You can spend a morning talking to high school seniors about entrepreneurship, business models and the realities of running a company. And then hand them an Ace Hardware PEZ dispenser and suddenly they’re 10 years old again.
That happened this morning in Lebanon.
Our CEO for the day was Kaiden, who is from Lebanon, and he had the opportunity to introduce our class to Bill Millikin. Bill lives right here in Lebanon, and owns Ace Hardware in both Lebanon and Mascoutah. He is also a big part of the Silver Creek Area CEO family. He is an investor, a mentor and a board member, and he continues to find ways to show up for our students.
We spent most of our morning at 50N4 Event Space, where Bill shared his experience and challenged the students to think differently about entrepreneurship. It was especially meaningful for me to be back in this space because last year Bill graciously donated the venue for our inaugural class to hold their Trade Show.
Bill’s conversation with them went in a lot of directions, but one thing kept coming back: know yourself.
Know what you’re good at. Know what you enjoy. Understand that you don’t have to be good at everything. And don’t be afraid to take an opportunity that might lead you somewhere different than the path you originally imagined.
He talked about his own journey and how, at one point, he put his finance degree on the shelf to pursue an opportunity in technology. His message wasn’t that our students should abandon their plans. It was that plans can change, and that’s okay.
“Chase the opportunity in front of you, and always show up.”
That felt especially appropriate for a room full of high school seniors who are standing at the beginning of so many unknowns.
Bill also challenged them to think about the different ways people can get into business. He threw out terms like franchise, co-op, turnkey business and side gig, then talked through what those actually mean. He used real examples and numbers to show them how businesses make decisions, how owners can use the expertise of others and how much goes into making a business work beyond simply having a good idea.
But the part of our conversation that I found myself thinking about afterward was much less about Bill’s own success.
It was about his employees.
Bill talked about how much he enjoys running payroll every two weeks for the 30 to 40 people who work for him. Until about a year ago, he personally signed every check.
He wasn’t talking about payroll as a business expense.
He was talking about people.
People who count on those paychecks. People who have families and bills and lives. People who don’t necessarily want to own a business themselves, but who want to work, provide for their families and build a good life.
There was something really genuine about the pride Bill took in that.
And I think that’s an important part of what our students are learning through Silver Creek Area CEO. Entrepreneurship isn’t only about having an idea and making money. It’s about recognizing opportunities, building something of value and understanding the impact your decisions can have on other people.
Before we left 50N4, Bill told the students they couldn’t leave without a gift. Out came the Ace Hardware PEZ trucks.
They immediately opened them and started loading the candy. They may be in an entrepreneurial class, but they still have a kid in them! They were so excited, and honestly, it was pretty fun to watch.
Then we walked across the parking lot to Ace Hardware for the final 15 minutes of our visit. Bill gave the students a look around his Lebanon store and connected what we had been talking about all morning to the business right in front of them.
Bill, thank you doesn’t really seem like enough. Thank you for opening your businesses to our students, for sharing your experiences with them, for challenging them to think, and for continuing to show up for Silver Creek Area CEO in so many ways. As an investor, mentor and board member, you have invested far more than money in this program. You have invested your time, your wisdom and your belief in these kids.
We are so grateful for you, Bill, and for the way you continue to show up for our students.
