First-time community college presidents are typically chosen from the senior ranks of two-year colleges' administrations, so they know what the job entails to some extent--at least from a close secondhand perspective. Leaders of community colleges who have taken the reins in the mid-2010s say that a close secondhand view only goes so far in preparing you. It is not until you actually step into the chief executive's shoes that you go beyond an intellectual knowledge of what the job involves to actually feeling it day to day. In this article, recently minted community college presidents share lessons learned early in their tenures. As these first-time community college presidents have grown into their jobs, they have continued facing challenges, adapting, and learning lessons.