Innovators and Entrepreneurs

In this episode of Innovators and Entrepreneurs, we talk to David Sibray, founder of West Virginia Explorer magazine. For decades, this publication has helped people learn about West Virginia's natural and cultural landscape.   "When I became a journalist in the 80's, I had immediately fallen into doing stories on the mystique of the outdoors. What ended up happening is I heard this thing coming a...

In this episode of Innovators and Entrepreneurs, we talk to Matt Browning, Co-owner at Plot Twist Books in South Charleston, WV. He and his team have turned their passion for books into a venue unlike anything else you can experience in the state.   "I have been a fan of independent bookstores for as long as I can remember. You gotta be a little innovative when opening any business, but especially...

In this episode of Innovators and Entrepreneurs, we talk to Jason Nerenberg, Sales Director and Account Executive at Hawk Knob Appalachian Hard Cider. He and his team are dedicated to sharing our Appalachian culture through the Cider they make in Lewisburg, Almost Heaven, West Virginia.   "We're still doing things the old-fashioned Appalachian way here at Hawk Knob, and it's part of our goal to sh...

In this episode of Innovators and Entrepreneurs, we talk to Brenda Casabona, Owner of Defluri's Fine Chocolate in Martinsburg, West Virginia. She tells us why she decided to call West Virginia home and what makes her fine chocolates unique. "We visited Martinsburg a number of times and it was a great community. It has a small town feel while also having a big city feel, and that's why we chose to...

In this episode of Innovators and Entrepreneurs, we talk to Holly Fussell, owner of Waterstone Outdoors. The Waterstone team dedicates itself to providing quality outdoor and climbing gear to outdoor enthusiasts of all ages. "We want to be your first stop on any New River Gorge adventure, and we want to be that place where you wrap up and reflect on your day. Waterstone has always been a place to...

In this episode of Innovators and Entrepreneurs, we talk to Adam Payne, Editor in Chief of "YNST Magazine." This media outlet aims to broadcast print & digital content that connects creatives in and from Appalachia to the rest of the world. "I was doing a bunch of things simultaneously at West Virginia University, and I was seeing first-hand the incredible musicians, theater makers, designers, and...

In this episode of Innovators and Entrepreneurs, we talk to Tara St. Clair and Amber Ravenscroft with Bridging Innovation week. This four-day event provides an array of opportunities for business owners at every level of their professional development. There are also financial incentives for those hoping to get their ideas off the ground! "There are so many good people in the state of West Virgini...

In this episode of Innovators and Entrepreneurs, we talk to Ryan Thorn, the USDA's state director for West Virginia. Thorn and his department are creating prosperity through rural development and providing critical leadership to develop and support a productive, diverse, and inclusive state workforce. "At Rural Development, I always say we are advocates for, investors in, and partners to rural com...

In this episode of Innovators and Entrepreneurs, we talk to Mary Smith, co-owner of Tipsy Roo's. Her company is taking a "spirited" approach to making barbecue sauces. Contrary to the company's name, this sauce will not get you intoxicated and is a welcome addition to your next family cookout. "I feel like West Virginians are family-oriented, and so are we. That's really the backbone of our busine...

In this episode of Innovators and Entrepreneurs, we talk to Mark Burdette, the program coordinator for West Virginia BusinessLink. It's a one-stop online platform that helps entrepreneurs and business owners at every stage of their development. "West Virginia BusinessLink is a website that entrepreneurs and small business owners can use to connect to the resources they need when they need them. Th...

In this episode of Innovators and Entrepreneurs, we talk to Major General Bill Crane, Adjutant General of the West Virginia Joint Forces Headquarters. He provides command guidance and vision to more than 6,500 citizen soldiers, airmen and civilians employed through the West Virginia Military Authority. "What is great about West Virginia in particular – the people of West Virginia – just like you s...

In this episode of Innovators and Entrepreneurs, we talk to Rob Raffety, co-founder of 1863 NFT, the world's first state-themed NFT project. He and his colleagues are celebrating the unique attributes of West Virginia by combining their passion for the state with their love of NFTs. "The primary goal of our project is to successfully mint and sell a collection of 304 tokens. Once we do that, the t...

