From Accepted to Activated:
Realistic CEO™ on College Campuses

Across colleges and youth programs, Realistic CEO™ is helping students move from ideas to execution.
These moments capture what happens when belief, strategy, and real-world perspective come together at the most important time in a student’s journey.

UNREALISTIC? Rethinking What’s Possible at Westfield State University
At Westfield State University, students were asked one powerful question:
What if the only thing standing between you and your goals is belief and execution?
This Realistic CEO™ session blends real stories, mindset, and action to help students rethink what’s possible.

Building Confidence Early: Realistic CEO™ at Follow My Steps Summer Program
Before college, before careers, before big decisions… confidence and belief come first.
At the Follow My Steps Summer Program, students are introduced to the mindset, habits, and thinking that turn goals into action.

The First Semester Blueprint: Realistic CEO™ at Holyoke Community College
The first semester can define everything.
In this session at Holyoke Community College, students learn how to navigate freedom, build discipline, and take control of their path using the Realistic CEO™ framework.

From Accepted to Activated: Realistic CEO™ at Elms College
What happens when students stop just preparing for college and start taking ownership of their future? In this session at Elms College, Mychal Connolly Sr. challenges students to move beyond information and step into execution, confidence, and real-world thinking before the semester even begins

👉 “Ready to bring this experience to your students?”

Realistic CEO™ in the News

  • Two people sitting in a modern indoor space with a camera on a tripod recording them. The man wears a hoodie and the woman wears a white blouse. Behind them are promotional banners about being a CEO, with one reading "I am a CEO. Realistic CEO." There are tables, chairs, and plants in the background.

    NEPM Feature

    Western Mass. CEOs, business leaders tell young podcaster what it takes to be a 'Realistic CEO'

    In a recent feature by New England Public Media, Mychal “Mikey” Connolly Jr. shares how he turned a teacher’s doubt into a movement. After being told it was “unrealistic” for him to become a CEO, Mikey launched the Realistic CEO™ podcast, where he’s interviewed over 75+ business and community leaders across Western Mass.

  • Three men sitting on blue couches during a television talk show, with a man on the left speaking and two men smiling on the right. There is a glass coffee table with a flower arrangement and a TV screen in the background displaying the words "mass appeal."

    Mass Appeal Feature

    Teenager launches award winning book and podcast.

    (MASS APPEAL) – During a senior year high school class project one student was told by a teacher that it was unrealistic to be a CEO. Since then, Mychal Connolly Jr. has been dreaming to become one. He joins us this morning alongside his dad, Mychal Connolly Sr. to share his story as an inspiration for other kids

  • A young man and a young woman at a book expo booth, engaging with a child. The booth features a banner promoting a book titled 'Realistic CEO' and a table with copies of the book. The background shows bookshelves filled with various books.

    WWLP Feature

    Local author and CEO Myke Connolly Jr. highlighted at author expo.

    Myke Connolly Jr. was a featured author at the local author expo on Saturday at Barnes and Noble in Holyoke. He presented his book to young readers called “Realistic CEO,” a motivational story aimed at encouraging young readers to dream big and lead boldly.

  • A man with long dreadlocks and a beard smiling, dressed in a red chef's coat with gold embroidery, standing in front of a colorful cartoon-style billboard displaying 'RealisticCEO.com' and an animated character with curly hair and a blue shirt.

    BusinessWest Difference Makers

    A Passionate Marketer and Mentor. He’s Helping to Raise Up Other Entrepreneurs.

    Mychal Connolly Sr. believes in entrepreneurship, but he also believes in learning and mentorship and absorbing the examples of success stories before him.