We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Tyler Sullivan. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Tyler below.
Hi Tyler, thanks for joining us today. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?
Tyler (CEO of Sully’s Salsa) like many 13 year old kids, is really into sports, gaming and Fortnite. In June 2020, his Mom was checking her credit card bill when she saw charge after charge to Apple for Fortnite V-bucks. She had no idea that her credit card was hooked up to either of her son’s electronic devices!! After a couple of calls to Apple customer service, it was discovered that Tyler was the culprit behind the V-bucks spending spree! As ANGRY parents, we decided to make Tyler pay back every single cent of what he owed us (and told him he couldn’t get any electronic devices back until he did).
After 10 days of doing chores and only earning around $15, Tyler was devastated and frustrated. Would he EVER get access to his ipad again?
Finally, Tyler knew that his Dad had a tasty salsa recipe and that many of his neighbors loved heat! So he started testing different flavors and using different peppers from his family’s garden. One Facebook post later asking for orders…and the rest as they say, is history! Tyler paid off his debt in 5 days! In 2021 things really took off when we started selling at local farmer’s markets and holiday fairs.
2022’s sales were $35,000!
We can’t wait to see where 2023 takes us!
The mission of our company is simple. Kid Powered Deliciousness! We want to get the best tasting salsa in Atlanta into as many households as possible. Once you’ve tried Sully’s Salsa, the other brands simply don’t compare!
Shark Tank here we come!!!
Tyler, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
We are most proud of the fact that we have started Sully’s Salsa from the ground up. This business started out of our home as “Punishment turned Profit” and Now we are working on getting into Whole Foods.
Our ingredients are so fresh that the others simply don’t compare.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
When we started Sully’s Salsa, we were making the jars out of our own kitchen. The business simply got too big for us so we knew that we need to contact a co-packer/distributor. Our Distributor let us know that in order to package and jar our salsa he would have to boil the product which completely changed the taste.
We spent three months in the kitchen doing taste tests and we were at the point where we almost threw in the towel.
But finally we located the secret ingredient to bring the taste back to life.
We then sent the samples off to the FDA for approval and then were ready to sell in major markets!
Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?
Sure, they are my parents. We are a FAMILY Run business and having this venture together has bonded us in a way that we never knew was possible. Sure we fight and argue but I know they have my best interests and heart and are trying to set me up for success in the future! I have learned so much! I’ve spoken at my old elementary school and am a member of my middle school’s Future Business Leaders of America.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://sullyssalsa.com/
- Instagram: @sullyssalsa
- Facebook: Sully’s Slammin Fresh Salsa
Image Credits
Julia Maldonado President | Designer | Publisher In Tandem Digital