Kanawha Valley Hustlers

In this episode of the Kanawha Valley Hustlers podcast, I’m at J.Q. Dickinson Salt-Works for the Taste of Appalachia showcase, an Advantage Valley initiative that promotes local food producers. I talk with Brad Pinard from Appalachian Cellar, who features jams from JarHead Farms and granola from Hinerman Farms, with Christmas jam being the favorite. Paul Ronk from Lincoln County shares his pure an...

In this episode of the Kanawha Valley Hustlers podcast I talk about how I do not see my business as just being financially rewarding. For me it is about freedom, control, and doing work I believe in. I compare money to happiness—if you chase it directly, you never find it. I see a lot of false promises online about easy income, but real business takes long hours and persistence without immediate p...

In this episode of the Kanawha Valley Hustlers podcast I am at J.Q. Dickinson Salt-Works for the Taste of Appalachia Showcase, an Advantage Valley initiative that features gift boxes filled with West Virginia-made foods available until October 17 at TasteofAppalachia.com. I talk with Mary and Travis Smith of Tipsy Roo’s about their sauces like Peach Jalapeno Rum and Brew Berry, and Travis shares h...

In this episode of the Kanawha Valley Hustlers podcast I talk with Troy and Dawn to talk about the Homesteading-ish Conference, now in its second year. They tell me the “ish” stands for In Search of Help and the goal is to give people tools to take more responsibility for their food and learn skills like gardening, raising animals, beekeeping, and food preservation. Troy explains that the idea sta...

In this episode of the Kanawha Valley Hustlers podcast I am at the Westside Community Health Fair with Dr. Robert Haley. He tells me the event offers screenings for things like HIV, hep C, blood pressure, and diabetes, along with booths for veterans, disability services, and other community resources. More than seventy medical students from the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine are here...

In this episode of the Kanawha Valley Hustlers podcast I explain how the advertising blocks we grew up with, like Saturday morning cartoons and TGIF, connect directly to today’s algorithms on platforms like YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram. I show how ads evolved from newspapers and magazines in the 1800s to radio soap operas aimed at homemakers, then into TV dayparting where families, kid...

In this episode of the Kanawha Valley Hustlers podcast I chat with Debbie Kinder about Kinder’s Closet Ostomy Pantry. Debbie tells me the pantry is a nonprofit that provides ostomy supplies to people with limited income or no insurance, and people can reach them online, on Facebook, or by calling United Way’s 211 line. She explains how it started with her own experience living with an ostomy and r...

In this episode of the Kanawha Valley Hustlers podcast I talk with Terrell Ellis about Taste of Appalachia, a new initiative from Advantage Valley that promotes local food entrepreneurs through curated holiday gift sets. Terrell explains that there are eight themed boxes, including breakfast essentials, tailgate snacks, and veteran made products, all featuring West Virginia businesses. The boxes w...

In this episode of the Kanawha Valley Hustlers podcast I talk with Mary Smith, owner of Tipsy Roo’s Barbecue Sauce. She tells me how their sauces stand out by incorporating alcohol, with flavors like B.U.I Bourbon, Plastered Peach, and Brew Berry. Mary shares that the recipes started during her time at Fort Campbell with her husband, making sauce for cookouts, and when they returned to West Virgin...

In this episode of the Kanawha Valley Hustlers podcast I talk with Eric Grandon of Sugar Bottom Farm in Clay County. He tells me they sell raw honey in about 25 West Virginia markets, ship nationwide, and are working with the state Board of Education to get honey into schools. Eric shares how after six tours in the Middle East he struggled when he came home, but working with bees gave him calm and...

In this episode of the Kanawha Valley Hustlers podcast I meet Millie Snyder at the library and ask about her hustle. She tells me she helps people live healthier through the Mediterranean lifestyle, which focuses on fresh, natural food and has been practiced for centuries. She explains it can be harder to adopt in Appalachia, but it is possible with the right guidance. Millie shares how she leads...

In this episode of the Kanawha Valley Hustlers podcast I talk about the difference between value and meaning. I share how people often ignore valuable advice because it is not meaningful to them, whether it is family, coworkers, or sales prospects. Value by itself does not lead to action. Meaning comes when the information is personal, relevant, and connected to their own situation. I explain that...

