TACOMA, Wash — First grader Ajay Dillingham is what you might call a born entrepreneur. He lives on a golf course with his family. Where some see misfortune, like an errant golf ball smashing a window, Dillingham sees opportunity. He sells balls back to the hackers on Highlands Golf Course.
"Anywhere between 10 and 20 balls come here every day," he said.
So, when his parents brought home the first of five bee hives. They figured even at age 4, Dillingham was well suited to be the CEO and face of Washington State's first Black-owned beekeeping business, Ajay's Honey. He follows his dad, Justin Dillingham, to the hives wearing a full beekeeping suit.
"Woah!" he says when his dad reveals all the bees dancing around the top of the hive. "I see a bunch of bees. That's all I see is a bunch of bees. Yep, that's all I see is a bunch of bees."
There are hundreds of thousands of bees busy making Ajay's Honey and other products sold at Tacoma's Haunted Farmer's Market and online.
"I just put the business completely in his name and started teaching him entrepreneurship," his mother Asia Dillingham said.
"So, it's natural for him," his father added. "And the importance of working and making your own money so he can say 'I worked hard for this money. I worked hard to be where I am.'"
Beekeeping has its sweet moments. Ajay Dillingham gets to test products like the honey sticks.
"Yum! I'm already half way done," he said.
There are also sour moments.
"His first bee sting was actually right on the lip," laughed his dad.
These are the kinds of lessons entrepreneurs 10 times Ajay's age have to learn. Just the first steps of what may be a lifelong passion for a CEO who's never too busy for an afternoon nap.
You can meet Ajay Dillingham and his family at Tacoma's Haunted Farmers Market Saturday, Oct. 12.
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