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 The
tradeshow marked the third such annual event for the LLCEO and was
well attended by a steady stream of visitors, many of those visitors
were parents, teachers, mentors, and members of the public, all
there to show their support for the efforts of the young men and
women.
The tradeshow is set up with booths for each student. As guests
arrived, they were able to start at the first booth and make their
way around the room, visiting with each student about their
business. The students were to give their sales pitch, answer
questions about their product or service, and also about their goals
for the future.
The first booth inside the doorway was manned by LLCEO Board member
April Doolin, with a variety of other folks joining her throughout
the evening, some fellow board members and some instructors at
various schools, and also joining in the conversations was LLCEO
Instructor Jason Mauhar.
Each guest was given a booklet that contained information about the
students including a biography and some of the activities of the
school year, such as the Brains and Brawn Fundraiser held in
February. The fundraiser was held on a Friday evening and Saturday
and included trivia games to exercise the brain and athletic
activities to exercise the body. The money raised was then used to
support the development of the individual student businesses.
Austin Hayes
The first business in the lineup was Pixel Hayes Design, owned by
Austin Hayes. Hayes is a junior at Hartsburg-Emden High School. He
participates in high school sports is a member of the student
council, has participated in scholastic bowl, and also in the high
school play, and much more. He is planning to attend Parkland
Community College, then transfer to the University of Illinois to
complete his degree in Computer Science.
For his CEO business, Hayes developed a service based business
working with website design and development. As he spoke with guests
he said that in addition to creating useful websites for clients, he
also will consult with clients on how to improve existing websites.
Hayes says that the website design business is really just a
stepping stone toward his career goal. He plans to study computer
programming so as to develop his own programs and also he wants to
work in creation and design of video games.
In the program booklet Hayes noted: “The most important lesson I’ve
learned during CEO is to do what you say you’re going to do when you
say you’re going to do it.”
Emma Schoth
Emma Schoth is a senior at Mount Pulaski High School. She has
participated in softball, cheerleading, student council, FFA,
Scholastic Bowl, yearbook staff, and is a member of Spanish Club,
FCCLA and National Honor Society.
Schoth’s business was driven by a very personal motivation. Drake's
Toys is a subscription toy service focusing on special needs
children. She explained that the name of the business reflects her
motivation, her nephew Drake who has autism. She said that his
parents struggle to find toys and games that Drake can use and that
will help him develop skills.
With her business, a subscribing parent will first answer a
questionnaire about his or her child and return that to Schoth. The
questionnaire will provide Schoth with a guide to selecting toys and
educational tools that are best suited for the child’s level of
development. Schoth set up her business for a monthly subscription
or she said she also will do quarterly subscriptions or one time
only purchases. She added that she offers a gift box plan, for
example, a relative can order a box and have it delivered directly
to the child’s home. Schoth was assisted in her booth by Abbey
Phillips who helped demonstrate specific toys as Schoth explained
the program to guests.
Schoth said that her business is something she is very passionate
about because of the nephew, but it also goes well with her future
career goals. Schoth plans to attend college and major in
psychology. She said her goal is to become a child psychologist.
In her biography she stated that, “Through CEO, I have had the
opportunity to gain amazing communication skills that will help me
immensely as I move forward with my business.”
Hayley Matson
Hayley Matson was set up in the third booth talking with guests
about her passion turned to business – party planning. Matson said
that she saw a need in the community for a real party planner,
someone who could assist in the planning of graduation parties, baby
showers, and anniversary celebrations. She said that she will plan
the event start to finish, but she would also be the one folks could
go to if they had a last minute snag in their own planning process
and needed someone to bail them out, so to speak. Matson said that
right now she is serving only Logan County and she hasn’t taken on
anything really big like a wedding or corporate function. However,
she said she is open to doing those things in the future.
Her plans for after high school include attending Lincoln Land
Community College and studying business.
Matson said that one valuable thing she learned from CEO was not to
take everything on herself. “The most important lesson I learned
throughout my CEO experience is that delegation and accountability
are extremely important."
Talia Andrade
Sugar Designs by Talia is definitely a career goal business for
Talia Andrade, a senior at Hartsburg Emden High School. Talia had an
edible booth set up with a chocolate and strawberry sheet cake. She
was handing out pieces as a free sample. Also on display were some
beautifully decorated cupcakes.
Andrade says that she plans to attend college and has selected a
school where she can continue to study cooking and baking. She also
hopes to gain additional baking and decorating experience by working
for other shops, and then eventually she plans to open her own
bakery.
In school Andrade has been active in cheerleading and FFA and
outside of school has already held a job as a cook and waitress at
the Stag R Inn.
Andrade noted: CEO has taught me many lifelong lessons but the most
important has been to follow my dreams and to not let the doubt of
others discourage me.
Lindsay Long
Lindsay Long is a junior at Lincoln Community High School. When she
finishes high school she plans to attend college and study to become
an athletic trainer. For her business she developed a physical
fitness consulting business focusing on the “baby boomer”
generation. She said that assisting an older generation in staying
active and physically fit will make it possible for those people to
maintain their independence longer.
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Long
developed a business where she consults with clients about their
physical ability and activity level and what issues they may
have. She will then design a program just for that person,
utilizing exercises that they are able to do on their own that
will strengthen their weak spots. She said that she worked with
the Beards' of Reps Gym to research exercises and develop her
program.
