Healing Veterans Through Beekeeping feat. Steve Jimenez ’22

Owl Have You Know

Interested in learning the key to a peaceful transition from military to civilian life? For many veterans, it's found in an unexpected place: beekeeping.

Meet Steve Jimenez '22, a veteran and Rice Business alum, who discovered an unexpected passion when a friend introduced him to beekeeping. In 2018, this passion became a mission when he founded Hives for Heroes, a nonprofit that empowers veterans, active-duty military members, and first responders, by teaching them the art of beekeeping. This skill not only helps them adjust to civilian life but also provides a powerful way to manage post-traumatic stress.

Today, Hives for Heroes has grown beyond Steve's wildest dreams, spanning all 50 states, with over 31,000 hives under their care. The best part? They're just getting started, with exciting plans for a new headquarters in Houston on the horizon.

Join us as we dive into Steve's remarkable journey, and the rapid rise of Hives for Heroes.

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Episode Guide:

01:17 Steve's Educational Background and Joining the Marine Corps

03:16 Marine Corps Training and Deployment Experiences

05:54 Transitioning to Civilian Life and Career Challenges

09:40 Discovering Beekeeping and Founding Hives for Heroes

15:08 Impact and Growth of Hives for Heroes

20:57 The Hive Mentality

21:10 A Life-Saving Connection: Derek's Story

22:17 Joining Hives for Heroes: The Process

22:42 Mentorship and Community Building

25:13 Awards and Recognition: A Humble Perspective

27:47 Scaling Up: The Need for Support

32:14 Heroes Honey: The Sweet Taste of Freedom

34:46 Future Vision: Connecting People, Nature, and Technology

38:46 A Call for Support

Owl Have You Know is a production of Rice Business and is produced by University FM.

Episode Quotes:

On redefining his identity

23:50: I used to call myself Steve the Marine. Now I'm Steve. That was in the Marines. There's a very different shift there that I love, like, I am now more so a father than a Marine. That's who I am, right? I care about my kids more than the Marine Corps at this point in my life. Doesn't mean I don't honor that service. It just means that I've moved forward. And that's a lot of growth for me personally. And I know we tend to put our identities into things. You get to choose that, so I choose to put that into my fatherhood or being a public servant that we're able to serve the general public in really amazing ways, leading what I consider one of the best organizations on the planet. Those are the types of things that when you take your identity and allow yourself to create your identity, your path, and your journey. It's a super-powerful experience.

On Hives for Heroes’ impact

We never thought that the organization would have the reach and impact that it does today. I think our most important number has always been one. One meaning to serve one person in a capacity that changes their life. And we can do that whether that's a beekeeping experience or even a conversation. When you are around people that genuinely care about you and your successes but want nothing from you, it's a pretty powerful position to be in, especially when you feel alone. So, what our organization has been able to do is connect individuals to individuals in their local areas. So, we call it hyperlocal global impact because that's what we do.

From chaos to calmness

13:31: ​​When I started focusing into the beehive, this experience caused me to really remove every external thing that I was thinking about, anything that was going on at the house, anything with my kids, anything that was going on externally was gone. [13:58] You have this, what we now call chaos to calmness. So, this was the first time in almost 10 years that I actually felt peace. I felt calm in my spirit, in my soul, in my brain, however you want to describe it.

Show Links:

• United States Marines
• Ark Hive Apiary
• Texas Business Hall of Fame
• Heroes Honey
• Texas For Heroes
• Lilie Lab | Rice University
• Kyle Judah | Jones Graduate School of Business at Rice University
• Napier Rice Launch Challenge - Liu Idea Lab for Innovation & Entrepreneurship
• Al Danto | Jones Graduate School of Business at Rice University
• Rice Alumni
• Houston Customer Innovation Center | HPE
• Transcript
  
  

Guest Profiles:

• Hives For Heroes
• Hives for Heroes® (@hivesforheroes) • Instagram
• Hives for Heroes - YouTube
• Steve Jimenez | LinkedIn
• 40 Under 40 honoree: Meet Steve Jimenez of Hives for Heroes - Houston Business Journal

Listen to OWL entrepreneurs Hassan Panahi, Taylor Ann Adams, and Delaney Berman in this episode titled "Giving Entrepreneurs the Tools to Change the World" here: https://business.rice.edu/owlhaveyouknow-season-3-episode-19