Danielle Brooks is the entrepreneurial force behind The Honey Truck, a unique business endeavor that combines sustainable agriculture with community engagement.

In our interview, Danielle shares her journey from discovering a simple passion for bees and their critical role in our ecosystem to creating a successful, mission-driven business.

Danielle also shared insights on her challenges while transforming her passion into a profitable venture. If you are looking for a great example of a career pivot, this is it!

Listen for an inspiring glimpse into how one person’s dedication to a cause can create a profitable business where passion and purpose collide and make a difference in the world.

Danielle’s journey stands as a powerful example for anyone looking to turn their passion into a successful business. It emphasizes that with tenacity and strategic planning, any vision, no matter how niche or personal, can evolve into a venture others admire and support.

 

In this podcast you’ll learn:

• Why you should consider your purpose when building a business that you are passionate about
• How to encourage others to “get on board” with your business mission through a powerful brand
• Why it’s critical to listen to your inner voice, dedicate yourself fully, and seize every opportunity to develop a business model that caters to your whole life – including parenting!

 

Ready to jump in? Read the full transcript below!

 

Kelly Youngs:

Hello, everyone. Welcome back. I am delighted to introduce you to Danielle Brooks, the founder of The Honey Truck. She likes to say she is a girl with a dream, a truck, and a passion for bees.
Danielle went from wondering what it would be like to have her own hive of honey to jumping into beekeeping. beekeeping with both feet, becoming a master beekeeper who doesn’t just harvest honey. She’s now an active educator about honey bees, native pollinators, and ways that we humans can conserve bees’ important habitats. She and her vintage truck are both the image of the Honey Truck brand, which are now well-known in Florida. And after hearing her story, I know you will be thawing. buying some sweet honey truck honey. Welcome, Danielle. I’m so happy that you’re here with me today.

Danielle Brooks:

Thank you so much for having me, Kelly. I’m excited to be here.

Kelly Youngs:

Well, I know, you know, I have been following your story and we’ve known each other for a little while now, but I love your brand.
I love your honey. And I think you have such a cool personal story of how you found beekeeping and became passionate about something. something and have turned it into a business,
a mission, and something that you’re really passionate about. So I’m excited to bring you on here today and introduce you to so many women in our community who I know may either have found their passion and trying to figure out how to turn that into something that can become profitable or are really trying to figure out how do I find something that I care about that I’m motivated to pursue. I am thrilled to be able to ask you some questions about it. So before we start talking about these and before we start talking about honey, can I ask you to share what you did and a little bit of your story before you became the founder of The Honey Truck.

Danielle Brooks:

Yeah, absolutely. I’m also a fan of you to I feel like we’ve been like fangirling following each other for several years now so it’s a pleasure. But before I started the honey truck, I graduated from Flagler College with a degree in communications and I very much wanted to be in the news industry. I wanted to be a journalist. I wanted to tell stories and I did it. I was at Channel 4, the local station for about a year working as an associate producer and I absolutely hate my life. I hated that job and that was very hard because I had worked for a long time like high school middle school like working towards that goal that was what I wanted to be and I didn’t enjoy it so I kind of had a quarter -life crisis as I call it and started actually working back at Flagler College doing their press releases some videos part -time and then because I was a contractor that work kind of ran out and they were like hey do you know how to use a camera and I did not but I said yes and I figured it out so that I could keep my job and I continued to work there for four more years and became a family photographer on the side and eventually left Flagler to start my own photography business and I did
that for several years and it just at some point became not super creative for me. I needed like an outlet. And one day I just decided that it would be very cool to just get a beehive and see what happens.
And so that was kind of the beginnings of the honey truck, if you will.

Kelly Youngs:

So I so relate to your story because my background is in communications. I did not work at Channel 4 the local station, but I did work as an associate producer as my first job out of school. It’s a rough job and I appreciate the truth of that, but also how your story kind of shows like those early skill sets that kind of come into play when you step into entrepreneurship or you step into something that’s really really out of your comfort zone. So the fact that you kind of found this thing that you weren’t as passionate about that you thought you would be, but then transferring those skills into something that you did care about. So grateful to you for sharing that. And then I also really, you know, I think so many women in our community can relate to maybe even having found something you cared about more passionate about like photography, but then work in a space, whether you’re a leader in a space, whether you are a business owner, after a while, I think we all are looking for a new challenge or a new sense of meaning. So I love this piece of your story where you didn’t necessarily say, okay, I’m gonna drop everything and start a new business, but you went and sought something that you cared about. So with that, you decided to leave. You were gonna start, I don’t even know what the right word is, like managing a beehive? What’s the right word? Tending a beehive?

