What Bees Taught Me About Family, Leadership, and Running a Business

I know some of my article topics can seem a little random – from a rooftop tent on my Volvo and now to bees – but I do believe that with an open mind, there’s always learning and inspiration all around us. So, here’s to bees and my ramblings about what I believe we can learn from them and apply to retail.

I’ve had some great times with my dad, Mike, harvesting honey from our family beehives. It’s always interesting, and the end result is always worth it – there’s nothing quite like the taste of fresh honey straight from the hive. But don’t let the sweetness fool you – it’s not an easy thing todo for the Bee's or us humans! There’s a fair bit of heavy lifting involved, especially when those frames are loaded with honey. Still, it’s always nice to spend time with Dad, and family time is something I really cherish.

Now, what’s really interesting about bees is how much the queen affects the whole hive’s vibe. We had this one hive where the queen just had an aggressive nature and as a result, turned the entire colony into a bunch of aggressive bees. The second you got close, it was total chaos, they even got inside dad's undies but thats a story for another time! Meanwhile, other hives were so chilled you could work around them with barely a buzz of bother. It’s mad how the queen’s temperament ripples through the entire colony.

It’s a bit like leadership in business don't you think? The mood at the top trickles down and sets the tone for the whole team. A good leader keeps things calm and productive, but if things are off at the top, the tension spreads like wildfire, and suddenly everything feels way harder than it should. Bees show us just how important leadership and culture are.

On top of that, honey harvesting is a great reminder of the value of hard graft and connection. All that lifting, the sweat, and then the sweet reward at the end plus Mum, Sue, makes a great bacon sandwich. Family means the world to me, and there’s something really special about getting stuck in with my dad, doing something together and enjoying the fruits of our labour – literally!

Taking inspiration from honey bees, here’s how we can apply their lessons to running a successful retail business:

Teamwork & Collaboration

Bees are masters of teamwork, with every bee playing its part, from the workers to the queen. In retail, encouraging a collaborative team environment, where everyone knows their role, keeps things running smoothly and ensures a top-notch customer experience.

Adaptability

Bees change their productivity depending on the season, making sure they’ve got enough for the winter. Similarly, retail businesses need to be nimble and adjust to seasonal trends, customer demands, and market changes to stay ahead of the game.

Customer Focus & Service

Worker bees are all about serving the colony’s needs by collecting nectar and producing honey. In retail, it’s all about focusing on customer satisfaction – offering the right products and providing standout service to keep people coming back.

Efficiency & Optimisation

Bees don’t waste time, taking the most direct route – the famous “bee-line” – to gather nectar. In retail, optimising operations, from supply chains to store layouts, helps improve workflow, reduce costs, and give customers a better experience.

Sustainability

Bees are vital to the ecosystem, pollinating plants and keeping nature ticking over. Retailers can learn from this by adopting eco-friendly practices, offering sustainable products, and cutting down waste – something more and more customers are looking for these days.

Six Fun Facts About Honey Bees:

1. The Wiggle Dance: Bees have their own form of sat-nav! They perform a little “wiggle dance” to let the others know where to find the best flowers.
2. The Queen’s Reign: The queen bee can live up to five years and lays around 2,000 eggs a day when things are in full swing!
3. Buzzing Around: Honey bees can hit speeds of about 15 miles per hour, covering serious ground as they collect nectar.
4. Honeycomb Geometry: Bees are natural architects, building their honeycombs in perfect hexagons. It’s the most space-efficient shape and uses less wax than any other.
5. Pollination Superstars: One bee colony can pollinate over 300 million flowers each day – talk about doing their bit for the planet!
6. Tiny but Mighty: A single honey bee makes just one-twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in its entire lifetime. That’s why the collective effort of the hive is so impressive – lots of small contributions lead to big tasty result!

These tiny creatures remind us that with teamwork, adaptability, and a focus on sustainability, we can create something truly sweet – both in business and in life.

As always love and peace to all.

Bob

PS For the record my brother Tony Neville is also a top bloke!