We recently had the privilege of hosting Josh Davis, a website developer and digital marketing strategist from Metro East SEO in our CEO class. From the moment he walked in, it was obvious he wasn’t there to talk about himself or sell his business to our class. He came to help our students grow their businesses and share practical, real-world advice about building an online presence.

Josh showed the class how to create trust for a business through Google Business Pages, Facebook Business Pages, and even free website options. He talked about online shopping platforms, search engine optimization, and other tools that will be useful for years to come. What made it so memorable, though, was how hands-on he was.

Students went around the room sharing where they are in their business journey. Then Josh walked around to students, helping them pull up their business plans on their laptops and offering advice tailored to each person. You could see the excitement and focus in the room as students applied what he was teaching right away.

Another highlight of the day: every time we have a guest speaker or site visit, we assign a student leader to handle communication and follow-up. That day’s leader was Mariam, a senior from Mascoutah High School who plans to attend SIUE and major in business. Josh was so impressed with Mariam that he reached out after class to see if she might be a fit for an internship at his company once she graduates from high school. Mariam is a remarkable student, hardworking, punctual, and dedicated, and we are all beyond excited for this opportunity for her.

We are so grateful to Josh Davis for taking the time to pour into our students. Experiences like this are why our CEO community is so special. Watching these young entrepreneurs grow, learn, and shine is inspiring and gives me so much hope for the future.