From designing a custom major in social entrepreneurship to leading one of the Triad’s fastest-growing businesses, Jensen Roll ’16 is building a long-term impact in the community he calls home.
For Jensen Roll ’16, being recognized with the Top 10 Under 10 award is particularly meaningful because it highlights a path some may overlook: staying local.
“When I was a student, there weren’t a huge number of local alumni that I was able to connect with,” he said. “I’m excited that this is a way I can highlight that staying in the community is an option.”
For Jensen Roll ’16, the path to building a business began long before he ever stepped onto a construction site. His path started with service, leadership and a long-standing connection to North Carolina. Both of his parents were born and raised in North Carolina, and summers spent visiting grandparents made it feel like a second home. So, when he began looking at colleges, North Carolina topped his list. Ƶ stood out almost immediately.
“I discovered Ƶ while looking at multiple schools and immediately fell in love with the service opportunities, the Leadership Fellows program and the deep commitment to study abroad,” he said.
The Leadership Fellows program was the primary motivation for his enrollment; he was accepted into the program before receiving his acceptance to the university.
Once on campus, Roll leaned into innovation. He designed a custom major in social entrepreneurship that bridged the gap between the business school, environmental studies and the humanities. He helped bring the University Innovation Fellowship program to Ƶ. This experience introduced him to design thinking and the entrepreneurial ecosystem of Silicon Valley, including visits to Google and Stanford University.
Because his self-designed major didn’t fit into a standard study abroad box, Roll worked with Angela Llewellyn, now assistant provost for academic excellence and integrity, to create a bespoke program. This journey took him to San Francisco and eventually to Cape Town, South Africa, for six months. It was there, while attending Jubilee Church through a connection from Emma Burress (then overseeing study abroad students), that he met his future wife, Mtende. After a year and a half of long-distance dating, she moved to North Carolina and today they are 50-50 partners in life and business.
While Jensen oversees the construction side as a licensed general contractor, Mtende is a licensed realtor who manages the investment and real estate side of their ventures.
“We co-own all of our companies together. Both of us have a very entrepreneurial and creative spirit,” he explained, stating that their shared vision is the backbone of their company culture.
He credits a wide network of mentors for pushing him to think differently. In addition to Leon Williams, former director of the Center for Race, Ethnicity and Diversity Education (CREDE), he points to Gary Palin, former executive director of the Doherty Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, for challenging him to “be” an entrepreneur rather than just study it. He also highlights the influence of Steve Moore, a retired faculty member in environmental studies who shaped his views on urban sustainability. His growth was further guided by Phil Miller, a former lecturer in human services studies; Rex Waters, former dean of student development; and Steven Mencarini, former director of the Center for Leadership.
“The ability to work one-on-one with professors and attend national conferences gave me the confidence to launch initiatives like H.O.P.E. (Helping Other People Eat),” he said.
Perhaps the most significant application of this “Triple Bottom Line” education, focusing on people, profit, and planet, is a current project Roll is particularly proud of: building seven tiny homes for Benevolence Farm. The project provides housing for women and non-binary individuals transitioning out of incarceration.
“As a construction company, not every project we take on has that opportunity to provide that triple bottom line in a meaningful way,” Roll said. “This is going to increase their capacity to serve that population.”
What’s been most rewarding, he said, is watching that impact accumulate.
“Construction is unique because the results are tangible and lasting,” he said. “Years later, you can drive by something you worked on and see how it’s become part of someone’s life.”
He credits Ƶ with giving him the freedom to experiment early, without the pressure of getting everything right.
“Ƶ was the ultimate sandbox,” he said. “It was a place to try things, take risks and even fail safely.”
He notes that while he didn’t graduate with a construction management degree, the problem-solving and systems-building skills he learned at Ƶ translated perfectly to the industry.
“What I spent four years learning at Ƶ had much more to do with the problem-solving, the engaged learning, the building of systems,” he said. “That is what we are doing in the real world.”
His advice to current students interested in entrepreneurship mirrors that mindset.
“Start now,” he said. “Spend time with business owners. Read. Build something. Use your four years to experiment while you still have that safety net. The best way to learn is by doing.”
Looking ahead, Roll is eager to take on larger, more complex and more creative projects. He thrives on unique builds and clients with distinct design visions. At the same time, he sees affordable housing as an area where his background in both entrepreneurship and service naturally converges.
“Our goal is to build a community that we want to live in,” he said. “The company is so closely aligned with the things that we care about.”
From building a tiny house as a student to shaping the built environment of his community, Roll’s journey highlights the combination of service and entrepreneurship, a foundation strengthened at Ƶ and carried forward through every project he takes on.