Today we’d like to introduce you to Joseph Venitsanos
Hi Joseph, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
After graduating high school growing up in Charleston, West Virginia I attended bible college in Christiansburg, Virginia for one year. I repaired students cars through college to pay off my tuition in full. I decided I wanted my life to go in a different direction and start life in the real world. As a broke college student I moved to Charleston, SC and worked construction for two years. I chose construction and low pay for the sake of learning valuable skills and could learn how to take care of my own stuff. I increasingly grew to dislike the job more and more. I took many side gig jobs doing car repair and handy man work out on my own to keep me entertained as a single man with no children. One day I reminisced on memories at two of my favorite jobs I had in high School. I worked making Kettle Corn on the side of the road in West Virginia for my neighbor that owned the business a. block away from my house. When winter came and we couldn’t sell kettle corn, a Christmas tree lot setup in the same parking lot. I went to the owner and asked for a job and got one at $8 an hour in 2015. These memories led me to do the same thing in SC. I went to a Christmas tree lot on Lincolnville Road called “Holidays at Mistletoe Lane” and asked for a job on the weekends between my construction schedule just for fun. I quickly became his best worker due to my experience and work ethic and we formed a friendship we still have to this day.
As time went on and seasons changed I continually looked for a way out of my 9 to 5 and came up with many crazy ideas. One day, as I talked with my mentor thats been a father to me, we talked of business ideas. He always told me to pay attention to the things that make me “Come Alive”. As we talked I told him my idea to have my own kettle corn business and exactly how I would do it. After I was done speaking he said “I think thats it!” “I’ve never seen you more alive than when you were talking about kettle corn to me.” From there I planned to start the business while still working construction. I applied for a temporary position repairing work vehicles as I planned to transition into business full time and got an acceptance letter to the temp job. I put in my notice at my construction job & the owner was not happy. I needed this temp job badly to keep money coming in while I saved enough to purchase the equipment for kettle corn. The temp company notified me they were rejecting the employment offer due to a speeding ticket I had at the time I got during bible college. This left me in a panic with no job and no money. I made the very risky move to start kettle corn full time instead of finding another job. But were would I get the money to purchase everything? My old friend at mistletoe lane told me about an opportunity with TNT Fireworks to make some extra money running a fireworks stand for them. I had never even lit a firework, much less sell them. But it was successful and I ran that stand for 6 years in mount pleasant and more across James island. I have my own stands now apart from TNT. I used that money, along with selling my car, to buy the equipment. I bought a truck from a friend for $1000 dollars to pull a trailer I traded some wheels and tires to get from another friend. Those were much different days for me but you do what you have to when you’re first starting out.
Kettle Corn and Fireworks provided the money and experience needed to invest in my largest endeavor, Dreaming Farms. I already knew the Christmas tree, and fireworks industry and my old friend at mistletoe lane introduced me to pumpkins. It often seems to me that life lined up opportunities for me like destiny. I work hard for a living but I enjoy my work every day and thats what’s important to me. If I hadn’t worked that little job selling Christmas trees in West Virginia I would have never met the owner at mistletoe lane and done fireworks or pumpkins or sold kettle corn. I worked very hard and took risks only a single man could take but it was all worth it and there’s more in store ahead.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
My life seems like to throws one giant obstacle after another. Finding investors, tree shortages, fireworks shortages, all retail closing during covid and so many more I couldn’t list. My entire life I’ve had to overcome hardships and obstacles and im only 27 so im sure there’s more of that in store. I still play things as risky as I did at 19 when I started kettle corn.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Ephraim Operations Inc hold several retail companies. Some of which are:
Dreaming Farms: An experience based retail location focused on bringing rural American experiences to Urban America. We setup a Pumpkin patch admission free with photo stations, farm fresh apple cider, & more so Charleston Families don’t need to drive an hour or more away to experience the classic American pumpkin patch experience.
Dreaming Farms does something similar with our Christmas experience. Yes we sell beautiful Christmas trees but We’ve made it a family tradition alot of Charleston’s northern originating families experienced up north. We try to make our lot feel like a choose and cut with picture stations, wreaths made and decorated to order, hot cocoa, and a gift shop filled with lots of Christmas goodies. Even if you don’t purchase a real tree for your own house you can enjoy our trees featured all kinds of local businesses. Every year we provide the Charleston City Market, Market Pavilion Hotel, The Emaline Hotel, and The Loutrel Hotel with their Christmas trees.
Ascension Fireworks: We are a retailer of TNT Fireworks & a Proud dealer of the classic & iconic brand “Black Cat”. We are the only Primary dealer of Black Cat Fireworks in Charleston or anywhere within 2 hours of Charleston. Our goal is to not be another Joe Shmoe selling fireworks for extra money. We Watch and test every product that makes it to our stand to make sure it meets our customers expectations. We honor our vets with 10% off ANYTHING. We provide the largest variety and try to ensure NOTHING goes out of stock when you show up late on the 4th of July or New years eve your not left with the left overs. We only hire experienced staff thats been thoroughly trained on all our products and how they work so your never caught off guard when your trying to enjoy your Independence Day celebration with your children. You will know exactly all the local laws in your area, and fireworks safety and how to properly and safely operate the fireworks you purchase.
What are your plans for the future?
A new fireworks stand location in Charleston called The MEGA STAND.
Dreaming farms will offer packages of porch decor for fall and start taking orders in August.
Dreaming Farms will offer an online store for year round farm fresh products such as our own brand of apple cider vinegar & more.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://dreamingfarms.com
- Instagram: @dreamingfarms @ascensionfireworks
- Facebook: Facebook.com/dreamingfarms – Facebook.com/ascensionfireworks
