My Dream Job: The Journey of a CEO

Lately my CEO journey has been on my mind so I wanted to share a bit about it. Unfortunately, the days of heartbreak leads me to question what I got myself into more than the days of celebration. I want to be honest—when I first thought about being a CEO, I pictured a life with some time spent on the golf course, discussing business, of course, at a pace that felt just right. I actually would rather fish, but golf seems more business aligned, somehow. I digress... I envisioned enough time to get the job done, leave most of it at the office, and maybe have an assistant keeping all the details organized so I could also be the parent showing up at PTA meetings or participating in Bake Sales—delivering something made by anyone but me, likely my spouse.

Turns out, being the CEO of a new and young organization is not glamorous—at all. I don't imagine anyone who really knows me believes I could or would take it this easy, but we can all dream, right? I get jittery just thinking about keeping still for long periods of time. And while most people know this, the last few months - where I've found myself in deep reflection and some weeks exhausted more than others - has led me to realize the office doesn't stay in the office and I am responsible for keeping all of my ducks in a row.

And golf? I’m not good at it. In fact, I can’t even say I made it to the range during the summer. Sure, technically, I could work whenever I want, but a little voice—guilt carried over from every other workplace I’ve been in—tells me that anything after 8 a.m. is already late. And while I don’t particularly enjoy Bake Sales, I find myself constantly weighing how to spend my “extra” time—should I focus on something that helps the organization grow, or finally say yes to that thing my kid has been asking about for the past two weeks?

The reality is, being a CEO is hard—harder than I ever imagined—but it’s also profoundly rewarding. Serving families and youth, witnessing growth, providing stability, and being part of someone else’s journey… there’s nothing quite like it. It’s far more meaningful than any round of golf could ever be.

Don’t get me wrong—I could still benefit from that dream assistant, someone to wrangle schedules, paperwork, and the endless to-do lists. But even without them, I wouldn’t trade this work - most days. The long hours, the constant balancing act, the messy, exhausting days—they all pale in comparison to the moments when a participant succeeds, a family finds hope, or a young person’s eyes light up because they know someone believes in them.

So yes, it’s chaotic. It’s tiring. It’s sometimes overwhelming. But it’s also full of purpose, joy, and meaning that no golf course could ever provide. And while I may never perfect my swing, I’ve realized that the work I’m doing here is hitting the mark in ways that matter far more than par.