Article written by Melissa Filich,
WYTV7 Community Broadcasters Network, Inc.
In the heart of Charlotte, where the challenges of underdeveloped communities are a daily reality, Joseph Green has emerged as a beacon of hope and innovation. As the first-place winner the WTYV7 Expo 24 Financial Literacy Program's Youth Entrepreneur Pitch Competition, Joseph has captured the imagination of many with his ambitious project to build tiny homes for those in need. His journey, inspired by the encouragement of his teachers and friends, is a testament to the power of determination and community support.
I recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Joseph to delve into his entrepreneurial journey, the challenges he anticipates, and the aspirations that drive him. Let's dive into the inspiring journey and innovative ideas of this year's winner.
Can you tell us a little about yourself and what inspired you to participate in the Youth Entrepreneur Pitch Competition?
Charlotte has always been my home and I’ve always been around this type of environment [underdeveloped communities] and seeing how hard it is to live in Charlotte. I took an interest in the Youth Entrepreneur Pitch program because at first, I did not want to do it, but my teachers and friends encouraged me to do it and when I got 1st place, I genuinely did not think I would, but when I did it was an amazing feeling.
How did you come up with the idea of building tiny homes for those in need?
I always wanted to help people in some way and make their lives easier in any way I could. At first, my business was just mainly about helping the homeless. Then I thought, my business is not just for the homeless, my business can help a lot of people who cannot afford “affordable housing” in Charlotte right now. So I moved away from the idea of it being just a homelessness project and it being something that can help anyone who needs a place to live for cheap, which is a lot in Charlotte. So I went from this big building technology-driven idea to looking up tiny homes to see if they are affordable and easy to build and easy to place. All I need is some land to develop it and I could make an entire neighborhood out of it where I can offer affordable homes to a wider range of people that need it.
Could you give us an overview of your business plan for building tiny homes?
I am still trying to figure it out, my current plan is to buy 20-30 tiny homes at around $20-25k each and place them in patches of land around Charlotte, not just around one area but all around Charlotte so everyone has access to them. The homes will be all self-sufficient, I want to rent and sell them while also creating a program for the homeless by providing more accessibility to housing. I want to make it so housing isn’t something that is making it hard to survive in Charlotte so by doing it this way I should be able to have a better impact on the community.
What are the key features of your tiny homes that make them suitable for your customers?
Affordability, easy to move, and they don't take up a lot of space so I can put many houses in one development and they are self-sustainable. They will all have backup generators, solar power, and everything a normal house has but not nearly as expensive. So a customer could buy an entire home and only pay utilities to live in while gaining wealth, learning to use money correctly, and making future investments.
How do you plan to source materials and funding for building these homes?
That I have not gotten to just yet, but I hope to take advantage of government grants, fundraising, and partnerships with local businesses.
How do you envision your tiny homes making a difference in the lives of individuals?
I believe my tiny home project will help a lot of people. Mainly because they are so affordable, they are not so expensive that the average person could buy one but also inexpensive enough that I could offer a homeless program that offers an individual the opportunity to to live in a tiny house while receiving job placement assistance and rent based on income as they move on from the program or buy their tiny home. Then we can move in more people and start the process over, that way we aren’t just helping homelessness but finding a solution to some degree.
What are some of the biggest challenges you anticipate facing in this project?
My lack of experience, because of how young I am and how little I know about the world around me. Another challenge I am going to have is honestly the stress of creating a business. I believe the solution to these challenges is taking my time, allowing people to help me by giving me their guidance and wisdom, and allowing me to do things at my own pace.
How do you plan to overcome these challenges?
I plan to overcome these by taking each step at my own pace and giving myself grace and allowing myself to understand I am not the only one going through these things. As long as I take my time and do it the way I know I want to do it, it will work out exactly the way it is supposed to.
How has the Youth Entrepreneur Pitch program and the mentorship from Score helped you in developing your business plan?
Sadly, I’ve not had enough time to start the SCORE mentorship just yet but I do think I have a lot to learn from them and appreciate their support.
What specific skills or knowledge do you anticipate gaining from the program that you believe will be crucial to the success of your project?
I anticipate learning some of the things that were not taught to me in the business class I was in during the program, Such as fundraising, money-raising tactics, loans, how to make money on your own, budgeting, and managing a business.
What are your short-term and long-term goals for your tiny homes project?
My short-term goal is to see how happy it will make people and what kind of positive impact I can make by offering people something they have needed for a long time.
My long-term goal is to see how much of a difference my business can have on the economy as a whole. I want to see what people need and offer it in the best way possible. I think that my business, long term, will always be a good and caring company that will always cherish customers over money
What advice would you give to other young entrepreneurs about the importance of financial literacy in starting and running a business?
Knowing your numbers, understanding how budgets work, and where you will put your money are very important things. Not knowing these details is very detrimental to a business. An example of this is during the competition a lot of people that I was competing against didn't know the numbers or prices or costs for certain things their businesses would need and I do think that can be very problematic for your business because not knowing these things before might cause you to make mistakes later.
What support do you need from the community, local businesses, and potential sponsors to bring your project to life?
From the people, I want their honesty. I want them to be honest about my business and what needs to be improved. Like with any new entrepreneur, honesty and understanding what is wrong with your business is one of the most important things. Another thing I am going to need is a little bit of patience, I am going to make a lot of mistakes and I think it is going to go good and bad and I just want my customers to be happy and to be taken care of.
How can people get involved or contribute to your tiny homes initiative?
I am in the process of creating a website, when it is launched I will need support and volunteers - in the meantime please contact WYTV7 for more information on how to connect.
As we celebrate Joseph Green's remarkable achievements, we also look forward to the upcoming 2025 Financial Literacy Program and Youth Entrepreneur Pitch Competition. This event continues to foster innovation and entrepreneurial spirit among young minds. The program needs volunteers and donations to ensure its success and to support the next generation of young entrepreneurs like Joseph.
The 2025 competition promises to be an exciting opportunity for aspiring entrepreneurs to showcase their ideas and receive valuable mentorship. It will be held on April 25,2025 at the Parks Conference and Expo Center. Your involvement, whether through volunteering or donating, can make a significant difference in the lives of these young innovators. For more information on how you can contribute, please visit WYTV7.org.
For more information and resources please go to WYTV7
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