at the Calgary Stampede and learning to hold her own alongside global, multi-million-dollar brands. Community & Education: Why going into classrooms to teach kids about bees—and handing out honey sticks and "I Love Alberta Bees" buttons—is her favorite way to build a brand footprint. The Power of "No": Learning to set boundaries, walking away from massive events for the sake of family time, and leaning into a direct-to-consumer sales model. Resources Mentioned: The Honey Merchants: thehoneymerchants.com Events & Markets: Calgary Stampede, Saskatoon Farm, Lilac Festival, and The Brewery and the Beast Retailers: Main Street Market (Okotoks and Strathmore) and Jolene's Tea House (Banff) Connect with Vamp Brand Studio: Website: https://www.vanpbrandstudio.com/ Services: Strategy, Identity, Packaging, Web, and Social Design for Resilient Founders.