Carly and Molly Houlahan

Carly and Molly Houlahan have learned how to overcome problems and use their tribulations to inspire change with their honey selling business Hive for Lives. After experiencing the loss of their grandfather to esophageal cancer at young ages, Carly and Molly Houlahan, at the ages of 9 and 11, started a honey company where profits go to the research of cancer cures.

Through their hands on approach (tending the bees and harvesting, spinning, bottling, labeling, and marketing the 12 ounce jars of honey themselves), Carly and Molly have donated more than $160,000 of their profits to find a cure for cancer. But their dedication to change doesn’t stop there. These young entrepreneurs manage 50 kids under the age of 18 years old who volunteer their time to the business. They also maintain corporate relationships with Whole Foods Markets in 9 of 11 regions in support of the local honey market, work weekends and nights to maintain their business operations (selling at fairs and farmer’s markets, answering emails, working on their website and packing orders) while also offering advice at business conferences, bee keeping gatherings, schools, churches and community events. At these events, Carly and Molly have promoted the importance of bees to the environment, the joy of community service, and the power of youth.

Together, Carly and Molly Houlahan have given chunks of $15,000-20,000 to fund one researcher for a year on a new project for cancer research. Their unique business has combined community service, entrepreneurism and environmentalism. While providing financial support for a cure to the one of every two women and the one in three men who will be diagnosed with cancer, Carly and Molly have also dedicated their time educating the public on the important roles bees have on our environment. Bees provide a third of the food we eat due to pollination; yet, we have lost over half of our domestic bee population to Colony Collapse Disorder. Through Hives of Lives, Carly and Molly make it their mission to inform the public of this phenomenon.

Around 20,000 people have purchased a jar of honey which has supported about 8 years of research. Carly and Molly Houlahan are shining examples of how one can turn his or her lost into a fortune for others.