Pay attention.

That may have been one of the biggest lessons our Silver Creek Area CEO students took away from our morning at Betty Ann Market in Mascoutah.

Mike Klein, Store Director at Betty Ann Market, led our visit, and from the very beginning, he had our students engaged.

After handshakes and a warm welcome, one of the first things he did was introduce us to Cheryl.

Mike looked at our students and said, “If you’re going to have a business someday, everybody needs a Cheryl.”

He told them Cheryl has been working alongside him since 2000 and described her as “more reliable than the sunrise.” He talked about how she takes everything in stride, knows what she’s doing and, most importantly, always puts the customer first.

Then he said something else that really stuck with me: “My life is a whole lot better and my job is a lot easier because Cheryl’s here with me every single morning.”

What a wonderful way to recognize an employee in front of a group of young people who are just beginning to think about what kind of leaders they want to become.

Mike is truly one of the happiest and most positive people I’ve ever met. He radiates joy.

One of the things I especially appreciated was the way Mike kept pulling other people into the conversation. Instead of doing all the talking himself, he introduced our students to the people who could add something valuable to the story.

Christian came over from the meat department and shared about his work as a meat cutter and sausage maker, including the generations of knowledge that have been passed down to him. Rick with Middendorf & Reuss Construction talked with the students about the incredible renovation happening at Betty Ann Market and what it takes to keep a business operating while undergoing such a major transformation.

Middendorf & Reuss has been part of that process for nearly three years, and Betty Ann Market has somehow remained open throughout almost all of it. That’s quite a story in itself.

But there was an unspoken lesson in the way Mike led our morning.

He paid attention to the people around him.

He knew who could add something valuable to the conversation, and he made sure our students heard from them.

The same could be said for the business itself.

Walk through Betty Ann Market and you see a business that has clearly paid attention to its community. A florist. Salad bar. Sushi chefs. Dry-aged meats. Local products like Busybody Meals, honey and Salsa Rose. Specialty coffees and ice cream at The Cafe at Betty Ann Market. And now, plans for fresh breakfast options and a drive-through because Mascoutah has very few fresh breakfast choices.

Each one represents a decision to listen, notice and respond.

Our students had plenty of questions along the way. They asked about profit margins, competition, employees, products and how Betty Ann decides what to add next.

And that is where the lesson became especially meaningful.

Because our students have heard many of these same ideas from successful business leaders the past few weeks. Find a need. Solve a problem. Listen to your customers. Build relationships.

And when students hear the same principles repeated by completely different businesses, something starts to happen. The lessons begin to stick. They begin to understand that these aren’t just CEO concepts. They are the things successful business owners actually do.

You can see that mindset in the incredible investment Craig Norrenberns, owner of Betty Ann Market, has poured into the building. The expansion isn’t simply about making the store bigger. It is about creating something the community needs and giving people more reasons to shop local and experience something unique right here in Mascoutah.

Nathan was our CEO of the Day, and he was a pretty perfect fit for this visit. Nathan is one of those students who naturally seems to have a smile on his face, so spending a morning with Mike was especially fitting.

Kelsey had the honors behind the camera today, capturing the people, the conversations and what turned into some very happy students.

Because at the end of our visit, our students each treated themselves to a drink from The Cafe at Betty Ann Market.

You should have seen their faces light up.

It was such a fun way to end our morning, and I have to admit, seeing them enjoy the experience made me pretty proud of them.

And of course, I had to try one myself. I ordered The 1930, one of Betty Ann Market’s signature drinks, named for the year their butcher shoppe opened. Espresso, brown sugar, caramel and toasted marshmallow cold foam.

Ummmm… I’ll definitely be ordering that one again very soon!

And maybe that brings us back to where we started.

Pay attention.

Betty Ann Market has spent years paying attention to the needs of the Mascoutah community and finding ways to serve them. But they also paid attention to a need that goes beyond the walls of their store: the need to invest in the next generation.

Betty Ann Market was one of the founding investors in Silver Creek Area CEO. They saw the value in pouring into high school students and helping prepare them for the future, and they continue to show up for our students and this program.

That kind of investment means so much to us.

Because just like Betty Ann Market is looking at what its customers and community need today, our students are learning to look ahead and think about what their communities will need tomorrow.

Thank you, Mike, Craig, Cheryl, Christian, Rick and the entire Betty Ann Market team for paying attention, opening your doors, sharing your wisdom, bringing others into the conversation and investing in our students.

We are so proud to partner with you.