Launch Your Vision with the SAIL Program

Transform your business idea into a reality in New Hanover and Pender Counties.

The CFCC Small Business Center, in partnership with Bank OZK, presents the Startup Acceleration & Idea Launch (SAIL) Program — a 10-week entrepreneurial training cohort and pitch competition designed for first-time founders.

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The Opportunity

  • Training: 9 weeks of structured coursework followed by a final pitch.
  • Funding: Compete for startup capital.
    • 1st place: $4,000
    • 2nd place: $2,500
    • 3rd place: $1,500
  • Materials: All participants receive The Guided Small Business Planner™.

Who Should Apply?

  • Location: Residents of New Hanover or Pender County.
  • Status: First-time entrepreneurs in the early planning/startup phase.
  • Stage: Idea developed within the last 6 months; no revenue generated yet.

Startup Acceleration & Idea Launch (SAIL) Program

SAIL Timeline: Fall 2026

Week
Date
Format
Topic
Week 1 Aug 20 In-Person How Your Business Makes Money
Week 2 Aug 27 Virtual Designing a Business That Fits You
Week 3 Sep 3 Virtual Finding Your Ideal Customer
Week 4 Sep 10 Virtual Knowing Your Market & Advantage
BREAK Sep 17 — Required One-on-One Counseling
Week 5 Sep 24 Virtual Legal, Taxes, & Funding Basics
Week 6 Oct 1 Virtual Defining Your Brand
Week 7 Oct 8 Virtual Marketing & Money
Week 8 Oct 15 Virtual Managing the Money
Week 9 Oct 22 Virtual Pitch Workshop
Week 10 Oct 29 In-Person Pitch Competition Day
Cherith Roberson

Meet the Instructor: Cherith Roberson

Cherith Roberson is a small business owner, the author of The Guided Small Business Planner™, and a speaker and educator. Cherith served as the Director of the Wake Technical Community College Small Business Center from 2017 to 2022, and is now the owner of Flourish in Growth , where she helps business owners navigate and build the businesses they aspire to have.

In 2020, she was awarded the State Director of the Year by the Small Business Center Network for her support of business owners during the Covid-19 Pandemic. Cherith holds a B.S. from North Carolina State University, with a concentration in Entrepreneurship.

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