Who

Todd Stoner earned a degree in finance and economics from Baylor.
Rod Aydelotte / Waco Tribune-Herald

Todd Stoner, president, investment adviser and founder of Disciplined Investors, LLC.

Stoner is a Baylor University graduate and previously worked at Hewlett-Packard’s headquarters in California. He also served as financial manager for Plantation Foods in Waco before making investment management his full-time job.

1st summer job

A beekeeper at his father’s company — Happy Bees Honey Company in Fallbrook, Calif. There were about 2,000 beehives he tended to.

He said the job consisted primarily of moving hives around — from close to the ocean around the coast, where flowers were first in bloom, to more elevated parts as the summer progressed.

“It was to get experience and earn some extra money,” Stoner said.

Age

15 years old when he started working. His father, who served mainly as a manager, thought it would be a good lesson for Stoner to work during the summer.

Stoner would help the beekeeper and foreman that worked there, he said.

Pay

Earned about $300 a week, working primarily at night when the bees were less active.

He saved his money for college. He obtained a degree in finance and economics from Baylor.

Stoner said he had to earn his keep, and overall the hard work was good for him.

Loved

“I enjoyed driving in the truck between the hard work and talking with the other employees,” Stoner said.

He said the employees would give him advice, which he appreciated, being the youngest worker.

Hated

“I was stung a fair number of times,” Stoner said. “A dozen or so times.”

He recalled one occasion when he forgot to tighten a pant leg on his bee suit and bees started crawling up his pants.

Stoner said he had to do a dance to get them out.

Lessons learned

“There aren’t any shortcuts,” Stoner said. “Do it right the first time rather than take a shortcut.”

He remembered a time when his brother helped out painting the beehives.

His brother put paint thinner in the paint because it seemed to speed up the painting process.

Later on they had to re-paint all the hives again because the paint thinner ruined the paint job.

Advice on summer jobs

“Try to find enjoyment in everything you do,” Stoner said. “We enjoyed driving through the countryside talking in the truck. Getting a job is about who you know. Think of individuals with businesses that could use employees.”

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