Episodios

  • From Firestone to IT Hub with Thomas Baker

    From Firestone to IT Hub with Thomas Baker
    Dec 4 2025
    In this episode I’m at the grand opening of AMG Network Hosting’s new office in a former Firestone Tire building in Montgomery, talking with Thomas Baker about his work. He runs a full service IT company that acts as the help desk for businesses from two people to several hundred, either taking over all of their IT or backing up internal teams with specialized skills. We walk through how he bought the old building from a client, saw potential under the wood paneling, and spent about seven months turning it into a functional office. We dig into how security now dominates IT conversations, with cyber threats, misconfigured networks, and hundreds of connected devices in even small offices. Thomas explains why cyber security is both technical and human, why remote work still needs strong protection, and why having a local team that can show up on site really matters.
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    6 m
  • Building Trail Towns and Outdoor Tourism with Madison Stone

    Building Trail Towns and Outdoor Tourism with Madison Stone
    Dec 2 2025
    I talk with Madison Stone, executive director of the Elk River Trail Foundation, about the work happening along the Elk River from Sutton Dam to the Kanawha River in Charleston. I learn the foundation is a 501(c)(3) focused on preserving, protecting, and enhancing both the river and the Elk River Trail. Madison walks me through how they’re adding regular kayak launches and ADA-accessible access points in trail towns like Sutton, Gassaway, Clay, and Clendenin so more people can get on the 102 miles of free-flowing water. We cover the 72-mile rail trail that supports walking, running, biking, and horseback riding, and how it gives locals and visitors a way to step outside daily life and experience the region. She explains their vision to attract people from across the country and even other nations, something already happening with their annual marathon, half marathon, and 5K that brought in more than 700 participants this year. I point listeners to elkrivertrail.org to learn more, support the work, or plan a visit.
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    4 m
  • Gratitude and the Reality of Being an Entrepreneur

    Gratitude and the Reality of Being an Entrepreneur
    Nov 27 2025
    I talk about how Thanksgiving makes me step back and look at what it really means to run a business. I’m two years into my own company, and even with all my past experience, the ups and downs still hit hard. Clients pay late, leads slow down, people quit, and the workload grows faster than expected. None of it means something is wrong with me or anyone else doing this work. It’s simply part of owning a business. To keep myself steady, I write down three things I’m grateful for every day. Putting it on paper shifts my focus toward what’s already working, like my health, my family, and the chance to do this work at all. That habit helps keep the anxiety from taking over when a month is slow or a deal falls through. The ride never gets predictable, but grounding myself in gratitude helps me stay clear and keep moving forward.
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    6 m
  • Caroline Starr on Cybersecurity and Creative Tech Growth

    Caroline Starr on Cybersecurity and Creative Tech Growth
    Nov 25 2025
    In this episode of the Kanawha Valley Hustler I talk with Caroline Starr from KDE Technology, and she walks me through what they do and how she found her place there. She tells me they handle website development, marketing, graphic design and cybersecurity, and she explains why cybersecurity is growing as more people see digital threats in the news and want to protect their information. She describes their Hale Street space that serves as a business incubator and event venue, hosting everything from open mic nights to comedy shows. She explains that their websites are coded from scratch and hosted on their own servers, and she says they also manage SEO, Google Business Profiles and social media. She shares how she moved from seventeen years of teaching into cybersecurity after her students encouraged her to follow her passion. We talk about their managing partner Lee now working full time in the office and how helpful it is to have his expertise available throughout the day. When I ask her to pick her favorite part of the business, she picks cybersecurity because it connects to her passion.
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    4 m
  • Mayor Kay Summers Talks Recovery, Growth, and the Future of Clendenin

    Mayor Kay Summers Talks Recovery, Growth, and the Future of Clendenin
    Nov 20 2025
    I talk with Mayor Kay Summers at the ribbon cutting for the Riverview Complex and hear her talk about how important this moment is for Clendenin. She tells me about the long recovery since the 2016 flood and how it took years to bring back schools, a grocery store, and basic services. I listen as she explains how the old school building became apartments, a clinic, a business incubator, and space for the library. She describes the work of 25045 and the broader effort to support economic development. I ask what visitors can do in town and she walks me through Main Street, the stage, the trails, the river, and the local shops. She tells me a new restaurant is coming and explains how easy it is to reach Clendenin from the interstate. She shares where people can find updates through the website, Facebook page, and town hall. I close the conversation by thanking her and inviting listeners to explore what Clendenin offers.
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    4 m
  • Lance Wheeler Talks Community Growth

    Lance Wheeler Talks Community Growth
    Nov 18 2025
    In this episode of the Kanawha Valley Hustlers podcast, I talk with Lance Wheeler about his hustle, and he talks about the progress in Clendenin with new housing, business incubators and library opening after the flood. He says the County Commission supports the town and that cooperation among local, county, state and federal leaders is pushing growth across Kanawha County. He tells me people now see new opportunities in outdoor recreation, tourism and small business, from the outlaw trails to the dirt bike system in Tornado that draws riders from around the world. He explains that the county commission focuses on public safety, the courts, 911 services and economic development, and that the results are showing in places like Clendenin. He says people can attend public meetings or follow the commission online to stay informed, and he repeats that the county is moving forward because people are starting to believe in the momentum.
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    4 m
  • Evan and Rebekah Harding on Building Community Through Clendenin Brewing Company

    Evan and Rebekah Harding on Building Community Through Clendenin Brewing Company
    Nov 13 2025
    I talk with Evan and Rebekah Harding and hear how they left Cincinnati, returned to West Virginia, and build a new life in Clendenin after stumbling onto the town during a fall festival. They tell me how they took over Clendenin Brewing Company, work almost every hour themselves, and build real relationships with the people who walk through the door. They talk about supporting the ribbon cutting at the new Riverview project and how the momentum in the community lifts every business. They explain how the brewery sits in a restored bank building once damaged by the flood and now filled with craft beer, wine, food, live music, trivia, knitting club, book club, and a steady flow of regulars they know by name. They say their goal is to create a true third place where people gather, connect, and feel at home whether they want a drink or just a space to sit and talk. I wrap up by sharing how to find them online and inviting listeners to stop in on Main Street to meet them.
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    Menos de 1 minuto
  • Rebuilding a Town’s Future with Dave Knight

    Rebuilding a Town’s Future with Dave Knight
    Nov 11 2025
    In this episode of the Kanawha Valley Hustlers podcast, I talk with Dave Knight about how he and a small group of residents in Clendenin saved their old 1912 school building from being lost. They partnered with several organizations to transform it into apartments, offices, and a clinic. The first renovation in 2011 cost $5 million, and the latest one totaled $7.5 million. Now the building has ten apartments, eight business suites, and medical offices, all within walking distance of downtown. Dave explains that most apartments are already rented, with a mix of income-restricted and open units. He says it’s emotional to see the project completed after years of work and cooperation with local leaders like Mayor Kay Summers. Since the 2016 flood, the town has brought in more than $30 million in economic development, and Dave says it shows what can happen when a small community comes together to rebuild and take pride in its future.
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    Menos de 1 minuto