This episode is sponsored by AC Creative Collective. Based in Charlotte, N.C., and founded by sisters Amoura and Avery Carter, AC Creative Collective specializes in end-to-end marketing and learning and development services. They are dedicated to helping businesses and organizations streamline their operations and achieve their goals with creativity and precision. From social media strategies to workshops and brand launches, they’ve got you covered. Visit www.accreativecollective.com to learn more.
Growing up, Courtnie Coble’s Saturdays were filled with day trips to Charlotte. Her mother, a self-made entrepreneur who never went to college, would load Coble and her siblings into the car and take them to open houses in Charlotte’s gated communities.
Coble would see glimpses of a life that at the time felt worlds away from her small town of Burnsville, N.C., in Anson County east of Charlotte. But to Coble’s mother, these trips weren’t just outings; they were lessons.
“It’s hard to have what you don’t see,” Coble said.
Today, as the visionary and CEO of The Academy of Goal Achievers, she’s passing down that same lesson — showing young people that their futures can be bigger than they ever imagined.
Founded in 2015, The Academy of Goal Achievers helps prepare high school students and families for post-secondary success.
On this episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast, Coble sits down with Ledger podcast host Steve Dunn to talk about the importance of opening up students’ horizons and giving them a sense of possibilities. She also discusses:
The programming and long-term support the Academy of Goal Achievers provides students from freshman year through college completion or career entry.
Providing support not just to students but also to their families and guardians.
The importance of community in shaping perceptions of what is possible.
Coble’s experiences growing up around Black women entrepreneurs who inspired the belief that exposure to different lifestyles and career paths can expand young people’s ambitions.
How Charlotte has changed since Coble moved to the city.
What Coble has learned about yourself and leadership in her role.
Coble, who holds a doctorate in psychology, received The Ledger’s 40 Over 40 Award in 2024.
This podcast episode is part of a series highlighting winners of The Ledger’s 40 Over 40 awards, which honor and celebrate often unheralded people over the age of 40 who are making important contributions to Charlotte. It’s hosted by Steve Dunn of Miles Mediation and Arbitration.
Find out more about the 40 Over 40 awards by going to Ledger40over40.com.
We hope you enjoy the conversation with Courtnie Coble.
The Charlotte Ledger Podcast is produced by Lindsey Banks.
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