Closing Out 2024: A Thank You and a Look Ahead

In this episode of the Kanawha Valley Hustlers podcast, I wish a Merry Christmas and happy holidays to everybody. It’s the final episode of the year, and I want to take a moment to reflect and look ahead to what’s next in 2025. I’m spending the next couple of weeks planning what I want to do with the podcast and my business. As always, I want to hear from listeners. I’m asking people to leave comments, send messages, or reach out on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Spotify, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

My mission is to cultivate a spirit of entrepreneurship in and around the Kanawha Valley. My goal is to spotlight people and ideas, help businesses with marketing tips, and share resources to grow and develop. This includes everything from shining a light on nonprofits, small businesses, and community events to talking about productivity, sales, and marketing strategies.

As I move into 2025, I’m asking my audience what they want more of. Would you like to hear more in-depth interviews with entrepreneurs, business owners, and leaders from around the community? Should I focus more on advice-based episodes, covering topics like business development, sales strategies, or marketing insights? For example, I could talk about why people buy, the objections they face, and how emotions drive purchasing decisions. I’ve got a lot of knowledge around that.

Another direction we could take involves technical content. Would you like episodes where I break down how to set up Google Ads or run a campaign on Meta or TikTok? Would you find it helpful if I covered how to analyze your Google Analytics, what metrics to measure, or how to run ads on YouTube? I could also dive into tools like Canva, Photoshop, and Adobe Premiere to help people create effective designs and videos. I haven’t touched on that type of content yet, so I’m curious to know if there’s interest.

Another idea is to do more of the community Q&A and man-on-the-street episodes. These have been popular in the past, and I enjoy getting out to events, asking people questions, and gathering their insights. Let me know if you’d like to see more of that style or if there’s another direction you think we should explore.

When I first started this podcast back in 2023, I spent a few months experimenting with interviews. I sat down with businesspeople I knew, kept the episodes short, and tested the waters. I found that the stand-up, man-on-the-street interviews resonated more, so I leaned into that format for 2024. This year was a big one for me because I also started my own business. Before that, I spent years in marketing, video production, and other areas, including legal video, forensic animation, news, and children’s programming. I’ve done a lot, and this year I decided to take all those experiences and bring them into my own business here in the Kanawha Valley.

I’ve seen a lot of exciting things happening locally that make this a good time for entrepreneurship. Over the past year, I’ve attended community meetups, hosted ribbon cuttings, and built out my new studio space, where I record and produce content. It’s been great to grow alongside this podcast and meet so many people. Now, I want to hear from the listeners. Where do you want the podcast to go next? Do you want more interviews, advice, or technical how-tos? Should we expand on topics like productivity, marketing, and business growth?

The Kanawha Valley Hustlers podcast has come a long way. We’ve gone from Zoom calls to in-person Q&As and event coverage. I’ve learned a lot along the way, and I know there’s room for more growth. As I plan for 2025, your feedback is important. I want to know what you liked about this past year and what you want to see more of in the next. You can leave a comment, send a message, or even email me. However you reach out, I want to hear from you.

I’m excited to see where the next year takes us, and I thank everyone who has listened, shared feedback, or been part of the journey so far. As we wrap up 2024, I wish everyone a Merry Christmas, happy holidays, and a great start to the new year. Let me know your thoughts, and I’ll see you in 2025.