Young Kearney Entrepreneur Building Nationwide Business

Charlie Wolford, who launched his business journey at just 17, has rapidly transformed his holiday lighting service into a dynamic, multi-state enterprise. 

Now 22, Wolford leads Haven Lighting Solutions and Haven Patio Furniture, companies with headquarters in Kearney, NE, and Rapid City, SD, and ambitions to expand nationally. His businesses generate regional economic activity through trade shows, local installations, retail sales, and strategic partnerships with contractors and builders. Haven is now the sixth largest dealer of Gemstone Lights, and its patio line is built on the reputable Prairie Patio Furniture brand.

A defining characteristic of Haven’s success is its uniquely young and energetic leadership team, which reflects Wolford’s original entrepreneurial spirit. At 25, Ben Griess serves as Wolford’s second-in-command, bringing prior startup experience from launching a coffee shop. The rest of the team includes marketers, managers, and installers largely in their early 20s. This youthful, forward-thinking team drives aggressive marketing and growth strategies, including a presence at 40 trade shows in a single year and an active social media campaign.

Wolford’s vision blends scalability with values, maintaining a Christian, community-focused identity while aiming for national reach. Haven’s blend of bold leadership, premium products, and customer-first guarantees (including a 20-year warranty) makes it a rising force in both the lighting and patio furniture industries.

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