Edgecombe County Resident One of 18 Entrepreneurs Selected for First SBCN Startup Showdown
Craig Woodall
Craig Woodall gets emotional when he thinks about how far he’s come. The Air Force veteran and former call center director has decided to branch out and pursue entrepreneurship. His work with the Small Business Center at 91ӣƵ, along with developing and repeatedly testing a new device, has led to his selection as one of 18 entrepreneurs statewide chosen for the first Small Business Center Network Startup Showdown, powered by the Wells Fargo Foundation.
“I was elated. I got emotional,” Woodall said of learning he had been selected for the inaugural statewide initiative launched through North Carolina’s 58 community college Small Business Centers. “I’ve been doing this, it seems like forever. Everything came full circle to, this is what you have been diligent about.”
The SBCN Startup Showdown was created to strengthen entrepreneurship pathways by combining direct coaching, structured pitch preparation and statewide visibility for aspiring business owners preparing to launch new ventures.
Led by the North Carolina Small Business Center Network, the program identifies, supports and elevates emerging business talent through a structured process of local engagement, regional review and statewide selection. The inaugural competition drew 316 applicants from across North Carolina and generated more than 1,050 hours of pre-application business counseling and technical support through local Small Business Centers. Entrepreneurs worked with counselors and directors to refine concepts, prepare submissions and advance through multiple stages of review.
Cohort participants will now begin an eight-week Pitch It! training experience designed to guide them through the steps of starting a successful business. The program includes hands-on activities that build practical knowledge, strengthen presentation skills, sharpen business messaging and prepare participants for their final pitch to Business Trailblazer program judges in August.
“Win or lose, we are all going to benefit from the process,” Woodall said of the 18 finalists. “Our pitches are going to be better, more defined or refined.”
Woodall has been working closely with Laura Brown Evans, director of ECC’s Small Business Center, to prepare for the competition.
“We have focused on refining Craig’s business plan and presentation skills,” Evans said. “Our preparation centered on building a compelling business case around his innovation, perfecting his Pitch Day delivery and helping him clearly communicate his market value.”
Woodall, whose mother served in the Navy, said his motivation for entrepreneurship was inspired by her.
“She was always pushing to do something other than what she had to do,” said Woodall, an Anderson, Ind., native. “That kind of planted the seed, but I have always kind of felt like I wanted to do something on my own.”
That drive reflects one of the core goals of the SBCN Startup Showdown — increasing the likelihood that aspiring entrepreneurs can bring their ideas to fruition.
“This program demonstrates what is possible when North Carolina’s community colleges work together statewide to create opportunity for entrepreneurs,” said Dr. Jeff Cox, former president of the North Carolina Community College System. “The SBCN Startup Showdown is creating a new platform for identifying talent, supporting innovation and helping early-stage businesses build momentum in every region of our state.”
While it may be premature to share Woodall’s idea before the pitch, the 55-year-old said preparation and practice matter as much as the concept itself.
“If you’re worried about how you look and what the setup is going to be but then you deliver a terrible pitch, it will likely not work out,” he said. “I have to think about the whole process as a big picture. I’m tightening up the business plan, utilizing all of the sources. I’m just honestly feeling like I’m going to be prepared.”
The formal statewide awards event will be held Sept. 17. Final winners will be announced, and $60,000 in unrestricted startup funding will be awarded.
Evans said the recognition already benefits the county.
“It puts Edgecombe County on the map for economic development and shows local residents that high-level funding and statewide exposure are within reach,” she said. “Win or lose, this event proves that rural entrepreneurship can thrive and compete at the highest level.”