Land of Lincoln CEO Trade Show Launches Four New Businesses
The public is invited to explore four new local businesses in one location

 

[April 17, 2024]    The Land of Lincoln CEO Program is thrilled to host the ninth annual student-owned Business Trade Show on Wednesday, April 24 at the American Legion in Lincoln.

A short ribbon cutting ceremony will begin at 5:00 p.m. with the event following from 5:00-6:00 p.m.

The Land of Lincoln CEO Tradeshow will showcase four new student-owned and operated businesses opening in Logan County. This free event is the finale to the program. The program is a one-year program featuring high school students with an entrepreneurial spirit. The Land of Lincoln CEO Program class is comprised of students from high schools throughout Logan County and funded through generous individual donations and support from local businesses. Lisa Kuhlman, facilitator and former small business owner herself, champions the cause.

This year's trade show will see three new items added to the evening.

First, at 4pm there is a special ceremony for incoming students. Students and their families and friends are invited to a commitment ceremony as they transition from being students to full fledged entrepreneurs.

Then, Alumni of the program will have a booth showcasing the growth and success of their businesses over time.

Finally, the Land of Lincoln CEO Advisory Board is excited to introduce and welcome next year's facilitator Ms. Sarah Tomaszewski at the trade show. She comes to the position as an entrepreneur in marketing and design with a resume that includes work for brands Target, Kohls, and Jessica Simpson.

Launched in 2015, this program allows high school students from Logan County to join the business community to acquire business skills and knowledge through both hands-on and classroom experiences. Class begins daily at 7:00 a.m. and concludes at 8:30 a.m. The students are provided access to a variety of business owners and experts in their field through guest speaking events, business tours, and a robust mentorship partner program. As a bonus, the students also earn college credit from Heartland Community College for their participation in the program.

On April 24, the students will showcase their company and be available to answer questions about their products and services as well as their experience in the CEO Program. The public can support the student businesses by making purchases right at the event!

To find out more about the program or learn about ways to support the class, please visit https://www.landoflincolnceo.com/

At the close of the event, there will be a drawing for a prize basket that will include products and services from each of the CEO Program participants. Please join us for the excitement and help us welcome the new entrepreneurs to our community!

[Land of Lincoln CEO
Advisory Board]