As Director of the Carol Martin Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky for the past four and a half years, the author has had the distinct pleasure of leading an amazing group of students and staff in a residential program for high school juniors and seniors interested in advanced STEM careers. The years he has at the Gatton Academy have been one of the most significant and life-altering periods of his professional and personal career. In this article, the author discusses what he learned in opening a new residential school and shares core ideas that have influenced his life.