Archives: Episodes

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 will be unveiled September 18 at J.Q. Dickinson Salt-Works where attendees can sample products, meet the makers, and place bulk or online orders. Fulfillment will be handled by the West Virginia Department of Agriculture so customers only need to order and everything else is managed. The website tasteofappalachia.com shows all available boxes and orders can be made there as well. Sponsors include Marshall University and the West Virginia Manufacturers Association. Terrell says this builds on Advantage Valley’s Foster WV program that supports entrepreneurs with coaching and resources, and now extends their reach to a broader market. I remind listeners this is a perfect way to share the flavors of Appalachia with clients, family, and friends while supporting businesses in our region.

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 Virginia friends kept asking for jars until they launched the business in 2020. Now, five years later, Tipsy Roo’s is part of the Taste of Appalachia, an event on September 18th that offers gift boxes filled with Appalachian products. She explains that these boxes give people a way to support local businesses instead of buying generic gifts, and her sauces are included in many of them. When I ask what advice she would give her past self, Mary says to do uncomfortable things and not stay in the comfort zone because growth requires work and risk. She closes by sharing where to find her sauces online and through the event, and I wrap up by reminding listeners to hustle hard, hustle smart, and hustle with a smile.

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 what he calls his new normal. He started the farm business in 2013 and now offers raw honey along with unique single serving honey packets, the only ones of their kind in the country using West Virginia honey. He also talks about the Taste of Appalachia project, which brings together artisans from across the state to create holiday food boxes, and says he’s proud to be part of it. Eric explains that this effort not only connects farmers with new markets but also carries on traditions passed down through generations. He encourages people to search Sugar Bottom Farm online, where they can find his story featured in interviews and documentaries, and learn more about the work he is doing.

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 group support meetings at Trinity Lutheran Evangelical Church in Charleston, where community helps people stay committed. She opens up about her personal struggle with obesity starting at age seven, the years of failed diets, and how she reluctantly joined Weight Watchers in 1966. At first she resisted, but small results gave her hope, and she eventually became a leader and built a career helping others. Now she teaches the Mediterranean lifestyle not just as a diet but as a way of life that improves health first, with weight loss following naturally. She says people can learn more by visiting her Mediterranean Mindset Facebook page or attending her weekly sessions, where they can find the support and tools they need to take steady steps toward lasting change.

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 guiding someone with questions so they discover the answer themselves makes the lesson stick, just like doing a lab experiment instead of only hearing about it. I also point out that showing instead of telling through role play, demonstrations, or stories can create stronger connections. By tying ideas to their experiences and worldview, we make advice both valuable and meaningful. I remind listeners that if their words fall on deaf ears, it is likely because they have not created meaning, and I encourage them to focus on helping others see and feel the message in a way that matters to them.

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 and tells me to watch for an upcoming economic development announcement and the holiday season events she loves. I then meet Marc Beacom who retired this year after forty years in technology and says retirement is filled with golf, friends, and service. He praises the Salvation Army’s work and offers a tip on staying cool with electrolytes in the heat. Finally, I talk with Keith Lewis who says his team played as one and valued supporting the Salvation Army’s broader mission beyond the red kettles at Christmas. He says their focus was teamwork more than competition and looks forward to future events. I leave the course reminded that golf, community, and service come together to make a lasting impact.