Catholic Central students Tyler Jonna ‘27, Ethan Jonna ‘27, and DJ Jonna ‘29 have taken their passion for athletics and entrepreneurship to the next level by bringing a new protein vending machine to the school cafeteria.

The idea began when the brothers realized how difficult it was to balance academics, athletics, and part-time jobs. “We wanted to work but couldn’t have a regular job because of our school and sports schedule,” they shared. “So we started thinking of ways to earn with the time we had.”

As athletes, they were also motivated by a shared goal of building muscle and maintaining nutrition, something many of their classmates could relate to. “We realized a lot of people have the same goals as us, including a lot of kids at Catholic Central, which made it a great place to start our business,” they said.

With support from their dad, the brothers began the process of turning their idea into reality. “We had to first find a machine that would do what we needed,” they explained. “After that we had to put a budget together and take it to the school. Chef Jimmy and Maria at TruFood were very supportive of our idea.”

On the business side, the students went through every step of launching a legitimate enterprise: setting up an LLC, obtaining a tax ID number, and establishing a credit card processor. “We’ve learned so many important things about running a business, including understanding the startup process,” they said. “We know how important teamwork is. We’re still working through who is going to do what, but we know we’ll get the best results using teamwork.”

The machine will feature products from Transparent Labs, a company known for clean ingredients and great taste. Students and staff will be able to purchase a variety of protein and electrolyte drinks, as well as a creatine option. Prices range from $3 for electrolytes to $5–6 for protein and creatine drinks.

The brothers say they are most excited for their classmates to try the products. “We know they taste great,” they said. They plan to promote their business through social media, especially via their Instagram page @powerpodvending.