In this episode of the Kanawha Valley Hustlers podcast I am at the second annual Salvation Army Red Kettle Classic in Charleston. I talk with Amy Shuler Goodwin who shares that her team with Booth, Jim Strawn, and Renee Keeley had fun in the heat and that while competition was light she held the longest drive for a while. She says the Salvation Army is vital to family focused efforts in Charleston...

In this episode of the Kanawha Valley Hustlers podcast I talk with Captain Mike and Captain Cathy Michels at the second annual Salvation Army Red Kettle Classic. Mike tells me they have nearly 20 teams on the course enjoying the day and raising money for programs across seven counties, including youth centers, rent and utility assistance, and homeless outreach. Cathy shares that last year’s tourna...

In this episode of the Kanawha Valley Hustlers podcast I talk with Zach Sandy from Job Squad Incorporated to talk about how they help people with disabilities find meaningful work. He shares how Job Squad provides training and support to overcome barriers like transportation or licensing and creates lines of business that employ people directly. One of their best known operations is mail sorting,...

In this episode of the Kanawha Valley Hustlers podcast I explain how I use battle cards to help businesses refine messaging and support sales teams. I first saw them in the IT industry, where companies gave sales reps concise sheets outlining key talking points, benefits, features, competitive comparisons, and common objections. I don’t like the term because selling isn’t about defeating someone,...

In this episode of the Kanawha Valley Hustlers podcast I talk with Aly Mullins, an insurance agent with Morris Insurance Services, where she handles property, casualty, and life insurance, with Erie as her main carrier. Aly grew up in Milton and now lives in Hurricane, close to the office. She says recent hailstorms tested the industry, but Erie’s catastrophe teams stepped up, keeping customers fr...

In this episode of the Kanawha Valley Hustlers podcast, I talk with Linda Matheny, owner of Hagy's Irish Pie Pub in Charleston. Linda shares how her trip to Ireland inspired her to bring authentic Irish food to West Virginia. After discovering pastie pies in Galway, she and her husband decided to open the pub, serving dishes like shepherd’s pie and pastie pies. The pub’s opening on Saint Patrick’s...

In this episode of the Kanawha Valley Hustlers podcast, I talk with C. Anthony Parker about his work in the short-term rental space through Revive B&B. He tells me he manages 25 properties across Charleston and nearby areas, all designed to feel like home with everything from cookware to toiletries already in place. He handles the decor himself and lets the vibe of each space guide the theme—one u...

In this episode of the Kanawha Valley Hustlers podcast, I visit the Marshall Advanced Manufacturing Center in South Charleston and talk with Mike Friel about their machinist technology program. It’s a two-year program offered with BridgeValley Community and Technical College, where students earn industry credentials and an associate degree. Mike shows me the computer-controlled machines students t...

In this episode of the Kanawha Valley Hustlers podcast, I talk with Scotty Stone, board secretary of the Clay County Business Development Authority. He explains that Clay County is part of the Charleston metro area, so it qualifies for many of the same grants and programs. We talk about new public transportation coming to the area thanks to a partnership with Mountain Transit Authority, helping pe...

In this episode of the Kanawha Valley Hustlers podcast, I run into Mike Wynn from Greens during First Tuesdays at Short Story. Most people know the name Green’s Feed and Seed, but Mike explains that Greens has grown into much more, including Ace Hardware, power equipment, and full contractor support through partnerships like Thomas Do It Center. They’ve expanded their services to include building...

In this episode of the Kanawha Valley Hustlers podcast, I explain the difference between outcome goals and process goals and why that shift matters. Outcome goals—like hitting a revenue target or gaining followers—are outside our control and can lead to burnout when we don’t meet them. But process goals—like posting two videos a week or making five prospect calls a day—are within our control and h...

In this episode of the Kanawha Valley Hustlers podcast, I talk with Roy Bird, a boiler mechanic with over 30 years of experience. He explains his work, which involves maintaining boilers that generate steam for industries like hospitals and oil processing plants. Roy shares how he got into this field at 14 and transitioned from HVAC to working with boilers after realizing he wasn’t keen on crawlin...

In this episode of the Kanawha Valley Hustlers podcast, I share how easy it is to start creating video content for social media using just your phone. I talk about why video is the most effective way to connect with people online and how even small business owners who aren’t familiar with TikTok or Instagram can benefit from it. I break down two simple formats to get started: hook and takeaway, an...