This year, I’ve grown significantly as a person, student, and aspiring entrepreneur. One of my biggest areas of growth has been confidence, especially in networking and making strong first impressions. I’ve learned to greet with a smile, offer a handshake, and start conversations—skills I’ll carry with me always. Through CEO, I’ve realized that with hard work, I can achieve goals I once thought were out of reach. This experience also helped solidify my decision to major in business.

Another major area of growth was learning to manage stress and solve problems without getting overwhelmed. I used to spend more time worrying than working, but now I focus on solutions. This mindset was especially important when my trade show product didn’t turn out as planned. I started late and felt rushed, but instead of panicking, I reached out for help and found a solution. I’ve learned that challenges don’t mean failure—there’s always another way if you stay calm and ask for support.

CEO also taught me to be resilient and resourceful. With a limited budget for our class business, we had to get creative. Collaborating with my classmates taught me the value of teamwork and diverse strengths. I stepped up to secure sponsors and lead the silent auction when needed, and those leadership moments made a real difference.

One of my proudest accomplishments is building my own business and adapting when obstacles came up. Stepping into leadership—even when it wasn’t planned—helped me grow and contribute meaningfully to my team. I’m incredibly grateful for my classmates who made this journey so rewarding.

To future CEO students: start early, stay flexible, and know that things will go wrong—but with hard work and the right mindset, you’ll be ready for anything.