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Real Good Company is a show where we talk with real people building good companies that are making a real impact. We’re so excited to welcome today’s guest, Brett Hagler, the Co-founder and CEO of New Story, an innovative nonprofit that pioneers solutions to end global homelessness.

Founded in 2015, New Story works to solve the problem behind homelessness through creative and innovative solutions to decrease the costs of homes. The organization got its start in Haiti and now works in El Salvador and Mexico. Since its inception, New Story has funded 2,300+ homes, built 30 communities and raised more than $25M.

After college, Brett knew he wanted to be an entrepreneur as well as be a part of impact-oriented nonprofits. Right after college, at 22 years old, Brett started a for-profit, online ecommerce company. They partnered with two charities, Charity Water and Mission of Hope in Haiti, which is where he was first exposed to the issue of homelessness. After a trip to Haiti, Brett was moved to compassion to see the effects of poverty on families. 

When he couldn’t find a nonprofit that was forward-thinking and moving forward with technology and innovation, Brett was inspired to start his own organization. New Story was launched to create a fresh perspective on the outdated model of charity. They focused on 3D printing as a form of innovative home design that could significantly decrease the cost of a house and the time to make it.

In today’s interview, Brett tells the story of how he and his team went through the famous startup accelerator, YCombinator. He shares how he and his New Story team have run the nonprofit as a business. He also offers advice on taking big risks and navigating the hard parts of launching a nonprofit.

You can find out more about Brett and everything mentioned on today’s show here. Also, you can find Brett on Twitter at @bretthagler and New Story at @newstorycharity. Get to know our hosts on Instagram @CaitlinCrosby and @AllieBridge. Please be sure to rate, review, and subscribe so that we can stay in Real Good Company!