From $14 to Business Ownership: Charles Mateen-Hassan's Journey to Empower Black Investors

Starting with just $14 after a layoff in 2023, Charles Edward Mateen-Hassan II, known as Stock Market Charlie, transformed his financial future and the futures of many others. Today, he leads the Black Investors Coalition in Indianapolis, a community dedicated to closing the wealth gap through education and disciplined investing. This post explores Charlie’s inspiring journey, his approach to investing, and how his work supports Black and underserved communities during uncertain market times.

Charles Mateen-Hassan's modest financial start with $14

The Beginning: From Layoff to Learning

In 2023, after losing his job, Charlie had only $14 to his name. Instead of giving up, he used this small amount to start learning about options trading. This choice was risky but strategic. Options trading allowed him to leverage small amounts of capital for potentially larger returns, provided he approached it with discipline and education.

Charlie’s early days involved:

• Studying market trends and trading strategies

• Practicing with small trades to minimize risk

• Keeping detailed records to learn from successes and mistakes

  
  

His focus on education and patience helped him grow his initial funds steadily. This phase highlights the importance of mindset and resilience when starting from limited resources.

Building a Business from Trading Profits

By 2024, Charlie’s trading profits enabled him to launch an Airbnb cleaning business. This move diversified his income and created a stable cash flow outside the stock market. The cleaning business also provided valuable lessons in entrepreneurship, operations, and customer service.

Key takeaways from this stage include:

• Using profits from one venture to fund another

• Diversifying income streams to reduce financial risk

• Applying discipline learned in trading to business management

  
  

This practical approach laid the foundation for Charlie’s next big step: founding the Black Investors Coalition.

Founding the Black Investors Coalition

The Black Investors Coalition started as a way to share Charlie’s knowledge and experience with others who face similar financial challenges. The coalition offers comprehensive investing courses, books, blogs, and market commentary tailored to Black and underserved communities.

The coalition’s mission focuses on:

• Closing the wealth gap through education

• Promoting disciplined investing habits

• Encouraging diversification to build long-term wealth

  
  

Charlie’s eBook details his journey, emphasizing how mindset and resilience are as important as financial knowledge. His story inspires others to take control of their financial futures, no matter their starting point.

Reading Charles Mateen-Hassan's eBook on investing and resilience

Navigating Market Volatility in 2026

The year 2026 has brought significant market volatility, influenced by AI-driven rallies, shifts in Federal Reserve policies, and political developments. The Black Investors Coalition blog provides weekly outlooks and articles to help investors stay disciplined during these uncertain times.

Some of the key topics covered include:

• Defensive dividend ETFs as a way to generate steady income

• Strategies for mastering market volatility without panic selling

• Building Black wealth through diversified portfolios

  
  

Recent posts encourage patience and a focus on value investing, especially amid optimism about rate cuts and unpredictable earnings reports. Charlie’s commentary reflects the coalition’s voice, offering clear guidance without hype.

Community Engagement and Content Sharing

The coalition shares its content across multiple platforms:

• Blog updates with detailed market analysis and educational articles

• Facebook posts highlighting economic insights relevant to Black investors

• YouTube shorts and introductory videos explaining investing concepts

• LinkedIn articles connecting with professionals interested in financial growth

  
  

This multi-channel approach ensures the coalition reaches a broad audience, providing accessible financial education wherever people prefer to learn.

Black Investors Coalition blog providing market insights and education

Looking Ahead: Innovation Through Collaboration

Charlie plans to launch an initiative called “Innovation Through Collaboration” in 2030. This program aims to bring together investors, entrepreneurs, and community leaders to create new opportunities for wealth building in Black communities.

The initiative will likely focus on:

• Collaborative investment projects

• Sharing resources and knowledge

• Supporting startups and small businesses

  
  

This forward-looking vision builds on the coalition’s foundation of education and disciplined investing, aiming to create lasting economic impact.

Charles Mateen-Hassan’s journey from $14 to business ownership and community leadership shows how education, resilience, and strategic action can change lives. His work with the Black Investors Coalition offers practical tools and inspiration for anyone looking to improve their financial future. For those ready to start or deepen their investing journey, following Charlie’s approach of patience, discipline, and diversification can provide a strong path forward.