Daily Inspiration: Meet Emma, Tessa, Michelle Benson, Benson, Benson

Today we’d like to introduce you to Emma, Tessa, Michelle Benson, Benson, Benson

Hi Emma, Tessa, Michelle, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Our beekeeping journey began as a way to connect with something outside the chaos of everyday life while making a positive environmental impact in our community. Early on, we realized the “Save the Bees” campaign isn’t about honeybees but rather native bees, so we decided to use our honeybee project as an educational tool to spread awareness about all pollinators.
We started by building a native pollinator garden alongside our hives. Over time, we began sharing our knowledge with the community, hosting school visits, and even bringing a frame of bees to classrooms so kids could safely observe these amazing creatures up close. Education became a core part of our mission—we wanted to foster a healthy respect for all bees and their role in our ecosystem. One of our favorite memories is hosting a Boy Scout on harvest day, where he got to suit up, meet the bees, and crank the extractor to harvest honey. Moments like that are a reminder of why we do this.
The honey and wax by-products were unexpected but welcome rewards. Taking care of the bees—providing them a safe home, treating them for diseases, and feeding them through the winter—created a beautiful, symbiotic relationship. The bees gifted us extra honey and wax, which allowed us to explore creative projects.
Bee-keeping hasn’t been without its challenges. Harsh winters, aggressive hives, swarms, and the occasional sting have tested us over the past five years. But the rewards have far outweighed the challenges. Explaining to kids and adults alike how beeswax is made, sharing the secrets of the Queen Bee, or seeing their fascination with the bee lifecycle never gets old. Watching that light of understanding and respect spark in others makes it all worth it.
Our kids, now ages 9 and 7, have become an integral part of our beekeeping journey. They’ve helped us shape the brand, adding their creativity and energy to everything from designing labels to choosing jars and packaging. With guidance from our talented neighbor Ashil, a professional designer and brand specialist, we kicked off our branding efforts, creating a cohesive and fun identity for our products.
We also built a solar wax melter to render beeswax for products like lip balms, candles, beeswax wraps, and even dog paw wax. The kids love brainstorming new ideas for these creations, and they’re learning valuable lessons about running a small business—interacting with customers, fulfilling orders, and understanding the importance of hard work and creativity.
For us, beekeeping is about more than honey. It’s about education, family, and community. Through our work, we hope to inspire others to appreciate these incredible creatures and do their part to support all pollinators.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Beekeeping is definitely not always a smooth road—it’s husbandry, after all. Honeybees are livestock, and like any livestock, they require care. Sometimes, despite your best efforts, a colony can collapse, and unexpected challenges arise.
One of the more memorable marks left was when a determined little bee found a tiny hole in my hood. By the time we both realized she was trapped, we panicked together, and she stung me right on the cheek and my eye swelled shut for a couple days. Moments like that are a stark reminder that beekeeping requires patience, resilience, and respect for the bees.
Trial and error has been a constant theme. Harvest days, for example, can start as a carefully planned event but often end after sundown, with stickiness everywhere—on hands, equipment, floors, and even us! Learning how to refine our process and manage the chaos has been part of the adventure.
Each challenge has taught us valuable lessons and deepened our appreciation for the bees and the hard work it takes to care for them. It’s not always easy, but the rewards make every sticky mishap and sting worth it.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
First and foremost, I’m a mother, then a medical professional, and finally, a beekeeper. My primary work is as a perfusionist in the operating room, where I run the heart-lung machine during surgeries. It’s a demanding and technical role that requires me to follow strict protocols and make clinical decisions that can directly impact the success of a surgery. It’s often high-stress, with long hours, holidays on call, and being ready at any time of day or night.
Beekeeping offers a completely different pace. It’s a way to step outside the chaos, connect with nature, and focus on something quieter and more meditative. Tending the hives in my backyard allows me to appreciate the hive mind and the collective community within each colony. It’s a beautiful counterbalance to my professional life, and I enjoy the sense of peace it brings.
I’m most proud of being an example to my daughters, showing them what it means to balance a high-pressure career with a meaningful hobby and small business. Through beekeeping, I’m able to demonstrate responsibility to a living community and the importance of caring for something beyond ourselves.
What sets me apart is this blend of precision-driven work in the operating room with the slower, nurturing pace of beekeeping. Interestingly, I’ve found that out of the roughly 4,000 perfusionists, many share an interest in beekeeping—perhaps it’s the mix of structure and harmony that draws us to it.
Teaching my kids to care for the bees has also been deeply rewarding. It’s about more than just taking care of animals or a hobby—it’s about developing empathy, responsibility, and an appreciation for the interconnectedness of life. These lessons extend to every part of who we are and the impact we have on the world around us.

Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
Community support has been the cornerstone of our success. We wouldn’t be where we are without the interest and enthusiasm of our neighbors for local, raw honey. Their support has fueled our passion and given us the motivation to keep growing. We’ve also been incredibly fortunate to have talented neighbors contribute to our journey, like Designs by Ashil, who helped us with branding, and Brand Pro Studio, our amazing product photographer.
Family has also played an essential role. From grandparents pitching in with everything—checking on the bees, helping with harvests, and even assisting in selling an aggressive hive—to the kids taking an active role in the business, it’s truly been a family effort. Laurie and John Oliver, who have shared in both the triumphs and the challenges of managing six hives (360,000 bees), have been a constant source of strength and encouragement.
And, of course, my husband and the kids’ dad has been an unsung hero. Whether it’s shoveling a path to the hive in the middle of a snowstorm, experimenting (and occasionally destroying kitchen pans) with sugar-pollen mixtures, making last-minute runs to the bee store in Littleton, or giving up half the garage for extra bee boxes and tools, he’s embraced this unexpected adventure with patience and humor.
Success in beekeeping has been a team effort, driven by community, creativity, and the love and hard work of our family.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.purplehousehoney.com
• Instagram: @purple_house_honey
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/purplehousehoney/