Jaequan Faulkner loves running his hot dog stand.
The 13-year-old from Minneapolis is the proud owner of Mr. Faulkner’s Old Fashioned Hot Dogs. It’s a pop-up now, but, according to The Star Tribune, he hopes to turn it into a food truck one day.
Faulkner started the business when he found his uncle’s old rotisserie machine and decided to put it to good use. This summer, he set up shop, filling the hungry bellies of approximately 20 customers a day with hot dogs, polish sausages, chips, and drinks.
Shortly after he started selling hot dogs, someone called the health department. They responded in a way no one expected.
Sure, food sellers have to be regulated, but this is just a teen grilling hot dogs for some extra pocket money. Instead of shutting Faulkner down, the health department helped him make his business a bigger success.
Not only did they provide him with all the necessary information on passing a health inspection — now Faulkner’s got thermometers, hand sanitizer, and a station for cleaning his tongs and other tools of the trade — but the city also paid for Faulkner’s permit once he’d checked off all the requirements.
For Faulkner, it’s not just about the money — it’s about making a difference in his community.
“I like having my own business,” he told The Tribune. “I like letting people know just because I’m young doesn’t mean I can’t do anything.”
And he’s not slowing down anytime soon — in 2019, the teen-trepreneur plans to donate a percentage of his profits to organizations raising awareness about depression and suicide, something that’s personally important to him.
Go get ’em, Jaequan. Today, a hot dog stand. Tomorrow? The world!
