Building a Pipeline of Student Leaders

How a single student-run business becomes a school-wide leadership engine

Author

Stephen Carter
September 16, 2025

Yesterday I was with a group of educators and heads of school as we shadowed a student-run business in its very first year. When we arrived, the students welcomed us with professional poise: first the CIO (Chief Innovation Officer) introduced himself, then the COO (Chief Organizational Officer) followed—and then they all moved seamlessly into serving drinks to the guests.

Afterward, one of the heads of school asked a question that has stayed with me:
“Can this experience be replicated? How do the students who join in the second, third, or even fourth year have the same kind of leadership opportunity as these year-one pioneers?”

It’s a crucial question—because without a system, programs like this can burn bright for a moment and then fade.

At Seed Tree Group, we design these programs intentionally to grow. In year one, we launch with a small group of 8–12 students. Everyone holds a leadership role. They build the business together from the ground up.

In year two, those students continue in their leadership roles (unless they graduate) while a new cohort of students joins the program. The new students spend the year “working the business” and learning the ropes, while the returning students transition into “leading the business.” By year three, you have a fully operational pipeline: a prerequisite first-year experience focused on doing, followed by a second-year internship focused on leading.

Eventually, the pipeline gets so strong that you’ll need to launch a second on-campus business to provide enough leadership seats. Soon after that, students will begin pitching and launching their own ventures. And before long, what started as a single student-run business becomes something far bigger—a culture where the entrepreneurial mindset infuses everything.

This is how it scales. This is how it sticks. This is how it transforms a school.

If you’re ready to build a thriving pipeline of student leaders on your campus, let’s connect and explore how Seed Tree Group can help.

Standing out as a Christian school while staying true to your values is more challenging than ever. At Seed Tree Group, we help schools implement a proven entrepreneurship program that empowers students to take ownership of their education, equipping them with life-ready skills and creating a distinguished school with engaged students, inspired parents, and energized donors.

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Imagine your culture infused with growth mindset, grit, redefining failure, and opportunity seeking. Imagine your team acting and thinking like entrepreneurs.

Stephen Carter