Aug. 4, 2025

This piece is sponsored by Startup Sioux Falls.

When Sanaa Abourezk closed her restaurant’s dining room during the pandemic, she faced the kind of uncertainty that rattles even the most seasoned entrepreneurs.

For Kendra Cersosimo, starting a design studio after years of employment felt like stepping into uncharted territory.

And for Cham Phan, a creative navigating both a career pivot and a health diagnosis, the future felt more like a question than a plan.

Each of them came to the Startup Sioux Falls  CO.STARTERS Accelerator with different dreams, different industries and different challenges. What they found — over the course of 10 focused weeks — was a turning point for their businesses.

For Abourezk, founder of Sanaa’s Gourmet, the decision to apply for the accelerator came at a crossroads. As a result of the pandemic, her popular downtown restaurant had pivoted to curbside pickup. Like many others at the time, she was looking for ways to reinvent.

“I realized I needed to explore new avenues for income generation,” she said. “Even though I’d been running a successful restaurant, I had no idea how many steps were actually involved in scaling a business.”

During the accelerator, Abourezk gained not only a deeper understanding of growth strategy but also a new mindset: Don’t rush the next thing. That idea stuck with her.

Since completing the program, she has launched a line of healthy packaged meals now sold at her restaurant and the Sioux Falls Food Co+op — part of a bigger vision to bring her Mediterranean dishes to more tables without compromising quality.

But perhaps most valuable was the sense of community. “I met other business owners, learned from their experiences and built relationships I can rely on,” she said. “That’s something you can’t put a price on.”

As a designer with two decades of experience, Cersosimo knew her craft, but running a business was an entirely different story.

“I didn’t feel prepared or confident,” she said. “I needed something to help me build a foundation.”

She found it in the Startup Sioux Falls accelerator. Each week, the cohort of founders — some launching, others pivoting, all working — gathered to learn practical steps: identifying customers, refining their offerings, forecasting finances. But for Cersosimo, the biggest breakthrough was emotional.

“Entrepreneurship can be lonely,” she said. “But in that room, I wasn’t alone. We’d cheer each other on, swap ideas and celebrate every small win. I looked forward to each session.”

Years later, her business Two54 Creative is thriving in Sioux Falls. She designs websites and brand identities for clients across the region. The tools the accelerator gave her are constantly in use. “It didn’t feel like school. It felt like showing up for your business and for each other.”

Phan joined the accelerator during a season of personal transition. As a videographer and visual artist managing a degenerative eye condition, his freelance career was becoming harder to sustain.

“I needed to rethink how I approached each day and my work,” he said. “I joined the program to explore how I could transfer my skills into something more aligned with my new goals.”

At the start of the program, he was still doing client work. By the end, he had a new mission: to become a fine art photographer. Within a year, he traveled to Vietnam to shoot his first collection — a deeply personal journey that culminated in a solo exhibit at the Washington Pavilion in 2024.

“The accelerator took me out of my bubble,” he said. “Meeting people from different backgrounds, hearing their stories — it made me feel more connected to this community, especially after the isolation of COVID.”

Phan said the program helped him avoid the mistake many creatives make: trying to figure it out alone. “It’s a small investment for what you gain: structure, support, connection. You’re not alone anymore.”

At its core, the Startup Sioux Falls Accelerator isn’t about overnight success — it’s about sustainable progress. Over 10 weeks, participants work through a curriculum that balances mindset, strategy and community. From financial forecasting and customer discovery to branding and legal essentials, the program gives entrepreneurs a road map — and people to walk it with.

Each cohort includes just 16 entrepreneurs. The group meets in person weekly for three hours, guided by experienced facilitators and supported by guest experts from across the business ecosystem. Following the 10 weeks, the program also includes regular check-ins for an additional three months to continue to support founders in their journey. For the duration of the program, participants have access to free co-working at the Startup Sioux Falls downtown facility to work on their business. After the program, they receive a discounted membership as well. The cost is just $350 — thanks to community support and investment — but the value, as each of these founders attests, is monumental.

Since launching its accelerator cohorts in 2021, Startup Sioux Falls has helped more than 300 entrepreneurs across the region build and grow their businesses. Participants come from all walks of life — restaurant owners, designers, tradespeople, artists, consultants — and leave with a stronger vision, a clearer plan and a community of peers in their corner.

And if you ask Phan, Abourezk or Cersosimo, they’ll tell you the same thing: You don’t have to be ready. You just have to start.

To learn more, visit startupsiouxfalls.com/accelerator.