Danielle Brooks:

Yeah you just, I mean literally I drove up to Green Cove Springs and I had a Hyundai Sonata and then I popped the trunk and they shoved the beehive in there.
It was completely sealed and then I came home and unsealed it and was like okay well here we go I’m just gonna trial that fire. I checked out a ton of books at the library. library, you know, just learning about it. My husband recommended finding somebody who had a beehive before we brought home 40 ,000 singing insects to make sure that I wasn’t going to freak out about it. And, you know, I definitely was scared in my first beehive. I was like, very intimidated, but it was just, it was something that I feel very much was put in my heart to do. And I was like, this, I can conquer this fear. Like, it’s okay. breathe through this and I mean now I don’t even think twice about it and if the bees are super upset one day it’s just like all right I’ll just close it up and come back another day I’m not too concerned but um yeah it’s it’s been really fun I think a lot of my life has been learning how to pivot and I think that we really saw that during COVID when everything just shut down and like the businesses that succeeded were the ones that immediately were like we have to figure out a new way immediately we can’t just continue to wait and sit and see what happens we have to take action and we have to adjust and not be afraid to see what happens because when you falter or you flounder and you sink yeah

Kelly Youngs:

Okay so I mean yes to everything you just said and as you kind of illustrated with your origin story I guess the ability to kind of shift and adapt and bring yourself into a space that feels comfortable where you’re able to kind of highlight your skills is a superpower as an entrepreneur. But you take us through this journey where you brought your first beekeeping or hive home. See, I need to, I don’t have the right language. Your hive home and then how that became not just a beekeeping or hive home.
just something that you enjoyed doing and were passionate about but became a business.

Danielle Brooks:

So I brought home my first bee hive and if you’re not making honey you’re making bees. So at a certain point your colony will become too big for that box and so you either decide that you’re going to put honey stupors on to give them more room to expand and grow into or you’re going to split that hive and make two hives. So I decided to split my hives because I wanted more bees and then the following year I had too many bees for my property that I really should have on it. So I found somebody else who had property and I moved the bees over there on the island and that was the first year that I harvested any meaningful honey from these beehives and I brought them home and realized immediately that they were different colors and I was just like why is this a thing?
So I started researching plant ecology and a sunflower that grows on the island is gonna have salt in the air, sand in the soil and it’s gonna produce a different nectar than a sunflower would inland if it doesn’t have those resources. There’s also more wildflowers that would grow on the island versus a lot of saw palmetto and gallberry that grows inland. And those create different tasting honeys.
And immediately I knew that this is a marketable idea. I could start selling honey based on different communities in St. Augustine because everybody loves St. Augustine. If you live here,
you love and you’re proud to be a part of our community. And so I very much was still doing full -time photography and my– husband at the time was getting his law practice off the ground and running so he wasn’t working for somebody else he very much had to find his own clients had to do his own thing and so I was supporting us financially while I kind of had this pet project on the side as he was growing his business.

Kelly Youngs:

Not only did you have the kind of the need to support for you guys financially but you were trying to build this passion project into a business.
So would you say that that experience is the biggest challenge you’ve had as an entrepreneur or have you had greater challenges along the way?

Danielle Brooks:

I would definitely say I had greater challenges along the way.
To me, coming up with an idea for a business is like me just like fiddle farting around saying, well, we’ll be a good business idea. Like I love that stuff.
I’m super creative but for me where You know rubber meets the road is figuring out Systems and practices to put into place as I’m growing and scaling my business I had to buy manufacturing equipment And it’s all off the used market because I can’t afford $30 ,000 for one piece of machinery So nobody shows you how to set it up.
Nobody shows you how to make it run for your product Nobody shows you the ins and outs of it. When it breaks down, you have to figure all of that out yourself. And so suddenly your label machine is down because you don’t know why and it’s down for you don’t know how long until you fix the problem because you’re the one who owns it and you’re the only one who is on the line to make it work. So I would definitely say the ins and outs of business just over the longevity of it has been more of a challenge than just saying I’m going to start a business. I would definitely say that I’m not the person to model your business after I did not go to school for business.
I have taken zero business courses. I am terrible with finances and putting it all down on paper. I do it, but I’m terrible at it. And so I very much was the person of like,
this is a great idea. I’m going to start a business. And a lot of people will say that’s a terrible way to start a business. However, I think that my lack of experience in that area gave me a competitive edge over most people because I didn’t know how to do it. And so I figured out a way that worked for me in my life that other people may say, that’s awful. I would never do that. Or that’s, you know, whatever, whatever, but like, look at me now. So I think that sometimes you just just got to jump in with both of you and figure it out because instead of just trying to wait for it to happen.

