Madeline McDermott is a senior at Saint Rose College in Albany, New York. Maddie is on the Saint Rose swim team and owns a business with her mom and sister. I got the chance to interview her and ask her questions about her college experience and her business, Honey Drone. Honey Drone sells t-shirts and a percentage of the profits goes to saving the honey bees. Their social media and website are linked at the bottom of the article if you want to help save the bees!
Her Campus Siena: How do you like college and being a student-athlete? Do you find it hard to do and do you have any tips on how to manage time?
Madeline McDermott: I am currently a student-athlete at The College of Saint Rose. This is the third year I will be competing on the women’s swim team. Being a student-athlete is a decision I don’t regret. At times, it’s overwhelming but the passion and drive I have for swimming make it well worth it. Being a student-athlete is a challenge but it is possible. I manage time by planning. On Sunday, I plan out everything I have to do for the week. This helps me mentally and physically prepare for the week ahead.
HCS: Why did you pick marketing as a major? What do you like about it?
MM: Marketing intrigued me because of the creativity that comes with the study of it. I like that marketing isn’t just about business. Studying marketing also comes along with studying other things such as psychology and graphic design.
HCS: Do you think taking marketing classes helps with running the honey drone business?
MM: Yes, by taking marketing courses I learn the facts of marketing and really analyze the study of marketing. I started social media marketing for Honey Drone in high school. I did not know much about marketing or how I could use to my advantage. Before taking marketing courses, I used the method of trial and error while marketing Honey Drone’s products. Now, I can use my studies to make logical marketing strategies.
HCS: Tell me about Honey Drone.
MM: Honey Drone is a business my mom, sisters and I created in May of 2016. Many people know and love animals that are going extinct such as turtles and elephants, but we wanted to raise awareness about how important bees are to humans. My older sister, Katie, an alumni of RPI designed the logo. I created and started to run the website and all social media accounts. While my mom managed the finances.
HCS: Tell me about the company that you donate the money to, Pollinator Partnership?
MM: Pollinator Partnership is the world’s largest organization that promotes issues with pollinators such as bees. They work with scientists and conservation groups to make sure that bees and their habitats stay safe.
HCS: Why did you pick honey bees?
MM: Honey Bees were chosen to be the focus of Honey Drone because most don’t know how important they are to humans. Bees provide us with things we use every day such as cotton in our clothing, fruit and coffee. We need bees to survive, without them we would only have wind-pollinated crops. Bees are vital to our environment.
HCS: What do you like most about it and what do you like least about running a business?
MM: Running your own business can definitely come with pros and cons. What I like best about running my own business is the decisions are all up to you. You don’t have to rely on anyone else to make a decision. But with that comes a lot of responsibility. This is one of the least things I like about running a business. Sometimes risks have to be taken and without a huge staff and other options to rely on.
HCS: Do you like working with your family?
MM: Yes, my mom, sister and I work well together. As I said before, we all have our own roles in running the business so that it can be successful.
HCS: Is there anything we can look forward to for Honey Drone releases?
MM: Eventually I would love to release new Honey Drone products. Going to school and being an athlete takes away a lot of time towards running a business. My next project for the company is to make Honey Drone hats and stickers.
HCS: where can people shop for Honey Drone and what are the social media accounts?
MM: Honey Drone’s products are all listed on our website: http://www.myhoneydrone.com/
Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter: @myhoneydrone