In her bio Long said, “Throughout this year in CEO the most
important lesson I learned is the importance of teamwork and
communication.”
Felipe Buenrostro
In his bio Filipe Buernostro states: “My dream is to partner my
business skills and deep-seeded calling to help others into my own
successful international business venture. Papos Style, my current
business, will bring quality fashion and home accessories from
underprivileged foreign communities to the world market at a fair
price. I will share their stories, and then donate 10 percent of my
profits back to them in order to be a catalyst for progress in their
lives.”
Wednesday evening Buenrostro’s booth was filled with color, and drew
quite a bit of attention. He said that the items he is selling are
all hand made by people living in underprivileged societies. He is
selling and donating a portion of his profits right now to the Atomi
Indians in Mexico.
Buenrostro had a helper for the evening, Jaden Elliott who assisted
in talking about the products being offered.
Bruenrosto is a senior at Mount Pulaski High School. He plans to
attend Loyola University where he will take on a double major in
International Business and Global Entrepreneurship with a minor in
Spanish. In high school Buenrostro played soccer and participated in
the high school band. He has been a member of FCCLA, student
government, National Honor Society, Spanish Club, and participated
in the cultural exchange program, traveling to Costa Rica.
Mya Roberts
While Mya Roberts, a senior at Lincoln Community High School, plans
to become a history teacher, she also has a passion for animals.
That passion drove her to start her small business Paws-itive
Experience Pet Care. As an employee of Lincoln Animal Hospital she
knows that pet owners worry about leaving their animals at home
alone, especially for extended periods of time. Her business answers
a need for pet parents in that she will tend to the needs of pets
when the owners are away. Roberts and her best friend and helper for
the evening Ashlan Broom shared with guests how Roberts’ business
plan works.
Roberts said that for a fee she will do well-being checks on pets
and will provide activity and food. She will also provide nail
trimming and baths as requested. Her plan is basically to stop in
and visit with the pets, but she recently had a request that she
stay over with an animal and she was happy to work that out for the
client and the pet.
Next year, Roberts plans to attend Eastern Illinois University to
get her history degree. She hopes to continue her pet care business
as a source of income during her college career.
Roberts said that in her CEO experience, “The most important lesson
I learned is to not be deterred by what people may think of you.”
Dustyn Gaston
Dustyn Gaston is a junior at Lincoln Community High School. His
small business reflects a very long, long term plan. Gaston is
planning to enlist in the United States Air Force right after high
school. He sees himself as career military, spending 20 years
serving his country and developing skills in logistics or aviation
mechanics. When he retires from the military he hopes to start up a
business of his own based on the knowledge and experience he gained
in the Navy.
Later in life, when he is ready to slow down, he says that the
business he introduced at the tradeshow may become a business again.
Gaston’s business revolved around wood craftsmanship. He enjoys
making cutting boards but also had on display turned bowls, wooden
boxes and a set of twin tables that he said took about 40 to 50
hours to complete.
Emma Cooper
Emma Cooper is a senior at Lincoln Community High School. For the
last two years she has also been employed in the Foodservice
Department at Lincoln College. She enjoys that type of work, and has
also worked at the local Dairy Queen. Being out and about in the
community she noted that the beverage industry is growing, but local
coffee shops are not always located in the most convenient places
for would-be buyers.
As a result she developed a business plan for Grind and Shine
beverages that includes being more mobile, and going to the
customers. She plans to operate her business through this year at
least and will run it as a ‘pop-up’ where she sets up shop in
various locations. She will use a website and social media to let
returning customers know where she is at on any given day.
She sees a need to have the mobile business set up near the
factories in town, the hospital, and other locations where there is
high traffic and not a lot offered in the line of food and beverage.
After graduation Cooper will be attending the University of Illinois
at Chicago and plans to study business. Her ultimate goal is to one
day own a brick and mortar coffee/beverage shop.
On Wednesday evening Copper was making and selling teas, coffees,
and smoothies to guests. She said that the rough weather this spring
has prevented her from getting out in the community with her pop up
the way she wanted to, but is looking forward to doing so now that
the weather is warming up.
Cooper said, “The most important lesson I have learned in CEO is the
importance of communication and the impact that it can have on the
way you are viewed by others.”
Throughout the year, the CEO students traveled to various businesses
in Logan County and learned from successful business owners, then
used what the learned to establish their own businesses. In order to
be a part of the CEO, the students may be either juniors or seniors
in high school and live in Logan County and attend a high school
that serves their area. They must be willing to attend CEO classes
before they go to school each day, meaning that most of them start
their day’s quite early in order to prepare and get to class at CEO,
then commute back to their home school in time for the beginning
classes of the day.
Throughout the school year each student has a mentor who is a local
business professional. The mentors work with the students and help
to guide them in their studies and development of their business
plans.
The CEO program is led by Jason Mauhar who answers to a board of
advisors. The members of the board of advisors include April Doolin,
Integrity Holdings; Clyde Reynolds, Keystone Risk Management; Lisa
Steve, Olympia High School; Patrick Doolin, Integrity Data; Robert
Bagby, LCHS District 404; Sara Sisk, Lincoln Community High School;
Todd Hamm, Mount Pulaski CUD 23; Dr. R. Todd Nobbe, Nobbe Eye Care
Center; Bridget Schneider, Level Four Wealth Management; and Kristi
Powell, Heartland Community College.
[Nila Smith]
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