Chris Egelston - Corporate Entertainer, Infotainer, Magician

04/30/2025

Hello Friends, It’s Here, My TEDx Talk…

“Unlocking Entrepreneurial Magic”

https://youtu.be/gLi3v_ycL48?si=dSKx4CR6GMdPx3TV

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Entrepreneurs and "entrepreneurial thinkers" have the power to transform lives, communities, and the world. Yet, many people with great ideas never take the ...

04/29/2025

What does a proud grandpa do when he has a talk?

He includes stories about his grandkids, of course!

And not just any stories but ones that help illustrate the message I share during “Unlocking Entrepreneurial Magic!”

In this picture I’m actually relating something entrepreneurial my 3-year old grandson shared.

And I’ll be sharing the link to the talk with all of you TONIGHT.

04/29/2025

Can I use a few numbers to show how the Entrepreneurial Mindset works?

You can find out tomorrow evening, Tuesday, April 29, during my Talk: “Unlocking Entrepreneurial Magic!”

04/27/2025

Coming this Tuesday evening, April 29, is my Talk: “Unlocking Entrepreneurial Magic!”

I reveal not only why we should support entrepreneurs but also how.

04/26/2025

“Unlocking Entrepreneurial Magic” Talk is Coming Soon…

Because performing magic has been instrumental in my personal entrepreneurial journey, of course I had to use it to share my message during

The video is coming soon.

04/25/2025

“Unlocking Entrepreneurial Magic” is Coming Soon…

is my talk where I share 3 things that individuals, communities and society can do to “inspire the future entrepreneurs who will solve tomorrow’s problems.”

04/25/2025

A truly impressive article on the regional impact of CEO was just published today in NOW Magazine.

Check out the article which begins on page 46: https://southernillinoisnow.org/now-magazine/

Be sure to check out all of the testimonials from CEO Alumni, Investors, Parents, Board Members and more from the following programs:

Union County CEO Program
Jackson CEO
Saline County CEO Program
White County CEO Program
Jefferson County CEO
Johnson County CEO

Message me if you’d like to know more about or bringing it to your community.









Midland Institute for Entrepreneurship
Southern Illinois Now

A Southern Illinois Success Initiative

04/16/2025

Am I being watched over while presenting on CEO?

The man pictured in the slide behind me is the late Craig Lindvahl. It was Craig and a few highly successful Entrepreneurs from Effingham, Illinois who founded the “Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities” Program.

Craig, a career educator, was the first facilitator for Effingham County CEO which started in August of 2008. In 2010, he became the founding director of the Midland Institute for Entrepreneurship which was formed to lead the national expansion of CEO after other communities started asking for the program.

Craig instituted most of the core elements of CEO including: always meeting in a business never a school, learning from real-life experiences and business leaders not textbooks and teacher lectures, touring 40+ businesses and having 40+ guest speakers, launching two real businesses, and more.

He believed that entrepreneurship was the ideal vehicle to teach career readiness, essential employability skills, life success skills and, of course, entrepreneurial and business skills.

An experience that transformed high school students into outstanding young professionals with an entrepreneurial mindset; who had built a strong professional network in their hometown communities.

And you can see what he wanted his students to learn by reading his book “Things You Wish You Knew Yesterday.”

While written with high school students in mind as the audience, this book is one of the best I’ve read on life success.

04/08/2025

Nearly 1,000 are launching right now as a result of the Program!

This is my personal favorite part of the Program as I started as a teen just like all of these Entrepreneurs in 74 nationwide.

go beyond just and and make real sales, generating real revenue and profits.

The are not science fairs or show-and-tells, they are “Show and Sells.” Every student leaves the program with an operating business.

The attached is an invite I received to the Trade Show.

A list of most of the CEO Trade Shows, which are open to the public, are at this link: https://www.midlandinstitute.com/our-community/ceo-program-ventures

04/02/2025

is a student-run production from start to finish.

I received this wonderful Thank You from them. And I want to return that thanks for the opportunity of being part of this amazing experience and event!

Standing Ovation for the TED x SIUC Team!

03/30/2025

New Friends and Old Friends brought together by !

On the left is Julian Howard II, a new friend and one of my partners on the journey through the experience. He has a beautiful family and brought the biggest fan club to the event. He also does an awesome impression of Bane from the Dark Knight Rises!

On the right is long-time friend Jeff McGoy. We’ve been speakers at the same events several times and he served as the emcee for this year’s . If you ever catch Jeff without a smile, watch out, because something is freezing over!

Julian and Jeff have known each other a long-time. Julian credits Jeff as a mentor, something I know Jeff has been for many, many people.

03/30/2025

I had the immense privilege and pleasure today to share the Stage with not just great speakers with fantastic messages but outstanding individuals. I was honored to be among them.

TED x SIUC