The Positively West Virginia Podcast

Almost Heaven Desserts (AHD) is a family-owned bakery and coffee shop located in Bridgeport, West Virginia. Patti and Jim Simon own the business alongside their daughter Victoria. Victoria Simon worked at AHD during high school. Shortly after graduating from college with a degree in Business Management, she decided to take the family business to the […]

Rocket Chassis builds late model, dirt track race cars. They take pride in providing their customers with everything they need to be successful, including access to an expansive network of over 30 dealers across the US and Australia, a large inventory of parts and components, vast in-house technical knowledge and superb service. Steve Baker, co-owner […]

Growing up in New Brighton, Pennsylvania, Mike's love for construction began at a young age. One summer, Mike helped his dad build a deck on the back of their house, and his passion for building structures grew. The aspiring engineer was active with construction mission trips throughout high school and worked with a residential contractor […]

Small Business Exporter of the Year Lawrence Michael McCown Industrial Bolting Technologies, Inc. Mike@industrialbolting.com 304-744-9489  Industrial Bolting Technologies, Inc. started in 2003 in Tyler Mountain, West Virginia by Mike McCrown. McCown created The Torsion X brand and hydraulic tools. These high-quality tools are sold domestically and internationally. Recently, Industrial Bolting Tech...

Small Business Person of the Year Kim Eastman & Brenda Sheldon Hospitality Cleaning Solutions, LLC kim@hcs-wv.com; brenda@hcs-wv.com 304-757-9392 Hospitality Cleaning Solutions, LLC, is a woman-owned, small business facilities management company with broad operations related to capabilities and over 18 years of experience providing constructive solutions to organizations. HCS is a company that pla...

Lisa Biafore grew up in Cape May County, New Jersey, and moved to Morgantown with her husband, Michael, in 1996. She has a BS from Glassboro State (now Rowan University) and an MBA from Drexel University. Lisa spent over 30 years in the corporate world with her last position as a Sr. Program Manager for a consulting […]

  Gino Degregori is the President and CEO of Bravo Consulting Group, LLC, which is based in Leesburg, VA, but they also have an office in Morgantown, WV. He is a graduate of WVU with a Bachelor's in Management Information Systems and a Master's in Software Engineering. Since 2007, Degregori and his team have consistently […]

  In 2018, Ascent Consulting and Engineering started in Clarksburg, West Virginia. Ascent has a diverse staff who brings expertise in nearly every facet of civil engineering. They're committed to providing quality services, building long-lasting relationships and supporting and encouraging their employees.  Zach Assaro, a member at Ascent Consulting and Engineering, graduated from Fairmont State [...

FD Kitchen and Bath, owned by Ken and Floann Downey, is a full-service design, sales and installation company. They specialize in the design of kitchens, baths and closets in the greater Morgantown area. FD Kitchen and Bath has been in the residential construction business since 1995. The company works on a variety of projects ranging […]

            SHOW NOTES: 3:06 Gina and Victoria, take a minute, fill in some gaps from that brief intro and give us a little behind the curtain look into your company. 3:56 How/ when did you get started in this business? 7:54 What is your 30 sec. pitch for The Soft […]

  John Obrist is the Owner of WineJug in Weirton, West Virginia. John received his BS from Ithaca College and his MBA from Penn State University. John has been married for 29 years to Ledea Obrist with four kids (ages 20, 19, 19, and 16) – yes, 3 in college! WineJug is a wine specialty […]

  Travis Foster is the President of Bacteria Busters, located in Buckhannon, WV. Centered on professionalism and backed by science, Bacteria Busters of West Virginia is the state's premier provider of interior and exterior disinfection for homes, businesses and more. Their cornerstone service is their interior dry mist fogging, which produces a droplet so small […]

    Tony Watson is an accomplished multifaceted sales leader with a proven track record in the field of Medical Equipment and supplies. Tony is the VP of Sales at Destiny Consultants, which is Woman Owned and a 100% Service Disabled Veteran Small Business that provides Medical equipment and services to the Federal Government. Their […]

  Leah Heimbach, is President and Owner of H M S, LLC in Fairmont, West Virginia.   HMS protects vulnerable populations and veterans.  HMS blends their unique healthcare and technology expertise to create bold yet cost-effective solutions that federal and state agencies and their private-sector partners need to make sure your loved ones get the best […]

  Traci Phillips is the CEO and Owner of Fun Fitness Kids Club.  Traci's spouse Justin Phillips is COO. Fun Fitness Kids Club was recently named Minority-Owned Small Business of the Year by the West Virginia Small Business Administration.   Fun Fitness Kids Club provides rental fitness equipment for ages Birth to 5 years old. They […]

Mike Emerson was born and raised in Huntington, West Virginia. He graduated from the University of Kentucky with a Bachelor's in Business Administration in 1978 and sold life insurance for Northwestern Mutual for two years before going to work for IBM in 1980. Emerson was a marketing representative and systems engineer with IBM for seven […]

  Robert A. Alonso II (Tony) served in the United States Air Force from Jan. 85-Apr 98.  After he separated from the USAF he relocated back home to WV.  He began working with his father (Bob), his brother (Todd), and his sister (Tish) in the construction business as a Project Manager and Estimator. Robert received […]

  ITrend Technology was founded by Edward Green, a federally contracted IT professional turned businessman, who has a mission to simplify the world of Information Technology for individuals and businesses. Having worked in the Information Technology field since 1998, Edward decided to form ITrend Technology, a local IT management business that focuses on putting customers […]

  Andrew Cutright is a managing member of Cutright Law located in the Suncrest Towne Centre in Morgantown, WV. His father Roger Cutright is also a member of Cutright Law, and combined they have over 30 years of experience. Andrew is a graduate of Dickinson College in Carlisle, PA and also a graduate from WVU […]

  Andrea Bourdelais graduated from the University of Vermont in 1985 and Washington State University in 1991.  She has one daughter Olivia who recently graduated from the University of Vermont.   She moved from Wilmington NC to the Tristate area in 2017 to help run the family business, Level 1 Fasteners with her brother Ted […]

  For more than two years, Positively West Virginia has brought you compelling stories about West Virginia businesses. Our mission is to educate, inspire and motivate people. Now, we have gathered together some of our most influential guests to create an ongoing panel discussion focused on encouraging WV small businesses in their effort to thrive […]

  Mike McCown is a 1987 graduate of West Virginia University in Industrial Engineering. He and his wife, Tera, of twenty-five years have two daughters. Elizabeth, recent graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University; Emily, currently attending Wake Forest University. Mike started Industrial Bolting Technologies, Inc. (IBT) in January of 2003. IBT was known as the local leader […]

  For more than two years, Positively West Virginia has brought you compelling stories about West Virginia businesses. Our mission is to educate, inspire and motivate people. Now, we have gathered together some of our most influential guests to create an ongoing panel discussion focused on encouraging WV small businesses in their effort to thrive […]

Trey Yates, Owner –  Greenbrier Dairy, LLC.  Located in Rainelle, West Virginia. Trey Yates has just been named 2020 Young Entrepreneur Small Business of the Year by the West Virginia SBA. Trey's belief is that West Virginia youth must stay home to rebuild our great state. With that thought in mind Trey formulated plans for Greenbrier Dairy LLC while […]

Eric Watkins is the owner of The Fighter Store in, Morgantown, West Virginia – in Monongalia County. Eric was raised in Morgantown since the age of 4 years old.   At the age of 24 he decided to go to college at West Virginia University as an untraditional freshman, exactly 5 years late.  At the time […]