A small red and teal jar lies on the counter. Open it and you’ll see 30 bright orange vitamin gummies; taste one and you’ll find a delicious, tart flavor bursting in your mouth. These are TEJA gummies, which senior Sriteja Kataru created and developed. At Harker Day or TedX events, you’ll find him enthusiastically sharing his product, or you might purchase the gummies online. But beyond the supplements, each jar reflects the creativity and dedication that brought Sriteja’s vision to life.  

At the heart of Sriteja’s business is a desire to build connections with and uplift others. One of his most meaningful memories throughout the development of TEJA was distributing gummies at Harker Day in 2023 and witnessing the joy they brought his customers. It was the first event where he engaged with the community as a business owner, giving him a true sense of how his work could impact others.

“Giving samples to the little kids and them having that smile on their faces really made me content,” Sriteja said. “All the hard work I put in paid off in a way. Before, it was, ‘Oh, I’m trying out this new thing,’ or ‘I’m seeing whether this would work.’ But that’s the first type of event that was, ‘Okay, this is my company now, and here’s my product.’”

TEJA, which stands for Teenage Eating for Joyful Adulthood, started as a business proposal for a DECA competition in Sriteja’s freshman year and came to life through Harker’s Incubator program. More than a business venture, TEJA reflects Sriteja’s commitment to making health more accessible to teens. 

“It started with a bunch of different small reasons coming together,” Sriteja said. “Around middle school and freshman year, I had some personal health concerns that prompted me to look for healthier alternatives to snacks. As part of my research, I found that a lot of the products, especially vitamin supplements, are not that great, and I knew this was a huge problem for teenagers around the world. That’s why I set on doing this, especially with a strong business program like Harker’s.”

Sriteja’s entrepreneurial journey didn’t start smoothly. The first iteration of his product, protein bars, was met with lukewarm reception from the local community, despite the hours he poured into refining the formula and coordinating with manufacturers. Each round of revisions required purchasing thousands of units, a high-stakes process complicated by the bars’ short shelf life. 

Eventually, the challenges pushed him to pivot to gummies. He worked with food scientists to develop a low-sugar formula made entirely out of fruits and herbs and without any artificial sweeteners, unlike many of the gummies currently on the market. After partnering with a manufacturer in South America and refining prototypes, he designed the brand’s packaging and identity. 

“Going into junior year, I thought this would be such a stressful experience — running a business along with school and other extracurriculars at the same time,” Sriteja said. “But this opened my eyes to the fact that if you’re really passionate about something, the work doesn’t really become work in a way. Because I’m really passionate about selling these to people and communicating the health side of what TEJA offers, this has been a way to invest my passion in helping the community through a jar.”

For Sriteja, launching a supplement brand is not only about the product but also about promoting a healthier lifestyle. He has seen how easily teens fall for trends and misinformation, often driven by flashy marketing. To change that, he created a blog, Instagram page and YouTube series to share accessible, science-backed advice on wellness. He believes good health is key to happiness and finds the greatest reward in the satisfaction of making customers feel better and helping people rethink what health looks like. 

As Sriteja’s business grew, so did his confidence. Senior Vedant Balachandran, a close friend since kindergarten, observes how the experience of building TEJA influenced the way Sriteja carried himself in all areas of life.

“Before high school, he used to be more on the quieter end, but he’s really branched out, and he knows a ton of different people,” Vedant said. “He has friends throughout the school, and he just has more confidence to him. He’s a much better speaker, and he can get along with people.”

Sriteja traces his sense of duty to community service back to the influence of the dedicated, service-oriented people he grew up with and worked alongside. Since fifth grade, he has been involved with VT Seva, a nonprofit he now leads as president. There, he has organized a Mental Health Awareness Walkathon and an Indian song and dance festival, aiming to unite communities in creative ways.

“A lot of that mindset comes from my family and friends, who’ve always been really supportive and community-oriented,” Sriteja said. “It probably comes from Indian culture as well — when I visit India, everyone in the neighborhood is so warm and giving, like one big family. Through this work, I’ve also gotten to spend time with people who’ve become close friends, which makes it all even more fulfilling.”

Close friend senior Varun Bhupathi met Sriteja in ninth grade and now spends time hanging out with him or doing homework together over Facetime. He admires Sriteja’s commitment and work ethic in everything he does.

“He’s extremely dedicated,” Varun said. “He works very hard for a lot of things. He’s still figuring out what he wants to do, but whatever he does, he’s very smart about it. He’s exploring all sorts of fields and excelling in all of them.”

Sriteja’s growth as a person is reflected in the success of his business and the dedication he puts into community service. Business and entrepreneur teacher Michael Acheatel, who taught Sriteja for two years, reflects on his first impression of Sriteja as a quiet, humble student, an impression that shifted completely as he watched and helped Sriteja grow his business.

“As I’ve gotten to know him and as I’ve worked with him over the last year plus, he’s just a powerhouse,” Acheatel said. “He’s a super fast learner, which to me is the highest mark of intelligence. His ability to make concrete improvements to himself, that cycle of learning and implementation is so rapid. By now, I’m like, there’s nothing he can’t do if he has enough time and resources.”

From selling gummies to educating teens about health to organizing service events, Sriteja’s work is rooted in an innate desire to do the most he can for his community. His efforts aren’t about just building a brand, but living out the values he’s carried from a young age and inspiring them in others. 

“You only live once, right?” Sriteja said. “My family has always taught me to do as much as you can for the community, because what you’re gonna leave behind is your community. Helping them in the best way you can will also be in your best interest. I don’t really have an external motivator, but it just makes me happy.”