CEO has been a life changing experience for me. At the beginning of the year, I didn’t realize how much it would help me grow, but as time went on, the new people I met, places I went, skills I learned, and advice I was given helped to shape me into a better person than before. From CEO I immediately learned the power of networking and being comfortable meeting new people in new situations. At first, I was unsure of branching out and meeting people I’d never seen in my life from different schools, and I was even more unsure of how I’d run a business with them, but as time went on, I learned what skills certain people were good at and how we could all work together using teamwork to create something amazing, making our class business one of my favorite things that happened during my time in CEO. From business visits, I learned the importance of listening to people and taking in what they say, asking valuable questions during their talks and picking up on the advice I heard along the way. Business visits to people such as Geri Boyer from Kaskaskia Engineering and SIFU from 5 Elements Fitness taught me elements of hard work and perseverance, while people like Michael Gramelspacher from People of Play and Tom Faulkner of The FOURCE Group inspired my creative side. Businesses such as Barcom Security and people like Chris Egelston the magician showed me how careers can be formed in unique and different ways, while people such as Jaylen Davis and Kathy Mordini opened up my eyes to the grateful side of nonprofits. Overall, being in CEO was one of the best decisions I’ve made for myself, its impact on me and help with networking, entrepreneurship, and teaching me life lessons that I’ll always remember is something I’ll never forget, and the countless connections, values, and skills I’ve taken away from it is truly something that will continue to help me grow as a person, and as a CEO.