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 Â鶹´«Ă˝Ół»­, 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 Â鶹´«Ă˝Ół»­â€™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.”

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(l-r) Laura Brown Evans, Araminta Burns, Tameka Kenan-Norman

Laura Brown Evans, Small Business Center director; Araminta Burns, administrative assistant II; and Tameka Kenan-Norman, executive director of public information and institutional advancement, joined more than 200 professionals at the Women’s Leadership Conference in Rocky Mount, organized by the Rocky Mount Area Chamber of Commerce. Held March 19 at the Rocky Mount Event Center, the conference featured keynote speaker Jess Ekstrom.

The theme at this year’s conference was “Get’cha Head in the Game.” The event also included a leadership panel and breakout sessions. Attendees heard messages that emphasized empowerment, community connection, professional growth, balancing work and home priorities and more. Many panelists also shared insights from their leadership journeys.

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Laura Brown Evans is director of the Small Business Center at Â鶹´«Ă˝Ół»­.

Small businesses account for nearly half of the United States’ economic activity, and they create two-thirds of net new jobs, according to a recent study by the Small Business Administration.

But for Laura Penny, her business would never have begun had it not been for the Small Business Center at Â鶹´«Ă˝Ół»­.

When Penny wanted to get her craft and T-shirt business, LP Creations, up and running, she turned to Laura Brown Evans, who directs the Small Business Center at the college.

“She really helped me because I didn’t know how to do a lot of the marketing,” Penny says. “She helped me register my business with the county. I’m not computer savvy, and she took her time to help with that, too.”

Penny and Evans started working together in November, and LP Creations enjoyed its best ever month in sales after an exceptional rise in Valentine’s Day sales.

“She showed me the best steps to get my business out there, to be recognized by the community,” Penny says. “I got a lot of sales from people I didn’t know because she helped me with my networking.”

The SBC at Â鶹´«Ă˝Ół»­ is part of a 58-center state-funded network in North Carolina, and 98 percent of the services they provide are free, Evans says.

“We provide counseling to help start or grow a small business,” Evans explains. “So many people come to me with great ideas, but they can’t get funding to get the business off the ground.”

To facilitate those budding businesses, the SBC provides counseling and resource materials. The SBC offers classes and seminars on such topics as business start-up, finances, and writing a business plan.

Ash Taylor has been in the turf and pest management business since he was 8 years old, joining his father on job sites. By the time he turned 16, Taylor was working solo job sites. And although he has a full-time job, Taylor still was dabbling in the family business until recently when he decided he wanted to make a go on his own.

Ashley’s Spraying was born, and he enlisted Evans at the SBC for help.

“The biggest thing I needed was a website,” he says. “I tried to build one myself, but it’s very complex.”

The SBC provided the resources, and within a week, his new website was generating business for the company. But Taylor didn’t stop there. He’s taking a class through the SBC in advertising, and he’s looking at classes in marketing and bookkeeping, too.

“Laura Brown has been a tremendous help in getting my business off the ground,” Taylor says. “They’ve got so many resources there for you, and she’s open – you can call her anytime.”

Evans, who spent nearly 20 years as a supervisor at a local telecommunications company, took over the Small Business Center in February 2021. Since then, the number of clients and counseling hours through the center have skyrocketed.

She holds an MBA from Campbell University, and she serves on committees at the chambers of commerce in Rocky Mount and Tarboro, as well as the Tarboro Development Corporation and the Minority Economic Development Committee.

For small business assistance, please contact Laura Brown Evans at (252) 618-6655 or evanslb@edgecombe.edu.

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Â鶹´«Ă˝Ół»­ Small Business Center Director Katelyn Edmondson

The is ready to help local small businesses reboot, recover, and rebuild.

The NC Community College System’s Small Business Center Network recently received new funding to support additional counseling services for small businesses. Â鶹´«Ă˝Ół»­â€™s Small Business Center is a member of this network.

According to Katelyn Edmondson, director of the Small Business Center at Â鶹´«Ă˝Ół»­, “Funds will be used to provide free, one-on-one counseling with clients who have been affected by COVID-19, specifically to bring in subject matter experts such as attorneys and accountants to help small businesses work through this difficult time.”

The State funding was made possible by the 2020 COVID-19 Recovery Act.

The initiative is designed to help owners of startup, for profit, e-commerce, and non-profit businesses as well as churches and religious organizations.

The confidential, one-on-one counseling will take place in a virtual environment and is available for free.

Counselors can assist with the following:

• general business guidance
• assessing the economic impact of the pandemic
• strategies for scaling business operations
• break-even and cash flow analysis
• marketing plans
• review of financial obligations
• communications with creditors
• loan package preparation
• business resilience strategies
• referrals to relevant sources of assistance

Register for a free Professional Service Grant and a counseling session using the link .

Please contact edmondsonk@edgecombe.edu with questions. “We look forward to supporting your business!” Edmondson adds.

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Katelyn Edmondson (right), director of the Small Business Center at Â鶹´«Ă˝Ół»­, recently received the Innovation Award presented by the NC Community College System Small Business Center Network. Shown with her is Â鶹´«Ă˝Ół»­ President Dr. Greg McLeod.

Katelyn Edmondson, director of the at Â鶹´«Ă˝Ół»­, recently received an Innovation Award from the NC Community College System Small Business Center Network.

Edmondson received the Innovation Award – Programs and Seminars, along with Theresa Peaden, director of the Nash Community College Small Business Center, and Melissa Evans, director of the Wilson Community College Small Business Center.

These Small Business Centers formed a three-way collaboration to launch the first Ag Summit in their region. Known as the N.E.W. Business of Agriculture: Regional Opportunities for Growth in Nash, Edgecombe, and Wilson Counties, the free event was held at Wilson Community College on November 30, 2018.

More than 200 participants heard presentations and toured exhibits featuring local and regional agriculture experts, who provided up-to-date information and resources for food and farming businesses.

“Through the Ag Summit, we were able to connect with farmers on the business side of the industry, which sometimes goes unnoticed,” Edmondson explains. “The ag experts covered a broad range of topics, from starting a food-based business to growing industrial hemp to incorporating agritourism at an existing farm.

“Collaborating with the Small Business Centers at Nash and Wilson community colleges was a terrific experience,” she adds. “We saw turnout from every community in our counties, which was especially rewarding.”

The annual statewide awards honor achievements of Small Business Centers and their directors.

“Small Business Centers are leading the way in economic development, with strong measurable impact and strategic collaboration across North Carolina. That’s why we’re pleased to recognize the accomplishments of these outstanding center directors and the success of their programs,” says Peter Hans, president of the NC Community College System.

“They help entrepreneurs achieve their dreams of starting businesses, and those businesses create jobs and have a significant economic impact in their local communities.”

Located at all 58 community colleges in the state, Small Business Centers contribute to North Carolina’s economic development, starting an average of 700 small businesses and creating or retaining more than 3,000 jobs each year.

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