Jackson CEO Students Showcase Businesses
CARBONDALE, Ill. -- A group of young small business owners gathered Saturday hoping to promote their companies.
The high school students are part of the Jackson CEO program, which teaches young adults entrepreneurial skills and helps them build their own businesses. At the event, the students introduced their businesses to the community and got feedback from potential customers.
“Just use your opportunity to start conversations and just go with it,” said Matt Hendrix, a senior at Trico High School who started Matt’s Musical Maintenance.
“My goal is to just kind of get musical repair to people who need it for honest and reasonable prices,” he said.
The students say the first-hand experience helps teach them lessons they can’t learn in the classroom.
“That first-hand experience is honestly priceless,” said Trico junior Hanna Allen. “You cannot put a price on that because it is honestly mind-blowing just how much each of us has changed.”
The proceeds from the event will become seed money for the student’s businesses to help them continue to grow, even after they leave the class.
“It could be something to float me through college or just something I can just do on the side, because it’s something that I totally enjoy,” Hendrix said.