In celebration of National Small Business Week, Bladen County entrepreneurs took center stage at the Small Business Expo on Wednesday, April 29 inside the auditorium at Bladen Community College. The event featured the announcement of four promising new ventures as winners of the Pitch It Bladen County small business accelerator program.
Taking first place was Jeane Pope Bordeaux, owner of Stitch & Style, a full-service alterations, embroidery, and apparel personalization studio located on Owen Hill Road in Elizabethtown. Stitch & Style will offer professional garment alterations — including everyday wear, formalwear, and uniforms — along with heat press/DTF printing, embroidery, and small-batch custom apparel for events, churches, schools, and local organizations. Bordeaux received a $1,500 award to support the launch of her business.
Second place was awarded to Rebecca Allen of Beck Black Productions. Performing professionally as Beck Black, Allen plans to bring her film production expertise back to Bladen County, creating promotional content for local businesses while producing videos that showcase the area’s rich history and scenic beauty. She received $1,000.
Third place went to Robby and Cooper Mills, the father-and-son team behind Cooper’s Cards & Collectibles. Their business will begin as a mobile sports card and memorabilia shop, starting with a tent setup and expanding into a food-truck-style trailer, with plans to grow into a permanent retail location. The Mills team received $500.
Sean Swoboda, founder of VoxNova, Inc., earned fourth place and a $250 award. VoxNova is an education-focused software company developing an online platform designed to streamline collaboration between special education teams and families by consolidating the multiple tools often used in classrooms and at home.
Bladen Community College President Amanda Lee congratulated participants for completing the program and presented certificates and awards. Amy Hudson, manager of the Elizabethtown-White Lake Area Chamber of Commerce, provided each competitor with a complimentary one-year Chamber membership. Katie Smith, from U.S. Representative David Rouzer’s office, also presented participants with official congressional citations.
Over the past two months, participants engaged in an intensive accelerator program designed to transform ideas into viable businesses. Through hands-on training, mentorship, and guided development, entrepreneurs refined their business plans, marketing strategies, and financial models.
The program culminated in a live pitch competition, where contestants presented their concepts to a panel of judges with expertise in finance, marketing, business management, and community development. Businesses were evaluated on innovation, feasibility, and potential economic impact.
Pitch It Bladen County is made possible through the support and partnership of the National Association of Community College Entrepreneurs’ Everyday Entrepreneur Program, the Elizabethtown-White Lake Area Chamber of Commerce, Bladen Community College, and the Small Business Center at BCC.
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