Positively West Virginia

  Tom Crabtree founded The WV Great Barrel Company in 2017 to create meaningful change and create great jobs in his local community of White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. The WV Great Barrel Company manufactures top-quality bourbon and whiskey barrels in the most advanced cooperage on the planet. A cooperage is a place that makes […]

  Austin’s Homemade Ice Cream is a family-owned, homemade ice cream shop in Ceredo, West Virginia. Austin’s at The Market is their second location owned by Taylor Strickland and Tim Ruff, the grandchildren of Joyce Snyder, who ran the original Austin’s for 35 years. Austin’s originated in 1947, and Joyce took it over in 1983. […]

  Jonathan Gladysz is the owner of Koin Coffee, a coffee shop and roastery in Bridgeport, West Virginia. Since 2019, Koin Coffee has been passionate about showing its customers what coffee can be. It’s not just something to wake you up; it’s something that can be very special. Their primary focus is to bring the […]

  Karen Ford is a Master Financial Coach, Public Speaker, Entrepreneur and Author who has coached people with various money issues: from just $500 in debt to $800,000 in debt. She has coached folks with up to 86 credit cards and taught them how to pay down and pay off those cards in record time. […]

  Mark Oliverio is the owner of Oliverio Peppers in Clarksburg, West Virginia. Oliverio Peppers was founded in 1972 by Mark’s father, Frank Oliverio. For the first four years, Frank ran the business from his mother’s basement. Eventually, he realized that if he wanted to expand his business, he would need more space. So, in […]

  Since 1927, Gritt’s Farm has been a working farm in Buffalo, West Virginia. Beginning as a homestead farm with the first generation being Veto and Nally Gritt, The Farm has seen many different faces over the years. Their focus has always been providing high quality, locally grown products to the community through all of […]

    Adam and Beth Bedway are the co-owners of East Wheeling Clayworks. East Wheeling Clayworks is a working ceramic studio that offers wholesale and retail sales of their products. They also sell non-ceramic household items that they use and love and provide a platform for local artists to display their work. Every item Adam […]

  Amy McLaughlin is the managing partner of Lafayette Flats Boutique Vacation Rentals in West Virginia. In 2013, Amy and her husband, Shawn Means, lovingly remodeled the historic building that now houses Lafayette Flats. It sits directly across from the courthouse in downtown Fayetteville, WV. Together they created four modern vacation rentals inside one historic […]

  Donald Hitchcock and Paul Yandura are transplants from a very busy Washington, DC life. Donald has a background in public health policy, and Paul has a background in political science. They have been life partners for the past 23 years and built a vacation cabin in Lost River, WV, in 2008. Since then, they have fallen in love with West Virginia, became real estate agents and opened the Lost River Trading Post in 2013 in the small town of Wardensville, WV. Continue reading Episode 149 – Donald Hitchcock and Paul Yandura – Lost River Trading Post at Positively West Virginia.

  Terri Giles grew up in Hinton, West Virginia, and earned her bachelor’s degree from Concord University in Athens. She worked in economic development for U.S. Senator Jay Rockefeller in Charleston and Washington, D.C. She was tapped to represent the Senator in Japan in high-level meetings with Toyota Manufacturing, which ultimately located one of the state’s largest job creators in Buffalo, WV. Terri then moved to Los Angeles to lead the Formosa Foundation. Continue reading Episode 148 – Terri Giles – Appalachian Beekeeping Collective at Positively West Virginia.

  Carly Baker is the owner of Baker Cheese Company in Morgantown, West Virginia. She started her business in late 2019.  Baker Cheese Company is a gourmet grazing company that provides custom cheese and charcuterie boxes, boards and tables for any event. Whether it be a date night at home or a wedding, they have you covered. Baker Cheese Company provides top-quality ingredients paired with their signature design to wow any crowd. Continue reading Episode 147 – Carly Baker – Baker Cheese Company at Positively West Virginia.

  James Carnes is the Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer at Iconic Air in Morgantown, WV. James started Iconic Air in December of 2018. Iconic Air is a West Virginia startup company pioneering a new way of leak detection monitoring and data reporting for the oil and gas industry. Iconic Air’s platform focuses on a transparent and automated process to ensure a frictionless transition as the world moves towards higher standards of climate change and ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) reporting metrics. Continue reading Episode 147 – James Carnes – Iconic Air at Positively West Virginia.

