Podcast Summary: Keep it Positive, Sweetie

Episode: The Business of Making Money w/ Bea Dixon

Host: Crystal Renee Hayslett
Guest: Bea Dixon, Founder of The Honey Pot Company
Date: August 3, 2025

Overview

In this candid and insightful episode, host Crystal Renee Hayslett welcomes Bea Dixon, visionary founder of The Honey Pot Company, a plant-based feminine care brand. Together, they discuss entrepreneurship, the journey from personal struggle to mega success, breaking stigma around women’s health, staying true to purpose in business, the real story behind selling a Black-owned brand, and practical wisdom on wellness, legacy, and community uplift. The conversation balances business acumen, personal vulnerability, and actionable advice—delivered with honesty, warmth, and plenty of memorable moments.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Origins of The Honey Pot Company

• Bea’s Health Struggle and Spiritual Download
  • Bea battled persistent bacterial vaginosis for nearly a year (“I tried everything you can imagine, I tried medicine... I lived on antibiotics for eight months… nothing worked.” – Bea Dixon, 02:25)
  • In a dream, her grandmother gave her a list of ingredients: “She literally handed me a piece of paper, and she told me what I needed was on the paper… I started repeating the ingredients over and over again.” (04:25)
  • With a background in pharmacy, Bea formulated a wash from her grandmother’s recipe. “Within a few days, my symptoms were gone. It was wild.” (05:40)

2. Breaking Down Stigma & Health Myths

• BV Misconceptions & Women’s Health Hygiene
  • Stigma and shame are common with BV; many blame themselves or their partners incorrectly.
  • “It doesn’t mean you’re dirty. It doesn’t mean they’re dirty. It just means the pH isn’t matching up.” (06:42)
  • Hygiene advice: Avoid body or bar soaps for vaginal cleaning, use hands not cloths, and wear cotton underwear for daily use.
  • “Whatever you do on the outside is affecting the inside...” (07:23)
  • Practical daily tips: Wash after sex, change panties after workouts, use wipes if needed, and regularly refresh underwear and washcloths. (08:24–12:14)

3. Building a Business with Family & Purpose

• Founding, Family Dynamics, and Purposeful Growth
  • Started Honey Pot at home, then moved to her brother’s office, then blended both work/life spaces as it grew.
  • Addressing family dynamics in business: “Whether you’re working with family or not, those moments [of challenge] are going to happen... When love is there, it gets back eventually.” (14:36–15:01)
  • Purpose remains spiritual: “Anytime the ancestors gift us with anything… it has to be held with a certain care.” (15:16)
  • Anchored in values: “Our goals are to serve humanity, to serve humans first, to be good to each other.” (15:36; 16:40–17:07)

4. Business Growth, Innovation, and Decision-Making

• Staying True Amid Industry Change
  • Rules of engagement are key: How products are innovated, marketed, and sold is orderly and values-driven.
  • Balancing opportunities and focus: “If you do everything, you’re doing nothing.” (16:14)
• Saying "No" in Business:
  • “If something is thrown at us, it can’t just be about money… it has to be layered, serve the humans we serve, and fit our system.” (18:15, 18:34)
• Product Development Process
  • Meticulous, multi-pronged validation and clinical testing—products go through “gate cards” before hitting shelves.
  • “A million things happen before a product goes on the shelf.” (19:59–21:11)
• Team-Building and Scaling
  • Importance of the right leadership and guidance from strategic partners like VMG, not just capital.
  • “It takes time… patience… and the right team. Rome wasn’t built in a day.” (21:48–22:39)

5. Finance, “Selling Out,” and Black Entrepreneurship

• Transitioning from Employee to Entrepreneur:
  • “You definitely shouldn’t quit your job… until your business can pay you at least 80% of your current salary.” (28:28)
• Managing Wealth and Mindset Shifts
  • Money equals responsibilities and new challenges. “When you’re a multimillionaire, you’re not necessarily touching your money. Your money sits in the market and you borrow against it.” (30:24)
  • Overcoming scarcity mindset while honoring one’s journey from struggle to wealth. (31:27–32:34)
  • Getting financial advice from multiple sources and “forgetting about” the bulk of one’s money—living only off what’s needed. (32:48–34:11)
• Addressing Community Reactions to Business Success
  • Powerful explanation of why selling a business is not “selling out”—especially for Black founders.
    • “No one is investing money in your business to just let it sit there.” (35:52)
    • “Take my color out of your mind… I’m a businessperson like anybody else.” (39:51)
    • “If I was doing this just to do it, that would be a version of enslaving myself… I’m not a slave to what people think about me.” (41:19)
  • Advocates understanding, celebration, and mutual support within the Black community for those who achieve and scale their ventures. (45:03–45:28)

