Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity, and Brent Blackwell, owner of 2B-Q and grant recipient of the Culpeper Competes program, is an extraordinary example of that. In today’s episode of The Small Business Show, he shares his journey into entrepreneurship and how he took an incredible opportunity and ran with it.
Blackwell’s journey into entrepreneurship started when a photo of a pichana roast he cooked went viral on Facebook. The viral moment opened doors to partnerships he never expected. Bacana Grills, the manufacturer of the grill he used, reached out to him with an affiliate partnership offer. To promote the brand, he decided to take his skills mainstream and build a business around the grill, leading to the formal launch of 2B-Q.
Blackwell’s 2B-Q is a mobile catering service, offering authentic Brazilian churrasco, a style of barbecue where skewered meats are grilled over an open flame. While the company primarily focuses on serving its delicious food at pop-up events and farmers’ markets, it also offers catering services.
However, Blackwell knew that he needed funding to scale his business. He reached out to his local Small Business Development Center (SBDC), where he learned about the Culpeper Competes program. The program aims to support small business owners and entrepreneurs through business development education, mentorship and offers grant opportunities.
To qualify for the grant, applicants were required to complete a 10-week business course and pitch their business plans to judges. 2B-Q was among the winners who were awarded a $10,000 grant. With the grant money, he upgraded his operations, purchasing a tow trailer to simplify event setup and breakdown. While the grant gave him the capital he needed, the mentorship and education he received proved to be equally valuable, and it transformed the way he runs his business.
Blackwell urges other aspiring entrepreneurs and small business owners to reach out to their local SBDC and utilize the free resources they provide. The funding, the knowledge and the support are out there. Entrepreneurs have to be diligent and proactive enough to seek it out. He was surprised by the numerous opportunities and free resources available to him during the competition.
He still maintains a traditional 9–5 job while running 2B-Q. Although it provides financial security, he knows it limits his ability to go all-in.
"Instead of going brick and mortar, I think expanding into more trailers and more manpower is kind of where I'd rather go and be good at a few things than great at a lot."
Looking ahead, he doesn’t plan to open a static brick-and-mortar location. He enjoys traveling and meeting his customers where they are instead of relying on them to come to him. He’d prefer to expand by operating multiple mobile units and hiring more manpower to service more events in a day. Further down the line, he hopes to begin offering franchise opportunities.
Blackwell’s journey shows that success isn’t just about luck—it’s about recognizing opportunities, preparing for them, and taking action. With multiple mobile units and potential franchises on the horizon, he’s proving that with the right mix of preparation and initiative, even a small idea can grow into something extraordinary.
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