Kanawha Valley Hustlers

In this episode of the Kanawha Valley Hustlers podcast, I visit the South Charleston Farmers Market for the second annual Taste of Appalachia event, an initiative that brings together West Virginia businesses to showcase their products through curated gift boxes. I talk with Marjorie Cooke of Advantage Valley about how the program supports local entrepreneurs, generates revenue for small businesse...

In this episode of the Kanawha Valley Hustlers podcast, I chat with Elishua Brown, a real estate agent with Berkshire Hathaway in Charleston, West Virginia, to discuss the challenges of building a career in a competitive market. We talk about his first three months without a sale, the importance of earning clients' trust, and how improving communication helps him grow his business. Elishua explain...

In this episode of the Kanawha Valley Hustlers podcast, I talk with Gracetyn Carper to explore the world of landscape architecture and how it shapes communities across West Virginia. We discuss the role landscape architects play in designing parks, trails, sidewalks, and public spaces while working alongside engineers, geologists, and other professionals. Gracetyn explains how the profession goes...

In this episode of the Kanawha Valley Hustlers podcast, I explore how businesses can use video for more than just marketing. With over 25 years of experience in video production, I break down three areas where video can make an impact: marketing, sales, and fulfillment. I explain how short-form videos attract attention, while long-form content helps build trust and nurture potential customers. I a...

In this episode of the Kanawha Valley Hustlers podcast, I chat with Meghan Callaghan, broker of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Professional Realty, to talk about the challenges of real estate, building relationships, and running a business. With 14 years of experience, Meghan oversees approximately 65 agents across Charleston, Teays Valley, and Parkersburg, handling residential and commercial pro...

In this episode of the Kanawha Valley Hustlers podcast, I talk with Madhur Bedre to discuss his journey as an entrepreneur and how his company helps manufacturers improve production through process control and artificial intelligence. Madhur shares how his background in engineering led him to start his business seven years ago and how AI is helping manufacturers make better decisions and improve o...

In this episode of the Kanawha Valley Hustlers podcast, I chat with Haley Merritt, an account manager at ProSource, to talk about what she has learned from working in sales. We discuss how she moved away from relying on rehearsed pitches and started focusing more on relationships, networking, and listening to what businesses need. Haley explains how B2B sales differs from retail and why trust ofte...

In this episode of the Kanawha Valley Hustlers podcast, I talk about what it takes to lead a team and why leadership is a skill that can be developed. I explain the difference between compliance and cooperation, and why getting people to understand the mission is more effective than relying on threats or consequences. I also discuss why leaders have to practice what they expect from others because...

In this episode of the Kanawha Valley Hustlers podcast, I sit down with Lee Jordan of Fear on the Farm as the attraction celebrates its 10th anniversary. We talk about how his love of Halloween grew into a business with ten attractions, how the team keeps the experience fresh each year, and why so much of the revenue goes back into sets, animatronics, and improvements. Lee explains how Fear on the...

In this episode of the Kanawha Valley Hustlers podcast, I sit down with Austin Taylor, owner of AT Woodwork in Charleston’s Elk City district. Austin shares how his interest in woodworking began in high school shop class and grew into a business focused on custom furniture and woodworking. We talk about the difference between mass-produced furniture and pieces built with cabinet-grade plywood and...

In this episode of the Kanawha Valley Hustlers podcast, I talk with James Stanton, founder of Never Deer, a West Virginia company that makes professional deer repellent for homeowners, landscapers, and other customers. James explains how the business started when he tried to stop deer from eating his wife’s plants and how that solution grew into a product he now manufactures in Big Chimney. We tal...

In this episode of the Kanawha Valley Hustlers podcast, I break down the difference between how traditional computers, artificial intelligence, and human beings solve problems. I explain deductive, inductive, and abductive reasoning and why those differences matter when we use AI to help make decisions. Traditional computers follow fixed algorithms, while AI relies on patterns in training data to...