6. Mental Health, Wellness, and Self-Care

• Navigating Stress as a Founder
  • Self-care practices: Orderly home, eating well, exercise, therapy, acupuncture, and red-light therapy.
  • “I just want to be well. And I want to grow old.” (54:00)
  • Being conscious about moderation with substances, company kept, and lifestyle choices.
  • “As you’re taking care of yourself, you’re paying attention to your body… I don’t really have the luxury of being sick. I have things to do.” (54:55)
• Groundedness and Self-Awareness
  • “I am grounded. I’m just out here like everyone else… The only difference maybe is that we’ve experienced a level of success that doesn’t happen every day. But that doesn’t make you immune to anything. It’s just money.” (59:18–60:00)

7. Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

• Top Lessons:
  • “Take care of yourself and keep yourself out of debt. Debt is hard when you’re in business.” (61:39)
  • Don’t spend your own money if you have access to investors, but recognize not everyone is equally positioned for that. (62:13–64:03)
  • “Making sure you take care of your health [is] so important… When you’re not well, building a business is hard enough in itself.” (64:25)
  • Cut out harmful habits—don't “play hard” if it undermines well-being or business focus. (65:16–66:00)

8. Navigating DEI and Retail Landscape

• Impact of DEI Changes & Boycotts
  • Sales are affected by DEI shifts and consumer boycotts, especially at major retailers.
  • Omnichannel strategy (multi-platform sales) is crucial. “If it’s down in one place, it’s probably up in another…” (68:51)
  • Explains retailer economics: “It’s not as profitable as you think to just shop the website or Amazon… getting into Target or Walmart is astronomical.” (69:31–72:10)
  • Boycotts have impact but come with unintended fallout for emerging and Black-owned brands. (72:35–73:55)

9. Legacy, Impact, and New Products

• Long-Term Vision & New Launches
  • Legacy: “I want Honeypot to be here into infinity. I want Honeypot to be a conglomerate brand within itself… whether I’m here with my team running it or not.” (75:48–76:03)
  • Impact: “I want to continue to serve humanity, make products that benefit people’s lives, and help them be proactive with their health.” (75:10)
  • New products: Long liners (cooling and calming), calming pads with adaptogens like ashwagandha and lavender, and growing prebiotic line—all clinically tested and designed for real, daily needs. (76:22–78:09)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Receiving Guidance from Ancestors:

  • “Anytime the ancestors gift us with anything… it has to be held with a certain care.” – Bea Dixon (15:16)

• On Purpose and Business:

  • “If you do everything, you’re doing nothing.” – Bea Dixon (16:14)
  • “I’m a businessperson like anyone else. No one should expect you to do anything because you’re a Black woman…these are constructs that aren’t real.” (39:51–40:04)

• On "Selling Out" vs. Selling Up:

  • “I’m sorry, y’all. Anybody that’s in business, hopefully you’re in it to make money. That’s what business is for… the amount of sacrifice it takes, it should make you rich. That’s the point!” (40:19–41:15)

• On Wellness and Well-Being:

  • “I just want to be well. And I want to grow old.” (54:00)
  • “Take care of yourself and keep yourself out of debt…because debt is hard when you’re in business.” (61:39)

• On Community Support:

  • “Whenever any of us, as Black people, are able to be successful…that should only be good for our culture.” (45:03)

Key Timestamps

• [02:25] Bea’s personal health journey and the dream that started Honey Pot
• [04:25] Details on ingredients received from her grandmother in the dream
• [06:42] Myths and truths about BV, vaginal pH, and hygiene
• [11:02–12:14] Host shares personal experience adopting Honey Pot’s hygiene recommendations
• [15:16] Importance of ancestral purpose in Honey Pot’s mission
• [19:57] What it takes to bring a product from concept to shelf
• [28:28] Why Bea didn’t quit her job until Honey Pot could pay her salary
• [30:24] How grown wealth is managed and invested
• [35:51–41:47] In-depth, passionate discussion of why “selling out” is a misconception for Black-owned brands
• [54:00] Emphasizing longevity and health as a founder
• [61:39] Top advice for entrepreneurs: self-care and avoiding debt
• [69:31–73:14] Impact of DEI climate and boycotts on business
• [75:48] Bea’s hopes for legacy and impact
• [76:22–78:09] New product launches detailed

Final Thoughts

This episode offers a masterclass in leading with mission, scaling with integrity, and staying rooted in self and purpose. Bea Dixon’s vulnerability and expertise provide both inspiration and actionable takeaways for entrepreneurs, especially Black women founders. The urgent throughline: “Take care of yourself. Keep it positive, sweetie.”