Growing up, Courtie 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. 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 their 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.

For more information about The Charlotte Ledger, or to sign up for our newsletters, visit TheCharlotteLedger.com. This episode is part of a series in which we interview winners of The Charlotte Ledger 40 Over 40 Awards, which honor people aged 40+ who are making our community a better place. Find out information about those awards at Ledger40Over40.com.

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.

This podcast was produced by Lindsey Banks.

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