This year in the CEO program helped me grow both personally and professionally in ways I didn’t expect. At the beginning of the year, I lacked confidence speaking in professional settings, especially with adults. Now, I feel much more comfortable talking to people of all ages and speaking up when I have ideas. That confidence is one of the biggest changes I’ve seen in myself.
Throughout the year, I developed important skills like leadership, public speaking, and organization. I’m especially proud of the leadership I showed during the golf and pickleball tournaments. Planning and running both events taught me how to manage responsibilities, communicate clearly, and work under pressure. Seeing how successful the events were made all the hard work worth it.
One of my biggest challenges came during the trade show. My business focused on commission paintings, but many customers were more interested in food products, which made it harder for me to stand out. From that experience, I learned that creativity is important, but it also has to fit the audience and market. That taught me to think more strategically as an entrepreneur.
When it came to teamwork, I saw myself as a leader, organizer, and idea person. I enjoyed helping guide projects while also contributing creative ideas. I also learned that working with different personalities and strengths can lead to better outcomes when everyone communicates and stays open-minded.
This program changed how I view entrepreneurship. I’ve developed a mindset of taking initiative and stepping up when challenges come my way. Instead of waiting for opportunities, I’ve learned to create them.
Looking ahead, this experience has influenced my future goals. I now want to pursue a career in agricultural business, inspired by our field trip to Bayer. I also want to continue improving my ability to adapt my ideas to different situations.
Finally, I’m grateful for our teacher, Nick Johnson, who worked hard to give us the best experience possible. My advice to future CEO students would be to step out of your comfort zone and take every opportunity seriously—you’ll get so much more out of the program.
