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'He Said It Was Unrealistic': Teen With Cerebral Palsy Turns School Project Into Hot Sauce Empire

April 18, 2025

What started as a high school project and a less-than-perfect grade has turned into a fiery success story for 19-year-old Drew Davis.

Drew Davis / Crippling Hot Sauce

After receiving a B- on a business assignment, Davis—an honors student from small-town Missouri—asked his teacher why he didn’t get an A. The teacher replied that his idea was "unrealistic." Instead of backing down, Davis used that comment as motivation to prove what was possible.

In 2023, he poured $3,000 of his own savings into launching Crippling Hot Sauce from his parents’ kitchen. Less than two years later, the brand has sold over 500,000 bottles, generated $2 million in 2024 alone, and is projected to hit $5 million in 2025.

Davis, who has cerebral palsy, blends bold flavors with bold humor. He says his playful branding and outlook are key to his success.

“I like to make fun of myself, and I like hot sauce,” he said.

“Growing up, the number one thing all my friends that had disabilities and I had in common was our humor. Our humor is how we get through a lot of things in life.”

But Davis’s mission is more than just business. He donates 5% of Crippling Hot Sauce's profits to cerebral palsy research, giving back to a cause close to his heart. In 2023, the company donated $22,000 to the Cerebral Palsy Research Foundation.

He also hopes his journey inspires others to chase their dreams—regardless of the odds.

“"I started with $3,000. You could do it with $100.  You have a way better chance with going out there and trying to achieve your dreams than just sitting on the sidelines and hoping your dreams come to you.”

Drew Davis is living proof that sometimes, the best way to respond to doubt is to spice things up and make your own path—one bottle at a time.

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