  Steve Finn is the Founder and Executive Director of Chestnut Mountain Ranch, located in Morgantown, West Virginia. Chestnut Mountain Ranch is a Christ-centered safe haven for families and boys in crisis. It is also a place for family restoration, where boys can enjoy school again and experience positive family values. Before opening Chestnut Mountain Ranch, Steve earned a degree in Criminal Justice from Georgia State University. While attending college in 1991, Steve began his 11-year career in law enforcement. Continue reading Episode 146 – Steve Finn – Chestnut Mountain Ranch at Positively West Virginia.

  Nick Lambie, the owner of Ziebart of Morgantown, opened Ziebart in 2019. Ziebart provides premium automotive appearance and protection services to extend the life of the vehicle you love so you can keep it like new for as long as you own it. Nick was born and raised in Morgantown. After graduating from high school, he decided to join the Airforce, where he spent eight years on active duty. Continue reading Episode 145 – Nick Lambie – Ziebart at Positively West Virginia.

Joanne Watson is the Co-Owner of The WOW! Factory, a creative studio offering pottery painting, mosaics, glass fusing, clay hand building, canvas painting and board art. Joanne and Dina Muttillo opened the studio 12 years ago after mulling over the idea on the playground where their kids attended school. The WOW! Factory customers can walk in any time to create art with guidance from their knowledgeable and friendly staff that is on hand to provide instruction along the way. Continue reading Episode 144 – Joanne Watson – The WOW! Factory at Positively West Virginia.

Funkhouser & Smith, PLLC is located in Fairmont, West Virginia, and has been in business since April 1, 2019. John R. Funkhouser is one of the founding partners of the firm, along with Ashley Joseph Smith. Funkhouser & Smith, PLLC handles a wide range of legal matters, including family law, real estate transactions, estate planning, municipal law, guardian ad litem work, estate administration and general civil litigation.          SHOW NOTES: 2:28 John, take a minute, fill in some gaps from that brief intro and give us a little behind the curtain look into Funkhouser & Smith, PLLC 3:44 What inspired you to become a lawyer? Continue reading Episode 143 – John R. Funkhouser – Funkhouser and Smith at Positively West Virginia.

Mountain Man Axe Throwing, located in Star City, is owned by Chris Atkins. Mountain Man Axe Throwing is Morgantown’s first axe throwing venue and tavern. Chris describes his business as “A bowling alley, but with axes… and of course a lot more instruction.” He first discovered axe throwing in the summer of 2018, and by August of that same year, he owned his axe throwing range. Chris is an experienced entrepreneur who also owns and operates a family-owned graphic design and signs business in Morgantown called City Neon.  Continue reading Episode 142 – Chris Atkins – Mountain Man Axe Throwing at Positively West Virginia.

Michael Lipton is the Director of the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame, located in Charleston, WV. In addition to being an entrepreneur, Michael is also an accomplished electric guitar player. The WV Music Hall of Fame was founded in 2005 as a non-profit organization dedicated to documenting and preserving the rich and lasting contributions West Virginians have made to all genres of American music. One of their primary goals is to provide education through themed displays, curriculum development and interactive sessions with students and teachers in schools around the state. Continue reading Episode 141 – Michael Lipton – WVHoF at Positively West Virginia.

Almost Heaven Desserts (AHD) is a family-owned bakery and coffee shop located in Bridgeport, West Virginia. Patti and Jim Simon own the business alongside their daughter Victoria. Victoria Simon worked at AHD during high school. Shortly after graduating from college with a degree in Business Management, she decided to take the family business to the next level. Victoria completely transformed their retail space into what it is today, featuring customized coffee cups, hand-stamped merchandise and an eclectic style of decor. Continue reading Episode 140 – Victoria Simon – Almost Heaven Desserts and Coffee Shop at Positively West Virginia.

Rocket Chassis builds late model, dirt track race cars. They take pride in providing their customers with everything they need to be successful, including access to an expansive network of over 30 dealers across the US and Australia, a large inventory of parts and components, vast in-house technical knowledge and superb service. Steve Baker, co-owner of Rocket Chassis, went on his first racing trip with his family when he was just two weeks old to Morgantown Speedway in 1957. Continue reading Episode 139 – Steve Baker – Rocket Chassis at Positively West Virginia.