🚀 8 CEO PROGRAMS. NEARLY 100 YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS. ONE INCREDIBLE REGIONAL GATHERING. 🚀

📅 September 28, 2026

When young entrepreneurs from across Southern Illinois come together, big things happen.

Yesterday, 8 CEO programs and nearly 100 young entrepreneurs came together for the largest gathering of CEO programs our region has hosted to date! 🎉

The result? Connections. Networking. Knowledge. Personal growth. And a whole lot of CEO energy!

🎤 We were fortunate to have Chris Egelston and Kasie Woodworth, members of the Midland Institute for Entrepreneurship team, lead engaging, interactive sessions that challenged our young entrepreneurs to think about two essential pieces of business: crafting the perfect pitch and marketing to a specific audience. They learned that having a great idea is only part of the equation. How you communicate that idea, and understanding who you are communicating it to, can make all the difference.

🤝 Just as valuable were the connections happening throughout the day. Students stepped outside their individual programs, met young entrepreneurs from other communities, shared ideas, built relationships, and expanded their CEO network across Southern Illinois.

A special thank you to ThrillHouse Family Entertainment Center for sponsoring the space for this incredible gathering! Their investment in CEO is a perfect example of what happens when the business community invests in the future of entrepreneurship and small business in Southern Illinois.

And ThrillHouse didn’t just provide us with a place to meet!

Participants had the opportunity to tour their impressive 30,000-square-foot facility and hear more about the vision behind ThrillHouse and how they are investing not only in Williamson County, but in the entire Southern Illinois region.

💡 This is CEO.

It’s young people learning from professionals.
It’s businesses investing in the next generation.
It’s communities connecting with communities.
It’s relationships being built beyond county lines.
And it’s nearly 100 young entrepreneurs discovering that their network just became a whole lot bigger.

Southern Illinois has a lot to be excited about when this is what the future of entrepreneurship looks like! 🚀

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