We had the good fortune of connecting with Tasha Trujillo and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tasha, we’d love to hear about a book that’s had an impact on you.
The book that had the biggest impact on my professional life would have to be ‘Honeybee Democracy’ by Thomas D. Seeley which explains the amazing and intricate world of honeybee behavior and how bees swarm. It truly made me become even more fascinated by honeybees and fall completely in love with the wonderful are of keeping bees.

What should our readers know about your business?
Palm Pike Apiary has a zero-waste initiative where we are actively working on being as low waste as possible. Not many businesses are attempting this and it can be very difficult. I studied Sustainability at Florida International University and I learned so much about many of the issues going on today with our natural world. Many believe that running a business is about profit and profit only. However, my business plan is different in the sense that I also focus a lot on making a difference in the way people view pollinators and nature. I believe you can run a business, make a living, and also make a difference in this world while not harming the environment. My biggest challenge right now with running our zero waste initiative is finding affordable materials for our products. My newest project is growing organic cut flowers here in the Redlands. Since I am so new to this, it can be difficult to know what I need to have on hand. This can create more waste than I anticipated. However, as we continue to grow and learn, we will get better at producing less waste and also utilizing any waste we create. For example, we will compost any organic materials that we do not need anymore to create more soil for our flowers!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’m definitely not someone who enjoys strolling down the street and checking out bars, and neither is my best friend. My best friend and I would visit Everglades National Park first for some hiking and wildlife watching. After we’d definitely stop by Robert Is Here for a delicious shake and local fruit! I’d take some time to visit my favorite restaurant, Finka! We’d take a bike trip down to Shark Valley, another section of Everglades National Park that has a 15-mile bike trail. Another day would be dedicated to snorkeling in Biscayne National Park! The outdoors is where my heart truly lies and not many people in Miami know where to enjoy it in this bustling city.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I definitely want to dedicate this to my partner Jovany. Without him, Palm Pike Apairy would have never been born. He also pushed me to get out of my comfort zone and run this company. Jovany encourages me whenever I feel like I can’t do something or like I can’t keep going. He has helped me and our business grow exponentially in 2 short years!

Website: palmpike.com
Instagram: @palmpike
Facebook: palmpike

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutMiami is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.