Path to Becoming a CEO: From 16 to CEO

Are you intrigued by the idea of one day owning and leading a business? At 16, the path might seem daunting and overwhelming, but with the right mindset and steps, it's within reach. Starting and running a business isn't easy, and it often demands a significant amount of capital. The good news is, if you're eager to learn and willing to work hard, you can start setting the groundwork today. In this article, I will outline a path that I believe is transformative: the Apprenticeship Path. This approach is not just central to our Praxis Program, but it's also the route I would have chosen if I could go back in time.

The Education of a Business Owner

There are over 30 million small businesses in the United States, and only 44% of small business owners have a college degree. This makes sense, as much of what's taught in traditional education doesn't directly apply to running a business. The applicable knowledge can often be acquired more quickly and affordably on-the-job. Therefore, if not college, then what is the most effective way to learn how to run a business? The answer is simple: by gaining real-world experience in a business.

However, not all experience is created equal. If you have ambitious goals to one day call the shots, you need much more than just earning wages. You need to understand how the business operates from the inside out. The best way to do this is to find an entry-level job, gain experience by becoming remarkable at that job, and understand the value of time and effort in creating value for customers.

Customer-Centric Business Operations

A business's success is directly tied to its ability to serve its customers. Therefore, you need to appreciate the value of a dollar and the hard work that goes into making a profit. Additionally, you need to get firsthand experience interacting with customers. By doing so, you can build a strong foundation that will make it much easier to step into an executive role in the future.

From Employee to Entrepreneur-in-Training

While it's important to work hard at the entry-level job, it's equally as important to use that experience to think about your future ambitions. Think about businesses that interest you. If you can't think of any, make a list of people you admire who own businesses. What do they do? How can you be valuable to them? Once you have someone in mind, come up with at least one idea that could help their business. Then, take action on it. It can be a small thing, but take the idea as far as possible.

For instance, if you notice that the business doesn't do much marketing, you could create a simple one-page website featuring their services and set up Google ads targeting keywords related to their services to drive traffic. Run the campaign for a week, review the data, and create a presentation. Once you have something tangible like this, find a way to get in touch with the owner, set up a meeting, and present your findings. From there, pitch the idea to the owner and offer to work for them for free 1-2 days per week to implement your ideas.

Building Your Skills Until You Find Your Thing

This step can be repeated at different small businesses as you maneuver through your first few years of experience. Find a business you're interested in, figure out how you can be valuable, pitch the owner, and deliver value in exchange for experience. Along the way, take note of which aspects of running a business excite you the most. Then, focus on honing those skills and turning them into a career path.

By following the Apprenticeship Path, you're setting yourself up for a successful transition from employee to entrepreneur. No matter the business or industry, the skills and experience you gain along the way will prepare you for the challenges and opportunities of owning and leading a business in the future. So, if you're 16 today, embrace the journey and start making the most of every opportunity you encounter.