In this episode of Innovators and Entrepreneurs, we talk to Brad Smith, the President of Marshall University and the mastermind behind several philanthropic endeavors. He and his wife, Alys, are on a mission to highlight the abundant opportunities found in West Virginia. "We came from the families that mined the coal, that forged the steel, that built the roads, that carried the trucks, that won t...

In this episode of Innovators and Entrepreneurs, we talk to Josh Spence, Chief Information Officer, about the incredible opportunities that can be found in state government. He and his team are continuing innovative work to keep West Virginia competitive in the technology industry. "We've got a lot of exciting things happening here. There's a big transformation we're taking on here in West Virgini...

In this episode of Innovators and Entrepreneurs, we talk to Jacob Lysick, co-founder and COO at Orion Block Systems. His company works to increase security in the blockchain by solving key security issues within the process. "We are providing the security of knowing that your biometrics, your residual self-image of your storage, is unhackable." Innovators and Entrepreneurs is a bi-weekly segment o...

Charlie Hammerman, CEO of The Disability Opportunity Fund tells us how his organization transformed a more-than 100-year-old building into the first fully ADA accessible hotel in the world. Hammerman also talks about the importance of passion between his company and the community of White Sulpher Springs. "We were fortunate enough because we created our own passion for this work for the last 16 ye...

In this episode of Innovators and Entrepreneurs, we talk to Jeff Tinnell, owner of Allegheny Image Factory. Tinnell runs his media company out of Morgantown, West Virginia, where he creates award-winning content for major studios and organizations. "We're very excited about bringing this consistent work into West Virginia by showing off our production skills and what the state has to offer, both i...

On this episode of Innovators and Entrepreneurs, we talk to Audy Perry, Executive Director of Heritage Farm Foundation. Perry oversees Heritage Farm Museum & Village in Huntington, West Virginia, and explains his family's journey to creating a genuine experience rich with history and fun for the entire family. "Keep showing up, that's the key. You're not going to get a home run or a win every time...

In this episode of Innovators and Entrepreneurs, we welcome Randy Sanders, the president and host of the committee that's bringing bands from all over the world to Buckhannon, West Virginia, for the 2023 World Association of Marching Show Bands. Sanders shares his experience coordinating the event, building relationship with alliances, and also gives his advice to anyone else hoping to bring a nat...

Executive Director Kevin Degregorio discusses how his company, Chemical Alliance Zone, works to provide a solid base for entrepreneurs and offers great advice to those who are serious about starting their own businesses. Degregorio also takes a moment to share how he spends his time traveling and unwinding in the Mountain State. "ChemCeption is an incubator at the West Virginia Regional Tech Park...

We learn how Mountaineer Media's founder and co-host Cooper Simmerman worked to create a digital media storytelling agency that's changing how people see West Virginia. "We kind of realized that now we have this attention on our platform. We wanted to convert this attention into real-life events that actually drive dollars and revenue into local communities and promote the state. So, we came up wi...

In this episode of Innovators and Entrepreneurs, we speak with Judy Moore. She's the Executive Director of the West Virginia Hive Network. WV Hive is the entrepreneurship program of the New River Gorge Regional Development Authority and the administrator of the Country Roads Angel Network. Moore says the success of her organization comes from getting businesses in the Mountain State the resources...

Justin Whitman is CEO of UMuseUs, a social networking platform for musicians, as well as, those who are just fans of music. In this episode of Innovators & Entrepreneurs, Whitman, a musician, discovered the need for access to resources and collaboration. Whitman explains the application he has created is the only one of its kind. He says this app is free to the user and is a space for interaction...

Shawn Hutchinson is CEO of LocalCart - using his eCommerce platform to bring local food and beverage producers together. In this episode of Innovators and Entrepreneurs, we talk to Hutchinson about why he chose to move back to West Virginia and the benefits he says comes along with it. His mission is to use the platform he developed to "disrupt the internet" to introduce the public to local food a...

Balancing family and a career, President and CEO of A3L Federal Works Roya Maher has made her mark in the Mountain State. Maher moved to West Virginia with her husband and not only raised her family here but also created a sustainable, profitable business in Fairmont. Maher's background in engineering and her business savvy were the foundation for her creating meaningful employment for other West...