Teen chilli entrepreneur a budding hot shot
Young businessman already has a diverse portfolio
From the taste buds to the heart, food has the power to transcend generations.
Inspired by Youth Month, 13-year-old Jodey Martin encourages his peers to follow their dreams and to work hard towards making their business ideas a prosperous reality. A Grade 8 learner at Teneo Online School, Jodey saw an opportunity to take his great-grandmother’s chilli recipe to a larger audience, founding One Shot Chilli Sauces in early 2020.
The hot sauce recipe is a family secret that has been passed down from one generation to the next. “I tweaked the flavour, rebranded it and launched One Shot Sauces. My mom and older brother help me make the hot sauce and bottle it,” said Jodey. “The range started with one flavour, ‘Katie’s Original’, followed by a spicier sauce called ‘Gun Shot’ with a sweet chilli-style sauce currently in the pipeline.
“I have always had an entrepreneurial trait in me and am a big fan of Shark Tank. My goal for One Shot is to take it international, and I’m currently looking at finding someone who can mass-produce for me,” said Jodey. Additionally, he recently started a logistics company and his father is his first driver whom he pays to make deliveries from his online store.
Embracing the gifts of the internet has given Jodey the freedom to explore his talents, explaining, “I love online schooling from home because I have more time to focus on my business”. His online educators promote an environment that moulds self-starters who build a sense of self-reliance and self-sufficiency. “Youth should be encouraged to create their own job paths whilst embracing a fail-forward, growth mindset,” said Teneo Education COO, Jackie Cook.
The young businessman attends Commerce Crew, a free weekly extramural at Teneo, offered to Grade 7 to matric learners that encourages entrepreneurial skills, grows business know-how, and provides inspiration and guidance to young business people. Jodey’s advice for fellow youth entrepreneurs is to never give up. “It might get hard but don’t ever give up. Keep working towards your goals, one step at a time.”
