How do you build a scalable business without losing its origins; what makes it truly special? 

In a new episode of our Main Street Business Insights podcast, host Matt Wagner sits down with Angela Mallett, founder of Honeybee Sage Wellness & Apothecary in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In their conversation, Angela shares her intentional approach to growth, one that prioritizes community care and cultural healing over rapid expansion. 

Angela’s journey began with massage therapy and a calling to bring ancestral herbal wisdom back to underserved communities. Starting in 2018 in the heart of Milwaukee’s 53206 zip code — one of the city’s most challenging areas — Honeybee Sage has become more than a tea shop. It’s an apothecary rooted in the healing traditions of her great-great uncle, a root doctor from Mississippi, offering herbal remedies as medicine. 

Discover Angela’s approach to: 

• Strategic location decisions: Why she chose her location specifically to serve underserved communities while remaining accessible to all demographics. 

• Scaling with integrity: Her vision to franchise without losing community focus 

• Building through adversity: Navigating her father’s death, a stroke, and a dissolved business partnership all within the first seven months of operation. 

• Team development: Growing from solo operator to a management structure that allows expansion while maintaining quality and culture. 

• Mission-driven business: Operating on faith and purpose rather than fear of economic uncertainty, with the goal of creating a ​“global community of homegrown healers”. 

• Creating healing spaces: Designing environments where nervous systems regulate before customers even order tea. 

Whether you’re an entrepreneur considering expansion, a Main Street director supporting mission-driven businesses, or a business owner wondering how to scale without sacrificing values, this conversation offers a refreshing perspective on intentional growth. 

Join us as Angela shares why she works ​“like she doesn’t need the money,” how herbal tea serves as accessible medicine, and what it means to be a professional ​“space creator” for community healing. 

Connect: 

• Learn about Honeybee Sage Wellness & Apothecary 

• Learn about Historic King Drive 

• Learn about Wisconsin Main Street Program 

Episode Links: 

• Watch video 

• Listen on Apple Podcasts
• Listen on Spotify
• Subscribe for updates