Sierra View fourth grader Josiah Johnson is learning a few life lessons a bit sooner than most of his classmates at the Oakdale elementary school.

The 11-year-old entrepreneur recently launched his faith-based T-shirt business, Valor - From Boys to Men.

According to the young business owner the idea for the business started through his mom’s ministry group. Josiah learned of the event Marketplace by Foundation which was being hosted in Modesto. As a young entrepreneur marketplace targeted for students ages seven to 17, Josiah saw it as an opportunity.

With mom and fellow business owner, Kashmere Johnson’s support, the duo partnered with a friend to place an order for plain youth shirts.

“You could put whatever you want on them,” the student said of the T-shirts, “and I chose to put verses from the Bible. I just prayed about it and it came to me.”

The youngster explained he chose just a few of his favorite Bible verses to be placed on the back of each youth sized T-shirt. Thanks to the equipment of one of his mom’s friends he personally spent the day printing each and every shirt for his new business.

“To have Jesus more in the schools, instead of the other stuff,” Josiah noted of his inspiration to start this type of shirt business, “because a lot of people know Jesus but since we are in school a lot then kids can not just know Jesus at school but spread the word of Jesus everywhere.”

“One of our good friends has Foundation Marketplace, which is a marketplace for young entrepreneurs,” Josiah’s mother shared. “He plays football with a lot of the kids that do it as well. They’ve grown up together.”

Not one to just let her son “get by,” the single mother of three boys encouraged her son yet let him do all the work, including working the eight hours at the Marketplace itself.

“It was a good experience for him and for us,” mom Kashmere said of the Marketplace. “Of course, I could have had my friend make them all, but I told him you have to work. This is your business; you have to put in the labor.”

And that he did. As a blossoming business owner, Josiah learned a valuable lesson early, as only a handful of T-shirts sold at the market, as well as a few sports headbands. Continuing to help her son, Kashmere made a post to Facebook Marketplace after the market to try and solicit increased sales for her son’s unique shirts. While many placed orders, the request for adult sized shirts came from more than one potential customer.

“When we sell these then we can turn the money over. A lot of people want adult shirts but that’s more money than I would have to spend and I just can’t do that right now,” Kashmere shared candidly.

And while the young entrepreneur enjoys spending his free time playing football and basketball, he’s equally committed to continuing his business to honor Jesus.

“If He didn’t die for our sins, then we wouldn’t be here right now,” Josiah explained on why Jesus is important to him. “So I’m going to respect Him because He respects us.”

“I think that it’s a really good lesson,” his mother shared. “I think him learning that this is what mom does, I run my own business. So, him learning the work that goes into it and money doesn’t just come, you have to work your business.”

For additional information on placing an order for a T-shirt or headband, text or call Kashmere Johnson at 209-422-1954.