Fearless Founders
Fearless Founders podcast is an audio adaptation of a live experience hosted for CEO (Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities) Program participants across the nation each year. CEO is an entrepreneurship program provided by the Midland Institute for Entrepreneurship that is transforming young people across the nation into entrepreneurial thinkers. A part of the Midland Institute for Entrepreneurship’s ever-present mission to develop the next generation of thought leaders and innovators, this series was born out of a passion to share valuable life stories with these high school entrepreneurs and invite them to build their network on a national level. In this podcast, you’ll hear a collection of special conversations with highly, successful visionary leaders - from Olympic champions to New York Times bestselling authors - that touch on how they got there, the failures they overcame, and what they learned along the way. To learn more about the CEO Program, visit DiscoverCEO.com.
Fearless Founders
Episode Four - CEO Alumni Panel featuring Ashley Leman l Owner, Revive Coffee Roasters, Ashton Hemminger l Owner, AJ & CO, and Drake Roach l Owner, SI Pressure Washing, LLC
In this month's Fearless Founders conversation, we sat down with a special panel of alumni business owners who shared their insight into individual business creation with current CEO participants. Tune in to hear what advice they have to give to students as they venture on their entrepreneurial journeys this year and beyond.
More about our guests:
Ashley Leman, 2022 Woodford County CEO, Owner, Revive Coffee Roasters
Revive Coffee and Roasting Company is a small-batch, artisan coffee roasting business located in Central Illinois. Ashley Leman, 2022 Woodford County CEO, started this business in August of 2021 as her CEO business in hopes it would turn into her dream, a coffee shop! Revive has grown enormously since then. Ashley’s journey has taken her from just a handful of monthly buyers to a thriving customer base, participating in multiple Farmer's Markets each week, and securing several store spaces along the way. Learn more on her website: https://reviveroasting.com/
Ashton Hemminger, 2022 Seneca OH CEO, Owner, AJ & CO
Ashton Hemminger is the founder of AJ & Co. Marketing and a 2022 alum of Seneca CEO. She launched her marketing firm in her home community of Downtown Tiffin, OH, upon the completion of her CEO experience. Ashton says that CEO forever changed her life and transformed her into a young entrepreneur. Her company, AJ & Co., specializes in social media, digital advertising, and photography. Learn more on her website:https://ashtonjomarketing.com/
Drake Roach, 2020 Union County CEO, Owner, SI Pressure Washing, LLC
Drake Roach, 2020 Union County CEO, is the Owner and Operator of SI Pressure Washing, LLC. He started his company in 2020 after using it as a model for his Union County CEO project. As his clientele increased, he purchased marketing tools to help build brand recognition. Drake has continued his education while running his business and has an Associate of Arts degree and a certificate of completion from the SBDCs "Launch That Business Program." He is currently a senior at SIUC and on track to graduate with a Bachelor of Science specializing in marketing and management. Learn more on SI Pressure Washing’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/SoILPressureWashing/.