Kelly Youngs:

Okay, I love that. Well, look at me now. I love that. And I have to say, you know, I’ve been, I’ve had Jesus for nine years. I’ve worked with so many different entrepreneurs. And most of the time they have a similar story to you where they say like numbers aren’t necessarily my skill set. You know I don’t have a lot of business experience but really successful business owners tend to have that work ethic and that creativity that you talked about and the ability to pivot and shift and it’s not just creativity from a branding perspective but creativity about what does it actually take to run a business to get new products on the on the market and all of that so I think that’s a great example now if in those challenging times, because I mean, I have so much empathy for you when I hear you talking about this machinery, because I know as a business center myself, there’s so many times where I’m like, why am I the only person that has to deal with this because it’s my business,
right? You made this choice, you have to deal with whatever this dress is. But I can only imagine what that looks like when you’re dealing with a $30 ,000 machine. So talk me through how you stay motivated in those moments when you’re like, why am I the person turning the screw here trying to figure this out? How do you keep that sense of motivation in your business? And just as a mom, as a human in life.

Danielle Brooks:

So I read Simon Sinek “Start With Why” and that was kind of pivotal for me when I first started “Honey Truck” because he goes about saying like,
like, why are you doing what you’re doing? Figure that out first because if you don’t know, then other people can’t follow you along in your journey. Like you’re just a ship without a rudder, so to speak. And so for me, because I saw that these honeys were visually different and I didn’t know why. So I automatically assumed that probably most people don’t know why honey is different colors or you know, about plant ecology. And so. And so I am very passionate about teaching people where their honey comes from. If I’m not the beekeeper who kept those hives, I know the beekeeper who did. I’ve seen their beehives. I know them personally. I’m hinging my credibility, my reputation on being transparent with that information.
And I think that people appreciate that, especially with just the– the food industry as it is, where there’s like adulterated honey on the market. We’re importing all sorts of products that who knows what kind of pesticides are on them. Even if it says that it’s organic and it was imported from Peru, if they open up that container and they see bugs in there, what are they gonna do if they’re gonna spray it? So it’s really not organic. So I just really think that that is my why.
I wanna educate people. So… I do what I sell honey the how am I sell honey in a beautiful bottle and it is the byproduct it is a product of my it’s my vehicle it is how I do my why and also I have this little lie who keeps me going motivated can you say hi hi that’s Lincoln he’s my little four -year -old I think I think it’s important to also know that I wanted to start my own business.
And originally I thought that was going to be photography. But you know, now I’m doing honey truck. But I wanted to be a mom who was involved. I, my mom climbed a corporate ladder.
She is, she did it in a man’s world. I am super proud of her, but that meant that she missed out on a lot of things and. I wanted to be around more but I also don’t want to be a full -time stay -at -home mom because while I love my children I would go insane if I didn’t have something that was just for me.
So right now the best of both worlds means that I’m at home with them part -time and they go to childcare they go to school part -time isn’t that right?

Kelly Youngs:

Your answer leads perfectly into my next question which was the start with the why and my question for you is how do you define purpose in what you do.
And maybe you just answered it with being a mom and being home. But what does that look like to you? What does it mean to you to live on purpose?

Danielle Brooks:

Um, so for me, for me, my purpose is I’m like, not to get like super religious, but like my purpose is. I’m called the glorify God and everything I do that needs to be the forefront so like for me my mission field is my kids like they’re my purpose they’re why I’m doing what I’m doing I want to be a mom who is able to disciple my kids well I want to be a business owner that people say gee Daniel handles things a little differently she’s kind she’s generous she’s thoughtful she’s caring one of my beekeepers beekeepers, they live in the middle of the state and last year when all of those hurricanes came through, it kind of obliterated all of the orange orchards. And so they went out to help family and we helped them out financially to buy supplies for batteries,
for water, for whatever they needed because when they hurt, I hurt. And that is my purpose. I’m called to live life. on a mission and it’s loving other people well.

Kelly Youngs:

I love that answer. All right. So as we kind of close up our, our conversation, I want to ask you two things. And one is about you and one is about all of the people listening.
So the first question is going to be, what characteristic do you think you have within you that has really helped you the most to succeed to where you are and to where I know you’re going?

Danielle Brooks:

I think a characteristic that has helped me the most is being well -spoken, learning how to communicate effectively with people, which all goes back to my education. I’m not telling other people stories, I’m telling my story and that’s important because I’m telling it well. well and you know I share part of my life with people and that is a little bit of marketability thing.
I don’t ever want to be too marketing with my kids because that’s just not me so you’ll very rarely see our kids on the social media channel but I think it’s being open and honest and being able to communicate well that has helped me. I tell my story over and over and over as we sell honey. And yeah, I think that if you are not able to communicate well that it can be a learned experience that you can grow and develop in that way, just like any other skill that you can grow and develop. And so if you’re sitting there saying, well, I don’t have a communication degree and I don’t like speaking in front of people, that’s okay. You can communicate well in a different way and that can be powerful for you and your business in whatever it is that you’re doing.

