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In this episode of the Kanawha Valley Hustlers podcast, I talk with Mykah Ballard, creative director for Virtue Marketing Collective. Mykah works with businesses that have a vision but need help turning it into a clear message. We talk about how many entrepreneurs are good at what they do but struggle to explain it to the right people. Mykah explains why marketing is not just posting online. It takes strategy, targeting, and a clear understanding of who you are trying to reach. She also shares one of her early lessons: trying to appeal to everyone makes your message weaker. Her best investment has been a project management and CRM system, while her biggest waste was an ad that was too broad. We also talk about self-discipline, showing up when no one is pushing you, and why every conversation can be a pitch. Mykah’s guiding principle is simple: you do not get what you do not ask for.

In this episode of the Kanawha Valley Hustlers podcast, I break down the line “Early to bed, early to rise, work like hell and advertise” as a full formula for getting ahead. Early to bed is about discipline. It cuts off the hours where most people waste time, scroll, snack, drink, or drift into bad habits. Early to rise gives you quiet leverage before the rest of the world starts pulling at you. That time can be used to read, plan, exercise, or build the side hustle before the workday begins. Work like hell means accepting that the work never goes away. It changes, and it can become higher leverage, but there is no path where you just sit back and count money. Then you have to advertise. Good work does not speak for itself if nobody knows you exist. People are busy with their own lives, so you have to tell them what problem you solve and keep telling them. Discipline, a head start, hard work, and promotion are still hard to beat.

In this episode of the Kanawha Valley Hustlers podcast, I talk with Peyton Ballard, principal consultant of Selah Directive in the New River Gorge area. Peyton starts in HR, then gets recruited by the New River Gorge Regional Development Authority to help launch West Virginia’s first angel network. That experience leads him into consulting, where he now helps nonprofits, entrepreneurs, and business owners build capacity. We talk about the challenge of balancing client work with the work of running a business. Peyton shares how saying yes to too much teaches him the value of saying no with purpose. He also explains why consulting is not just talking. His work is about stepping in as a partner, helping clients solve problems, and creating results they can use. We also cover the capacity issues facing small organizations across Appalachia, especially as the workforce ages and leadership transitions become more urgent. Peyton’s advice is clear: build resilience, use systems like a CRM, and do not waste money on marketing that is not aimed at the right audience.

In this episode of the Kanawha Valley Hustlers podcast, I visit Blenko Glass Company in Milton, West Virginia, and talk with Bryson Cutler about business development, manufacturing, and keeping a historic craft alive. Bryson’s path started in digital marketing and IT before growing into his role at Blenko. We talk about the company’s 130-year history, its move to Milton in 1921, and its shift from mostly wholesale sales to direct online sales across all 50 states. Bryson explains that Blenko’s biggest challenge is not demand. They can sell what they make. The real challenge is making more glass and training new glassblowers through a long apprenticeship process. We also talk about cash flow, digital marketing, AI, and why cameras and microphones matter even in a handmade glass business. The biggest lesson Bryson shares is that people matter. Invest in your team, invest in your community, and that work comes back around.

In this episode of the Kanawha Valley Hustlers podcast, I talk with David Crabtree about drones, business, and what it takes to build something new in West Virginia. David runs Appalachian UAV Academy and works to bring drone technology into industries like public safety, search and rescue, rural health care, delivery, and commercial cleaning. His passion is using drones to find missing people faster so families can get loved ones home safe. We also talk about the hard lessons of entrepreneurship. David learned not to buy equipment before the market is ready and calls those mistakes part of paying the “ignorance tax.” He makes a strong point that business is not just about big ideas. It is about doing the boring work over and over until it starts to pay off. David believes drones are not toys. They are flying robots that can collect data, reduce risk, and solve problems across West Virginia and beyond.

In this episode of the Kanawha Valley Hustlers podcast, I talk about why AI may be pushing us out of