At 7:14 am, I open the big glass doors and step out of the cold into the classroom. I find a seat and join my 23 classmates dressed in business clothes and prepare for a morning of planning. The class business deadline is quickly approaching and the morning will soon unravel into a flurry of emails, charged debate, and clicking keyboards.

As the first quarter comes to a close, CEO (Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities) has been in full swing for three months; that’s three months of business visits, guest speakers, and class business meetings, and in that short time, I’ve already learned a lot.

When I first heard about CEO, I knew I had to at least apply. Although at first, the idea of wearing business clothes and getting to class by 7:15 am every morning didn’t sound fun, when the time came, I decided to apply anyway, as I saw the positive impact it had made on my friends who had been through the program.

When I started CEO, I was relieved to see some familiar faces, but through CEO, the amount of teamwork and social skills required have resulted in new friendships with people I never knew before.

CEO has given me the opportunity to visit with local businesses. We have visited places such as Harley-Davidson Black Diamond, Zoomers RV, Bennett Metal, and many more. In these visits, we get to meet with the entrepreneurs and faces behind the business. 

We also get to network with important members of the community who speak to us about their experiences and share their wisdom from years of business experience. 

In planning class business and taking on new responsibilities every day, CEO has taught me accountability and work ethic. With so many moving parts, everyone must be reliable and follow through on their responsibilities. CEO is a commitment, but a rewarding one. CEO requires more accountability and time than any other class I’ve taken, and I trust that by the end of the class, I will have experienced the same positive transformation that I saw in my friends.