Kelly Youngs:

So that’s such a great answer. And honestly, not one that I thought you would give, but it’s such a perfect answer because I– – What did you think I was gonna say? – Well, I think maybe like grit,
perseverance, ’cause that’s kind of, but I think you’re somebody who has like, you know, know, as you, you kind of illustrated earlier, you’ve had these big challenges that you’ve been able to overcome them. And I also think having a product -based business where you have to be able to market to the public, but also you have to, you know, know, no plant ecology, you know, manage not just machinery, but also it’s like, it’s essentially a version of farming, right? So there’s a lot of different pieces in there. So in my mind, that takes a lot of perseverance just to be able to kind of bring all that together. But I think your answer is fantastic because first of all, you are good at that. But also your brand for me, and I said this in the beginning, I’ve been following your brand even before we met, really stands out as one that has a distinct personality, has a point of view, and I think is really recognizable. And that is not always common, especially with new brands, right? Whatever they are, whether you’re selling water bottles or honey or bags, it doesn’t matter. I think that’s a really challenging thing. So your ability to communicate that both as a speaker,
but also through your brand is really powerful as well.

Danielle Brooks:

A hundred percent. And I would highly recommend anybody to pay for your branding. branding. Now branding is not a logo,
the two are vastly different. I had a logo when I started and it did nothing for me. I have a brand now. So a lot of times I’ve been told my good friend went to the doctor’s office and she was wearing a honey truck t -shirt and the doctor said, “Oh, do you run the honey truck?” Like I love that my reputation perceived me but that people don’t automatically know who I am. I kind of like the mystique behind it. I appreciate that people think fondly of the honey truck and it very much is a community brand like I built this business in St. Augustine with St. Augustinians and like it’s not just me that has poured time energy and resources into the honey truck a lot of people have and I’m so very thankful for our community that has helped us come this far.

Kelly Youngs:

So I love that you know, you just talked about the power that other people have had on your business and on you as a business owner and just a woman in general.
And the closing question that I have asked all of our guests on this season is to share just the words of wisdom that you would want the women who are listening to this, whether it’s next week or two years from now who are listening to this podcast, the words of wisdom that that you would really want them to take out into the world and remember from our conversation today.

Danielle Brooks:

I would say the thing that is is most important to remember um there I love Casey Musgraves and there’s a line in one of her songs that says if you want to bottle lightning you’ve got to stand in the rain and I identify so heavily with that because a lot of people look at honey truck and they say oh my gosh like look at this great brand, look at this company and what she’s doing, she’s so lucky, but what they’re seeing is that lightning in a bottle and what they don’t see is me standing in the rain alone for hours where I’m standing there with a piece of machinery that I don’t know how to run,
that I’ve got bloody knuckles, literally bloody knuckles trying to figure out how this thing works because I have zero knowledge on mechanics or anything. They don’t see me spending countless hours trying to figure out website stuff. They don’t see me spending countless hours trying to send one email because I have tiny humans who run around and make it difficult for me to send one email. All they see is the lightning in a bottle. So if you feel like you’re standing in the rain, that’s right where you should be because you might catch lightning one day and it’s worth the wait.

Kelly Youngs:

I think that might be… be my favorite answer that we’ve ever had, that’s such a beautiful answer. I’m 100 % gonna steal that and I will credit you.

Danielle Brooks:

Credit Casey Musgraves, don’t credit me.

Kelly Youngs:

I’m gonna credit you because you’re the one who shared it with me and I do know that song but that’s such a beautiful example.
So Danielle, thank you so much for your time today. For everybody who’s listening to this, I know you’re gonna wanna learn more about Danielle and the Honey Truck and you can do that at honeytruck .com. Danielle is there anything else that you want people to know about how they can learn more how they can buy your honey or anything else they want to share with them.

Danielle Brooks:

Everything at honeytruck.com and you can follow along on our social media adventures on Instagram and Facebook because I don’t do Tik Tok and that’s pretty much all my social media that I want to be doing so.

Kelly Youngs:

We have a lot in common.

Danielle Brooks:

And if you want you can sign up for our email list. I promise not to send spam because I’m also the only one doing that and I send an email maybe once a year.

Kelly Youngs:
Perfect. Well, Danielle, thank you so much again. It’s been honestly such a pleasure and fun. And now I’ve got my favorite quote ever. So thank you again for joining me today.

Danielle Brooks:

Thank you so much for having me. It was great being here.

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