The Belleville CEO program has had an incredible impact on my personal and professional growth over the past year. Coming into the program, I had the dream of owning a business one day, but I wasn’t sure if it was realistic. Now, because of CEO, I believe not only that I can own a business, but that I can be successful at it. CEO helped me realize that with hard work, resilience, and the right mindset, anything is possible. Throughout the year, I learned the importance of time management, communication, leadership, and teamwork. Balancing CEO with my other classes, soccer, and life outside of school was one of my biggest challenges, especially during our soccer state championship season. There were times when even thinking about CEO felt overwhelming. But through those struggles, I learned how important it is to get things done early and not procrastinate, a lesson that will serve me well in the future. One of the biggest ways CEO changed me was by helping me build confidence in reaching out to others. I learned that most people are willing to help if you just ask, and that hearing “no” isn’t the end of the world, it’s just a part of the process. This mindset shift has made me more resilient and unafraid to go after what I want. I’m especially proud of how our class business and my own personal business turned out. Seeing all of our hard work come together was a moment of real pride. Looking ahead, CEO has strengthened my plan to own a business in the future. I know I still need to work on my time management skills, but this program gave me the foundation and confidence to keep pushing forward. I’m grateful for the classmates, mentors, and experiences that made this year so special. For anyone starting CEO next year, my best advice is to show up every day ready to learn, because if you do, it truly can change your life.