Local Business Finishes Strong in Nationwide Martha Stewart Competition

A local business has been all the buzz lately-and much of the hype is due to its recent success in a nationwide competition hosted by media mogul Martha Stewart. Handcrafted Honey Bee, a Tehachapi-based business that creates DIY skin and beauty care kits, finished second in the popular vote out of almost 1,000 finalists and over 4,000 entrants overall in the Martha Stewart American Made competition.

The contest advertised that it celebrates both the maker and the handmade, and included a wide variety of businesses-from gourmet food products to handcrafted leather purses to body care products. The competition was a month-long push for many of these businesses to get supporters to vote for them on the American Made website, and when voting finally closed, Handcrafted Honey Bee had garnered almost 33,000 votes. While in the end the number was shy of the votes necessary for the coveted first place Audience Choice Winner, Handcrafted Honey Bee still has a reason to be proud. "We were honored to be among some of the most incredible businesses in the country in this competition," owner Stacia Guzzo said. "And to finish second overall-and first in our category-is a distinction that will always make me proud."

It was a hard-earned distinction for Guzzo. As a work-from-home mother of two young boys, this local entrepreneur was often up before dawn and far past dark asking for votes on social media, pitching to bloggers and local news outlets, and editing videos to promote her cause. Guzzo admits that the work was hard, but worth it. "It's my dream to grow this business to the point where it can support my family," she says. "Anything I can do to help support that dream is well worth the effort."

And Handcrafted Honey Bee is certainly on its way. The nation-wide publicity from the competition has put the public eye on this local business, which currently sells exclusively online and at regional artisanal fairs. "We've definitely seen an increase in sales as a result of being at the top of the pack in American Made," Guzzo says.

As for the results themselves? "I'm really proud of finishing with 33,000 votes. That's a lot of support," she smiles. "And if you're talking about first place, well...watch out for us next year!"

Handcrafted Honey Bee's DIY kits can be found on their website at http://www.handcraftedhoneybee.com. For more information on the American Made competition, visit http://www.marthastewart.com/americanmade.