“Everyone has a special dream that can change the world. What’s yours?”

A young man with dark curly hair, smiling, wearing a navy blue T-shirt with a rocket graphic.
A young boy wearing a pink cap that says 'ENTREPRENEUR' with a surprised facial expression, opening mouth with wide eyes, wearing a light blue shirt and carrying a backpack.

Mychal Connolly Jr., known affectionately as Mikey, first ventured into the entrepreneurial world by co-authoring a motivational book titled "I am a CEO. Realistic CEO." with his father. This book, which came after a high school business teacher claimed during a class project that him becoming a CEO was unrealistic, aims to inspire people to chase their dreams, no matter the odds.

Mychal "Mikey" Connolly Jr. first ventured into the entrepreneurial world by coauthoring the motivational book I Am a CEO. Realistic CEO. with his father. This project was born after a high school business teacher told Mikey his dream, since he was 10 years old, of becoming a CEO was unrealistic. Instead of giving up, he used that doubt as fuel to build a national movement.

Today, Mikey is one of the youngest BusinessWest 40 Under 40 winners in history.

Building on his early success, he launched the Realistic CEO Podcast. Through unwavering discipline and what he calls the Long Lonely Boring Work, Mikey has recorded over 115 episodes since 2024. This consistency places his show in the top 1% of all podcasts globally. On his platform, he demystifies the journey to corporate leadership by interviewing successful founders, presidents, and community leaders.

Beyond the microphone, Mikey is a highly sought after keynote speaker and philanthropist. Alongside his father, he has distributed over 17,000 books through their nonprofit Realistic Lemonade, empowering youth nationwide with financial literacy and resilience. He travels to colleges and organizations across the country teaching young adults how to build confidence, defeat impostor syndrome, and turn their education into an actionable business plan.

While his ultimate business goal is to take his company public, one of his standout media goals is to interview basketball legend Shaquille O'Neal, blending his passion for sports with his entrepreneurial spirit.

Through his varied pursuits, Mikey does not just achieve his own leadership aspirations. He empowers his entire generation to realize that no dream is unrealistic when you have the discipline to execute it.

A smiling man with glasses and dreadlocks wearing a red hoodie with the text 'STAND OUT TRUCK CON' and a small truck icon on it.
A man and a boy smiling, with the man wearing a black cap that says 'ENTREPRENEUR' and leaning close to the boy, against a brown background.

Mychal “Myke” Connolly Sr. is a veteran entrepreneur, a 2025 BusinessWest Difference Maker, and a 2009 40 Under 40 award winner. As the founder of a marketing agency that has generated over a million dollars in sales, Mychal brings decades of real world corporate experience to the Realistic CEO movement.

Within the speaking circuit, Mychal serves as the strategic anchor of the only dual award winning father and son keynote team. While Mikey connects directly with his peers, Mychal provides the battle tested frameworks that university administrators, faculty, and corporate event planners trust. He visually models what first generation success, financial literacy, and healthy mentorship look like in real time.

A passionate marketer and community leader, Mychal believes in absorbing the examples of success stories and passing that knowledge down. Through their 501c3 nonprofit organization Realistic Lemonade, he and Mikey have distributed over 17,000 books to empower youth across the country.

Whether he is consulting small businesses or standing on a collegiate stage, Mychal is dedicated to helping the next generation turn their unrealistic goals into highly profitable realities.

Welcome to the Realistic CEO™ Multiverse

Colorful space-themed background with a blue box labeled 'Realistic CEO' containing books and magazines about leadership, streaming, and childhood stories.

We did not just write a book. We built an entire educational ecosystem.

The Realistic CEO Multiverse is our comprehensive library of resources designed to guide students from early childhood all the way through higher education and into the corporate world. From our foundational children's books to our collegiate blueprint UNREALISTIC? and our globally ranked podcast, every piece of the Multiverse connects to teach the exact same core values.

We provide the real world tools needed to master financial literacy, build unshakable resilience, and execute the Long Lonely Boring Work. As students grow, the Multiverse grows with them, ensuring they always have the exact blueprint they need for the next stage of their journey.

Learn about our mission here!