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In this episode of the Kanawha Valley Hustlers podcast I talk with Bob Bliss to talk about crisis management and how it applies to any business, from a cyber security breach to a recall to a key client getting ready to walk. Bob frames a crisis as something that builds over time, with signs that people notice but fail to surface, so strong internal communication matters and employees need to speak up when they see flaws in a procedure. He ties it to flying and crash investigations, where the cause is almost never the final moment but a chain of earlier events, decisions, and failures, which is why routine “maintenance” in a business looks like tracking quality, improving processes, and keeping training current as technology changes. He shares how assigning one employee ownership of an engine repair from start to finish improves accountability and results. When the problem becomes public, Bob starts with clarity—what happened, why it happened, when it was first noticed, and who noticed it—then recommends communicating with honesty and a forward plan, focusing on what you are changing without lying or inflaming fear.

I talk with Jeremy Myers from Charleston Pressure Washing Services. He runs a roof-first cleaning service that also covers gutters, soffits, fascia, siding, and flat work like entryways. He gets into this business after seeing how many homes in our area have buildup that owners need help handling. He’s in his second year and shares a key lesson from early on: he tries to do too many things at once, moving from mobile detailing into window cleaning, pressure washing, and even thinking about lawn care, and it turns into a mess. He learns to focus, specialize, and dial back scaling. Jeremy tells me funding is a challenge, and so is writing a business plan, understanding websites, and learning how SEO affects how people find you on Google, Facebook, and Instagram. He also clears up misconceptions about damage in this industry and explains why process and standards matter, especially with soft washing and chemical ratios. He’s building better relationships, improving SEO, and invites people to find him online or call if they need help.

I’m at Charleston Nano Brewery with Kenny and Jennifer Graley, and I ask them how their hustle started and what keeps it going. They explain that it begins as home brewing in their kitchen, moves to the garage, and grows into a full business once they commit to a building and start seeing people return after the first anniversary. They tell me their goal is a welcoming, family friendly place, and they notice travelers often seek out breweries while passing through. Kenny points to an early mistake: not advertising enough, and they describe the shift about a year and a half in toward doing more to build awareness, especially since they want people to find them in Elk City. We talk about misconceptions, like expecting a microbrewery to taste like macro beer, and Kenny explains how small batch brewing lets him rotate taps and keep variety. They share the day to day challenge of keeping operations running and getting the word out. They advise new owners to do homework on regulations and location, and they stand by one rule: put out a product you can back.

I explain what I mean when I say “Mad Men is over.” People think I am talking about the TV show, but I am talking about the old model of advertising that came out of Madison Avenue: big top down pitches, huge budgets, and campaigns pushed through broadcast, radio, print, and billboards. I argue that model is dead, and I point to the Super Bowl in 2026 as proof. Early numbers show a drop in viewership, and a sizable group watches an alternative halftime show instead of the main one, which signals that mass attention no longer moves as a monolith. I also notice that nobody is talking about the commercials, even though Super Bowl ads used to drive culture and dominate conversations the next day. I connect this shift to my own history in video production, when brands paid tens of thousands for one 30 second spot and ran it for years. Now attention is scattered across phones, tablets, streaming, and feeds. My message is simple: stop chasing one magic ad and start reaching people on digital platforms over time, adjusting your message as you learn.

I talk with Bob Bliss about how first impressions hide most of who a person is. He explains his iceberg inversion idea: when you meet someone, you only see about 25%, and the other 75% sits below the surface. He shares how a friend calls him “lucky,” but that view ignores the setbacks he has pushed through, from being told he would never achieve certain roles to surviving major hardships. He also shows how perception shifts fast, like when people judge a limp handshake until they learn there is a broken hand behind it. We get into how to learn that hidden 75% by asking simple questions and letting people talk about their work, interests, and story. We also talk about the difference between acquaintances and real friends, and how golf can reveal character under pressure, from patience to how someone treats others.