Beekeeper turned business owner is growing into newer, bigger spaces

Adam Hickman first became interested in keeping bees when he stumbled on his great-grandfather’s equipment.

“I got some interest in how it works, and decided, ‘Let me just try this out,’” said Hickman. What started as a hobby turned into a business.

In 2020, he quit his job to start running Foxhound Bee Company full-time. Over the last five years, the business has grown. In the fall of 2025, Hickman moved into a newly constructed 5,000-square-foot building in Irondale, Alabama.

“Moving into a new space and taking on an [Small Business Administration] loan and buying multiple warehouses was a huge leap,” Hickman said. “I felt like this was like when I quit my job.”

In the last year, Hickman says business has grown two-fold.

To hear the rest of his story, click the audio player above.