Cole Pender might never have discovered his entrepreneurial spirit if it weren't for his best friend's remarkable transformation. Watching a naturally quiet classmate blossom into a confident communicator through Shawnee High School's CEO program planted a seed that would eventually grow into something extraordinary.

"He wasn't an outgoing talker kind of guy," Cole recalled about his friend from the Class of 2024. "But watching him go through that program and seeing how he changed really amazed me. Now he's very outgoing and will talk to anybody."

That transformation captivated Cole enough to apply for the Union County CEO program himself. What he found was far more challenging—and rewarding—than he'd imagined. “Our principal and our director of student services, Karen Schaefer and Beth Marks, they were definitely there for us, but our main CEO facilitator was Melanie Smith.”

"They had us talking to business owners that have been around for 20-plus years," Cole explained. "You're seeing how they've run their business, how they talk to their customers, and how they talk to people in general."

Every morning at 7:15, Cole and three other Shawnee students were already meeting with business leaders across Union County. For two hours and fifteen minutes, they'd sit across from seasoned entrepreneurs and business professionals, absorbing lessons that couldn't be taught from textbooks.

Those early morning sessions took them everywhere—from Schaefer Enterprises' sprawling operation in Wolf Lake to the boardroom at Anna-Jonesboro National Bank, from Flamm Orchards to Lambdin Farms. Each visit revealed different industries, but common threads emerged: work ethic, professionalism, and the kind of communication skills that social media hadn't taught their generation.

"A lot of kids and even adults don't know how to speak to people," Cole observed. "People will talk on the phone, but you don't know how they talk in person, if they're making good eye contact, or even how to shake your hand properly."

Inspired by his grandfather, who'd been running his own business for over sixty years, Cole had always harbored entrepreneurial dreams. The CEO program made available to him through Shawnee High School gave him the confidence to act on them.

While still in the program, he launched Pistol City Mowing, a lawn care service that started as a class project but quickly became something more substantial. Armed with a John Deere zero-turn mower and the business acumen he'd been developing, Cole began building a customer base throughout Union County.

"This first year is just me trying to figure things out," Cole admitted, displaying the kind of self-awareness that separates successful entrepreneurs from dreamers. "Next year I'd like to get twenty-five to thirty more yards and hire somebody else with another mower."

What strikes visitors about Cole isn't just his business success, but the confidence he radiates—a stark contrast to the uncertain teenager who first walked into the CEO program. The transformation his friend experienced has now become his own story.

The CEO opportunity at Shawnee provides students like Cole with remarkable real-world leverage through soft skills, practical business knowledge, and up-close customer care.

But the philosophy extends well beyond customer care to Cole’s entire approach to business and life. Cole has learned through experience that success isn't just about profit margins and growth projections—it's about building relationships and serving your community.

"I'm very proud to say that I've been through the CEO program," Cole reflected. "I've got to experience things that kids my age just haven't."