Entrepreneur: Jared Beauchamp is the Queen Creek Hometown Hero for February

Jared Beauchamp doesn’t think of himself as the CEO of his Queen Creek-based hot sauce company Salce. He prefers to be called the “Chief Pepper Officer.”

Jared and his wife, Mary, launched Salce in 2022 and in February opened a certified commercial kitchen in Queen Creek.

The new kitchen not only allows the Beauchamps to maintain quality control, but it also allows them to create new flavors.

Jared Beauchamp still works his “day job” at GoDaddy but the evenings and weekends are devoted to Salce and his family.

While Salce is still in its early stages, Jared Beauchamp is already looking at how he and Salce can help the community.

Name: Jared Beauchamp

Age: 40

Business Name: Salce

Town/Neighborhood: Queen Creek in the Orchard Ranch neighborhood!

When and why I moved here: My wife Mary and I moved to Queen Creek because we wanted to raise our family in a close-knit community that values hard work, family and local connection. Queen Creek felt like a place where we could put down roots, build something meaningful and truly be part of the community — not just live in it.

What I like most about living here: The people. Queen Creek has a genuine small-town feel where neighbors support each other, local businesses are celebrated and community involvement actually matters. It’s a place where relationships come first. Also, it has been pretty amazing to be able to grow up with the town as it has really hit its stride over the past five to six years. 

What I do: I’m the Chief Pepper Founder of Salce Hot Sauce, a small-batch, family-run hot sauce company focused on flavor-first sauces made with premium ingredients. We handcraft every batch right here in Queen Creek and sell locally, online and through community partnerships.

Personal background highlights: I’m a husband of 11 years to my wife, Mary, and a proud dad to our two boys, Archer, 7, and Hunter, 5. Both boys attend Faith Mather Sossaman Elementary. Family is at the center of everything I do, and they are deeply involved in our business — from helping at markets to inspiring new ideas. In Queen Creek, we’re fortunate to have the support of our extended family — my brother-in-law and his wife with their children, as well as my father and his fiancée, and my father-in-law.

Professional background highlights: My first decade of my career was spent in the video game industry; first in QA testing games made from the Game Boy advance to the PS3. After that, I’ve spent the last decade in engineering leadership and currently serve as a director of engineering at GoDaddy. Alongside that, Mary and I co-founded Salce in 2022, growing it from a kitchen experiment into a recognized local brand with a dedicated commercial kitchen and strong community presence.

What I like most about what I do: That it keeps surprising me. When we started Salce we spent so much time thinking about how we are going to make it, what process we are going to use to bottle it and where we’re going to sell it. But you never think about the impact it will have on someone. In the short time we’ve been running Salce, we’ve become holiday traditions for families, featured for family and friends at weddings or been a healthy alternative for those with dietary or medical food restrictions. We all know food brings people together, but we could never have imagined the impact our hot sauce was going to make.    

What does being nominated for this category mean to you? It’s incredibly humbling. To be recognized by the community we love — especially as an entrepreneur — means more than any sales milestone. It reinforces that building a business rooted in people, integrity and community truly matters.

What does it mean to be a Queen Creek resident? It means being a part of something and engaging locally. Supporting local businesses, giving back when you can and investing your time and energy into making the town better for future generations.

What do you think you bring to the local community that makes it better? I bring a commitment to building local — whether that’s sourcing ingredients, partnering with other small businesses or supporting community events. I believe success is better when it’s shared. While we have our commercial kitchen today, we are working on some new ideas to really be able to interact with the local community in a unique way. We’re excited about Salce’s future here in Queen Creek!

What would you tell people about why it’s important to make a difference in Queen Creek? Queen Creek is growing quickly, and the choices we make now shape what it becomes. When residents invest locally and support each other, we preserve the heart of the community while it grows. You don’t often see or get opportunities like what we have in Queen Creek. From being able to participate in Queen Creek’s Citizen Leadership Institute, to making an impact by being a QC volunteer, to joining committees, boards or task forces, to citizens transitioning to town council, Queen Creek has an amazing foundation for all of its residents to get involved! 

Changes I’d like to see in this area: Continued support for small businesses, local makers and family-owned operations — ensuring growth doesn’t come at the expense of community identity.

Favorite community cause & why: Hands down, the Queen Creek Citizen Leadership Institute has been the most meaningful experience. It’s a gateway to becoming more engaged in the community, while providing an eye-opening journey into how the town functions, develops and moves forward through the work of town council, town staff and local leaders. I highly encourage anyone curious about local government to apply and take part in this program.

My family: My wife, Mary, and our two sons, Archer and Hunter. They are my motivation, my grounding force and my biggest supporters. 

My interests and hobbies: With a full-time family, a full-time job and another full-time job there isn’t a lot of time left for interest and hobbies. When it comes to interests around Salce, I’ve gotten into gardening and growing peppers. When it comes to interests with my boys, board games, building in Minecraft and assembling Lego sets are always at the top of the list.  

The trait(s) I admire in others: Integrity, humility, and generosity — especially people who lift others up without expecting anything in return. Salce would be nowhere without those who have shown us these traits, and we try to return them to others who are on their journey of their own. 

People who inspired me (and how): Both my mother and mother-in-law did things in their lives I could never imagine doing; like my mother-in-law taking flying lessons and flying a plane. Who they were and what they did wasn’t always the “accepted path,” but that’s who they were, and we loved them for that. They taught me I don’t need to be like anyone else to stand tall in this world. We are inspired to define and walk our own path every single day. 

My guiding philosophy: My guiding philosophy leads with the heart while centering on relentless passion, unwavering quality, continuous learning and resilience. 

My advice to today’s youth: Don’t wait for permission to start. Be curious, work hard, take risks and be uncomfortable.

The Queen Creek Independent is pleased to announce Jared Beauchamp as the February 2026 Hometown Hero bestowed in the category of Entrepreneur.  The Queen Creek Independent along with East Valley Institute of Technology and the Queen Creek Olive Mill salute Mr. Beauchamp as this month's Queen Creek Hometown Heroes Awards recipient.