The Positively West Virginia Podcast

Ahmed Abdelrehim graduated from the school of Pharmacy and Biotechnology in 2008 at the German University in Cairo, Egypt, and started his first business, a retail pharmacy, in 2009. He spent eight years running the pharmacy. During the last years of Ahmed's pharmacy life, he became super bored with what he was doing. Ahmed wanted […]

Steven L. Webb, born in 1957 in Beckley, West Virginia, attended local schools until graduation. Steve attended West Virginia University and finished his degree in History and English at the University of Charleston. After graduation, Steve mainly worked in family businesses and operated several nightclubs in the Beckley area until 1987, when he moved to […]

Max Knapp grew up in Jackson County, West Virginia, where he graduated from Ravenswood High School. Upon graduation, he attended West Virginia Wesleyan College on a golf scholarship and obtained his bachelor's degree in accounting. After finishing at Wesleyan, Max decided to further his education by attending Vanderbilt University's Owen Graduate School of Management, where […]

Brody Prudnick is the owner of Ray's Seasonings, LLC based out of Morgantown, West Virginia. Ray's Seasonings is a small business that specializes in wholesale/retail distribution of their widely recognized product, Ray's Rub. The company is only a little over two years old and has seen a large growth in recent months. The emphasis here […]

  Ashton Critchley is the founder of Wolverstone Development Company and is the owner of Bessie's Floral Designs in Oak Hill, WV. She is a 2009 graduate of Concord University with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a 2020 graduate of WVU with a Master of Science in Integrated Marketing Communications. Ashton has […]

Sky Forge Metalworks has brought an element of creativity to homes and businesses of the DMV area since 2014. Andrew Rice, the owner, knew the moment he took his first class in Blacksmithing, that it brought something to his life that was missing before. He fell in love with the Romance of the age-old artistry, […]

Johnny McFadden co-founded Mountaineer Integrated Care (MIC) which won permits to grow, process and dispense medical cannabis in West Virginia. He serves as their community outreach coordinator as the company prepares to open its grow/processor facility in Fort Ashby, WV, and its dispensary in Ravenswood, WV. Johnny's goal is to educate the public about the […]

  Roberts Corrosion Services, LLC provides corrosion support and remediation for natural gas piping with a primary focus in the Appalachian Basin area. Since their inception in 2011, they have grown steadily and offer a wide range of services and turn-key solutions for their clients. Their combined experience and qualifications allow them to function effectively […]

  Dick Bonnet is an independent contractor for TorcUP of WV selling Hydraulic Pneumatic and Battery bolting tools (torque wrenches) to the industry in West Virginia. Dick's job is to locate prospects and demonstrate the tools on the application and then follow up with training and service once the sale is made. He works out […]

  Caitlin Furbee is the owner of Remarkable Windows and Blinds in Morgantown, West Virginia. After earning her Interior Design Degree from WVU, Caitlin jumped right into her dream career of helping clients turn their house into a home. Previously working for a design firm in Northern Virginia, she moved back to Morgantown in 2015 […]

  Bradley Frankhouser is a Principal and the office lead of Desmone's Morgantown office. Desmone is an Architecture and Interior Design Firm. They have locations in Morgantown, West Virginia, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Salisbury, Maryland. After being in Morgantown for five years, Desmone believes West Virginia has a promising future, inspired by future-thinking visions of its […]

  Serenity Hills Life Center was founded by Sharon Travis in 2019. Serenity Hills is a non-profit women's behavioral health center and treatment center for women suffering from addictions located in Wheeling, West Virginia.       SHOW NOTES: 2:59 Sharon, take a minute, fill in some gaps from that brief intro and give us a […]

  Mountaineer RV & Outdoor Center, LLC is West Virginia's newest RV Dealership. It is expanding to be the largest RV Dealership in the state, moving to its new location right along I-79, near Exit 105 in Jane Lew, by the summer of 2021. Mountaineer RV sprung up just two and a half years ago […]

  Joshua Swiger is a producer, engineer, performer and music industry professional from Morgantown, West Virginia. Joshua has been active in the national and regional music industry for 25+ years. His emphasis has been in record label management, recording engineering and live event production and management.  Joshua has owned and operated Blues Alley Studios & Records since 1993. […]

  John Little is the CEO and Head Distiller at Smooth Ambler Spirits in Maxwelton, West Virginia. They offer various delicious bourbons and ryes, including whiskeys that are homemade, sourced and a blend of both. John began his career in distilling in 2008 as the inception for the business that would become Smooth Ambler Spirits […]

  Jocelyn Sheppard is the founder and president of Appalachian Botanical Company located in Boone County, West Virginia. Appalachian Botanical Company uses organic farming practices to grow lavender on reclaimed coal mine land. They steam-distill the lavender essential oil for use in a line of quality personal care products and home goods designed for conscious […]

  George Patterson is the owner and founder of Hernshaw Farms, a mushroom farm located on a reclaimed mine strip in Hernshaw, West Virginia. George is from Charleston, WV, and loves mushroom risotto. Simply put, George is a mushroom farmer with a purpose! George recently graduated from the William and Mary St. Andrews Joint Degree […]

  Tom Crabtree founded The WV Great Barrel Company in 2017 to create meaningful change and create great jobs in his local community of White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. The WV Great Barrel Company manufactures top-quality bourbon and whiskey barrels in the most advanced cooperage on the planet. A cooperage is a place that makes […]

  Austin's Homemade Ice Cream is a family-owned, homemade ice cream shop in Ceredo, West Virginia. Austin's at The Market is their second location owned by Taylor Strickland and Tim Ruff, the grandchildren of Joyce Snyder, who ran the original Austin's for 35 years. Austin's originated in 1947, and Joyce took it over in 1983. […]

  Jonathan Gladysz is the owner of Koin Coffee, a coffee shop and roastery in Bridgeport, West Virginia. Since 2019, Koin Coffee has been passionate about showing its customers what coffee can be. It's not just something to wake you up; it's something that can be very special. Their primary focus is to bring the […]

  Karen Ford is a Master Financial Coach, Public Speaker, Entrepreneur and Author who has coached people with various money issues: from just $500 in debt to $800,000 in debt. She has coached folks with up to 86 credit cards and taught them how to pay down and pay off those cards in record time. […]

  Mark Oliverio is the owner of Oliverio Peppers in Clarksburg, West Virginia. Oliverio Peppers was founded in 1972 by Mark's father, Frank Oliverio. For the first four years, Frank ran the business from his mother's basement. Eventually, he realized that if he wanted to expand his business, he would need more space. So, in […]

  Since 1927, Gritt's Farm has been a working farm in Buffalo, West Virginia. Beginning as a homestead farm with the first generation being Veto and Nally Gritt, The Farm has seen many different faces over the years. Their focus has always been providing high quality, locally grown products to the community through all of […]