In this episode of the Kanawha Valley Hustlers podcast, I talk with photographer and filmmaker Frank Miller about how his business has changed since he started. Frank expected to work mainly with families and weddings, but he moved into commercial and business-to-business work, where long-term client relationships became a bigger part of his business. We discuss lessons he learned from spending to...

In this episode of the Kanawha Valley Hustlers podcast, I talk with Terrell Ellis of Advantage Valley about the second year of Taste of Appalachia, a program created to support small food producers across the region. We discuss what the organization learned during its first year, especially the challenges of packing, shipping, and managing the details involved in fulfillment. Terrell explains that...

In this episode of the Kanawha Valley Hustlers podcast, I talk with Mary Beth Smith, co-owner and co-founder of Tipsy Roo’s Barbecue Sauce, about what it takes to build a product-based business. Mary Beth shares how she learned that having a good product is not enough. You have to get in front of people, attend events, offer samples, talk with customers, and keep promoting what you sell. We discus...

In this episode of the Kanawha Valley Hustlers podcast, I break down how I plan an ideal week so I can stay focused on the work that matters instead of letting every phone call, email, meeting, and problem control my schedule. I start by putting fixed commitments on the calendar, then I leave margin around them so I have room for travel, delays, and unexpected issues. I also block out time for imp...

In this episode of the Kanawha Valley Hustlers podcast, I talk with Richard Emery of Tom James Company to talk about his 31 years in the clothing business. We discuss how he got started, the challenges of building a client base, and how men’s fashion has changed from pleated pants and broad shoulders to slimmer styles and more casual workplaces. Richard explains why fit matters more than anythin...

In this episode of the Kanawha Valley Hustlers podcast, I chat with Chima Imoh, founder and CEO of MíMíroír Technologies, a Charleston-based company developing modular wearable technology. Chima explains how his system places sensors on specific parts of the body to collect data where the movement is actually happening, rather than relying on one wearable location to measure everything. We talk ab...

In this episode of the Kanawha Valley Hustlers podcast, I talk with Alexander Anderson of Tom James Company to talk about his work as a professional clothier and what he has learned since changing careers. Alex explains how he helps clients choose clothing based on their profession, schedule, and personal needs. We discuss his move from freight brokerage into the clothing industry, why selling dir...

In this episode of the Kanawha Valley Hustlers podcast, I explain why getting attention is only the first step in growing a business today. Customers are surrounded by ads, emails, calls, messages, and competing offers, which can make it harder for them to decide who to trust. I believe trust is built through time. The more time people spend learning from you, hearing your ideas, and understanding...

Alicia Stine on Turning a Passion for Photography Into a Business

In this episode of the Kanawha Valley Hustlers podcast, I talk with Hayden Holstine about how he gets started in digital marketing by helping his dad build an online presence for a forestry consulting business. Hayden now runs a digital marketing company with his cousin in Hurricane, providing websites, paid ads, SEO, social media, and content creation. We discuss why marketing takes time, how con...

In this episode, I talk with Travis Kline of Job Squad about helping people with disabilities connect with employment, transportation, benefits, and other services. We discuss the disability services fair and why communication matters when bringing organizations and the community together. Travis explains how Job Squad helps people find jobs and training while also operating mail processing and fu...

I explain why most business owners do not have an effort problem. They have a focus problem. Every business has a chain that moves from attention to sales, fulfillment and recurring revenue, and somewhere in that chain is a constraint that limits growth. I look at two common examples. One is a lack of leads. A business can have a strong team, good processes and a solid service, but none of that ma...

In this episode of the Kanawha Valley Hustlers podcast, I talk with Jessica A. Martin to talk about her work as a radio personality, content creator, and community supporter. Jessica explains how she begins by using social media to promote local businesses, fundraisers, and events around Charleston. That work grows into a larger platform and leads to her role with 107.3 The Beat. We discuss the pl...