Budding business minds get to test the waters

STERLING — When it comes to the lesson of advanced sales for a product, Isabella Pena has that covered.

Pena, a senior at Milledgeville High School, had turned a profit even before setting up her booth at the Whiteside Area Career Center CEO Trade Show at Northland Mall on Wednesday.

“It’s really a huge plus,” said Pena, whose All Things Keys sells brightly colored keychains, lanyards, wristlets, smiley faces, crosses and metal pendants for $5.

Communication and networking were key to getting a head start, said Pena. “That really is helping with my orders,” she said. “Making those relationships is what’s going to help you sell out.”

This is the 10th year of the CEO program — short for Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities. The program has expanded so there are now classes representing the East and West portions of the career center’s coverage area. The trade show is where students showcase their businesses, and see if there is an audience and a market for their product or services. The show continues Thursday from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.

Hunter Luyando, a senior at Newman Central Catholic, created Board and Co. to sell hardwood cutting boards. They were distinctive, in that they featured different colored woods spliced vertically.

“Pretty much different types of wood, like walnut, cherry, hazel, ash, maple, and you cut them together and sanded them down and they’re pretty good size for a pretty good price,” he said.

The cutting boards go for $55 each. He created them himself, using mineral oil to wipe them down. He said there was trial and error involved in getting the cutting board design down.

Hannah Steinmeyer, a senior at Dixon, was inspired to sell Bare Skin Care products to meet her own needs.

“I have a lot of allergies,” Steinmeyer admits. “I have always had really sensitive skin. So I’ve been looking for a brand that can get me something that’s eco-friendly but also good for your skin and doesn’t have a bunch of harsh chemicals in it.”

Steinmeyer said a key lesson came on the marketing end. She relied on the resources available from the graphic design platform Canva for the distinctive bear logo to go with the “Bare Skin Care” text on her storefront. She said Caroline Arnould, who owns Value Lab, and facilitator Emily Zimmerman provided guidance on that front.

At the east end of the trade show, two students from the with facing booths jumped into the area of food service — something many of those in the East Class avoided.

Jacksen Ortgiesen, a senior at Dixon, set up The Yard — fencing included — for his cow-themed milkshake business.

Across the way, Quentin Seggebruch, also a senior at Dixon, was aligning rows of heated sandwich makers for Q’s Gourmet Grilled Cheeses.

“Earlier in the year when everyone was saying what they’re doing, I realized no one was doing a hot food item, so I decided I would do that and I picked grilled cheese,” Seggebruch said.

Why grilled cheese?

“I like grilled cheese, and they’re pretty easy to make,” he added.

For Ortgiesen, inspiration for his store came from the lyrics, “My milkshake brings all the boys to the yard,” from the 2003 hip-hop single by Kelis.

He is offering up his signature Moo Shake, vanilla ice cream with chocolate drizzle splotches on the size and special decoration on the top.

Members of the CEO class meets 90 minutes each week day. The course counts for two credits in the high school catalog. Facilitators help challenge individual students and manage the classroom. For 2022-23, the facilitators were LeAndra Hartman, retired educator at Eastland High School, and the aforementioned Zimmerman, a member of the business faculty at Sauk Valley Community College.

Funding for the program comes from business partners, a foundation and the students’ own projects.

Class members also work with mentors — people active in the local business community — who share their own experiences about risk and opportunity. Classes often meet at local businesses, which gives students a greater appreciation for professional work environments.

To take part, students are chosen after submitting a written request that includes letters of recommendation and their own entrepreneurial profile.

Here are the two classes:

West: Rhiannon Allison, Rock Falls, Dough-n-Go; Makenna Arickx, Rock Falls, Chip Chip Hooray; Logan Copeland, The Alpreneur; Samual Francque, Newman Central Catholic, Sock Valley; Josh Greenfield, Sterling, Deconstruction Zone; Carver Grummert, Newman Central Catholic, Esscential; Seth Johnson, Erie, Johnson’s Detailing; Hunter Luyando, Newman Central Catholic, Board and Co.; Ben Munoz-Ripley, Sterling, Ben’s Blossoms; Miles Nawrocki, Sterling B12; Payten Newman, Sterling, Queen Bean; Ainsley Reed, Newman Central Catholic, Indulgence; Taylor Reyna, Rock Falls, Tay’males; Gracie Rippy, Rock Falls, Ambrosia Wax Melt Co.; Ben Roth, Bureau Valley, Chester’s Choice; Olivia Turner, Sterling, Kaiyana Washington, Rock Falls, A Rays to Grow.

East: Cayden Akers, Milledgeville, Turbo Energy; Nour Alsramah, Dixon, Sahtain Hummus; Emma Castro, Dixon, Em J’s Gems; Alex Fulton, Dixon, Papa Al’s Puppy Chow; Sydney Hargrave, Dixon, Go-Go Bites; Maddux Hayden, Eastland, Re Nue; Donovan Kuhlemier, Eastland, Re Nue; Sean Lauer, Ashton Franklin, Shine Up; Mallory Misiewicz, Eastland, The Brownie Bliss; Jackson Ortgiesen, Dixon, The Yard; Isabella Pena, Milledgeville, All Things Keys; Quentin Seggebruch, Dixon, Q’s Gourmet Grilled Cheeses; Gracie Steidinger, Eastland, The Brownie Bliss; Hannah Steinmeyer, Dixon, Bare Skin Care.

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Rock Falls high School’s Gracie Rippy talks about her business Smellie Jellies, a gel based aroma enhancer Wednesday, April 26, 2023 at the trade show.. (Alex T. Paschal - apaschal@shawmedia.com/credit)