Connect Who or what is your inspiration in business?

My biggest inspiration in business is my grandma. When I first started making jam in my kitchen, she was the one who encouraged me to keep going. She always believed good food should be made the right way, with care and real ingredients. When she “approved” my jam, I knew I had something special. That mindset still guides everything I do: if I’m putting my name on a jar, it has to be something I’m proud of.

How do you stay motivated?

What keeps me motivated is proving that age doesn’t define what you’re capable of building. I started Jam by Josh when I was 11, experimenting in my kitchen, and now at 16 it’s on shelves in grocery stores across Ohio. Every new store, every customer who loves the jam, and every challenge I overcome reminds me that big ideas can start small and that this is only the beginning.

What would you do with the $25,000?

If I won $25,000, I’d invest it directly into scaling Jam by Josh. The biggest bottleneck right now is production, so I’d upgrade equipment to increase capacity while keeping the small-batch quality that makes our jam special. I’d also invest in packaging and retail expansion so more stores can carry the brand. My goal is to take something that started in my kitchen and put it on shelves across the country.