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

Hi Adrian, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
After living with bees in my roof for a good while and getting stung a few times my wife and I started looking into getting our new not so cuddly pets removed. While on our search We found so many articles about honeybees being in trouble and how population numbers were struggling. We started calling around to different pest control companies to see what our removal options were. Non of them offered live removal and relocation as an option. That’s when we knew there had to be a better way to safely remove and relocate the colony in our roof. Soon after We found that The University of Florida was hosting an event called South Florida Bee College. I attended the event and met several beekeepers from the state and learned so much about honeybees and beekeeping. I also got the opportunity to learn how to do a live removal from some large flower pots that they brought for a demo. After the weekend event I shared a few pictures on my Facebook. I started getting messages from friends and family about how they had bees and that they needed them removed. I really enjoyed doing the removals so that’s when I decided that I wanted to do it for work.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I’m proud of what I do because it gives me an opportunity to turn a negative into a positive. I help people who feel in danger, and in turn, ensure the survival of one of our planets most important creatures, with the added bonus of a sweet treat.

I’ve been in this business for 10 years now, but getting started was not without its challenges. Learning how to convert this newfound passion into a business has been one of the most difficult feats of my life. Getting the word out was tougher than I realized. The lack of work opportunities left me feeling like it might not be sustainable. I decided to start documenting my work on Instagram as a way to journal my progress. People started to take notice and larger accounts started reposting my work. The calls started to come in, and now, 10 years later I have been able to turn a hobby into my full time career. I am currently undertaking a rebranding to even further focus on my goals in this industry and I’m so excited for what the future holds.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
There would be a few spots I’d take a friend that was visiting from out of town. We’d have to go grab one of my favorite subs at the Sub Center in Hollywood. That pastrami sandwich is just too good to pass up. I’d also go grab some Cuban food over at Black Bean Cafe. We’d also have to go check out Cleveland’s Ice Cream parlor, their grape nut ice cream is amazing. I enjoy drinking beer so checking out all the local breweries we have in south Florida is a must. Would definitely have to go to Invasive Species, Tripping Animals and Lost City brewing. All with super solid beer options.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I want to give a shoutout to my wife Alicen. Without her there would be no way that I would have taken the time to learn about bees or had the courage to start a business. Thank you Alicen for everything you do for me and our family. You’ve helped me find my dream job and you are extremely supportive of me while we build this awesome life with our family and the honeybees.

Website: Gcbeeco.com

Instagram: Goldcoastbeeco

Facebook: Gold Coast Bee Company

Other: Additional IG @Beardedbeekeeper

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