Kanawha Valley Hustlers

Hosted by Joe Justice

Business Entrepreneurship

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Episodes

308

Latest episode

Jun 2026

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About the show

Exploring the Stories and Strategies of Creatives and Hustlers in the Kanawha Valley

Listen to episodes

60 recent

June 16, 2026Episode 3108 min

The Hidden Value of Negative Feedback

In this episode of the Kanawha Valley Hustlers podcast, I talk about why negative comments are part of doing business online. If you want attention, you have to accept exposure, and with exposure comes criticism. I explain that most negative comments are not a sign your marketing is failing. They're a sign people are finally seeing your content. I break down the difference between pointless attacks and criticism that has value. Random insults should be ignored, but honest feedback can reveal problems your friends may never point out. I also discuss how complaints about your industry can become opportunities to show how your business is different. When someone raises a concern, you're not responding for that person alone. You're responding for everyone else who reads the comment. My message is simple: don't let online trolls dictate your business strategy. Ignore the noise, learn from valid criticism, address misconceptions, and keep moving forward. Negative comments are often proof that you're getting the attention your business needs to grow.

June 11, 2026Episode 3098 min

Saving What Matters with Jesse A. Lewis

In this episode of the Kanawha Valley Hustlers podcast, I talk with Jesse A. Lewis of Blue Kangaroo Pack Outs of River Cities in Huntington, West Virginia. Jesse helps people recover personal property after fire, water damage, or a natural disaster. His team packs out items, documents them, cleans them, restores them, stores them, and returns them when the property is ready. What stands out to me is that this is not a moving company. Every item is photographed, barcoded, and tracked through the process. Jesse talks about starting the business two and a half years ago and learning that things do not move as fast as you think they will. He also shares how important relationships are with referral partners, insurance companies, customers, and his team. Right now, his biggest challenge is awareness. People often tell him they wish they had known about Blue Kangaroo sooner. Jesse believes every entrepreneur needs sales skills because you are always selling your company, your vision, and yourself. His core belief is faith in the idea, even when business tests you.

June 9, 2026Episode 308

Building Better Real Estate Systems with Shelby Pritt

In this episode of the Kanawha Valley Hustlers podcast, I talk with Shelby Pritt, founder of Be Real Estate Services. Shelby helps real estate agents in Indiana and West Virginia keep deals moving through custom transaction coordination. She comes from ten years in lending and title, where she saw how many ways a deal can fall apart. Now she builds systems that help agents save time, stay organized, and focus on selling. We talk about her first year in business, including the lesson she learned from scaling too early. That experience taught her that you cannot expect someone to copy your work without the right structure, training, and standard operating procedures in place. Shelby also explains what makes her service different from a brokerage-provided transaction coordinator. She builds each system around the agent, instead of forcing everyone into the same process. Her best investment has been software that keeps agents and clients updated at any hour. Her core belief is service first.

June 4, 2026Episode 307

Mykah Ballard on Building a Message That Reaches the Right People

In this episode of the Kanawha Valley Hustlers podcast, I talk with Mykah Ballard, creative director for Virtue Marketing Collective. Mykah works with businesses that have a vision but need help turning it into a clear message. We talk about how many entrepreneurs are good at what they do but struggle to explain it to the right people. Mykah explains why marketing is not just posting online. It takes strategy, targeting, and a clear understanding of who you are trying to reach. She also shares one of her early lessons: trying to appeal to everyone makes your message weaker. Her best investment has been a project management and CRM system, while her biggest waste was an ad that was too broad. We also talk about self-discipline, showing up when no one is pushing you, and why every conversation can be a pitch. Mykah’s guiding principle is simple: you do not get what you do not ask for.

June 2, 2026Episode 306

Early to Bed, Early to Rise, Work Like Hell and Advertise

In this episode of the Kanawha Valley Hustlers podcast, I break down the line “Early to bed, early to rise, work like hell and advertise” as a full formula for getting ahead. Early to bed is about discipline. It cuts off the hours where most people waste time, scroll, snack, drink, or drift into bad habits. Early to rise gives you quiet leverage before the rest of the world starts pulling at you. That time can be used to read, plan, exercise, or build the side hustle before the workday begins. Work like hell means accepting that the work never goes away. It changes, and it can become higher leverage, but there is no path where you just sit back and count money. Then you have to advertise. Good work does not speak for itself if nobody knows you exist. People are busy with their own lives, so you have to tell them what problem you solve and keep telling them. Discipline, a head start, hard work, and promotion are still hard to beat.

May 28, 2026Episode 305

Peyton Ballard and the Power of Saying No

In this episode of the Kanawha Valley Hustlers podcast, I talk with Peyton Ballard, principal consultant of Selah Directive in the New River Gorge area. Peyton starts in HR, then gets recruited by the New River Gorge Regional Development Authority to help launch West Virginia’s first angel network. That experience leads him into consulting, where he now helps nonprofits, entrepreneurs, and business owners build capacity. We talk about the challenge of balancing client work with the work of running a business. Peyton shares how saying yes to too much teaches him the value of saying no with purpose. He also explains why consulting is not just talking. His work is about stepping in as a partner, helping clients solve problems, and creating results they can use. We also cover the capacity issues facing small organizations across Appalachia, especially as the workforce ages and leadership transitions become more urgent. Peyton’s advice is clear: build resilience, use systems like a CRM, and do not waste money on marketing that is not aimed at the right audience.

May 26, 2026Episode 304

Bryson Cutler on Manufacturing, Marketing, and Handmade Glass

In this episode of the Kanawha Valley Hustlers podcast, I visit Blenko Glass Company in Milton, West Virginia, and talk with Bryson Cutler about business development, manufacturing, and keeping a historic craft alive. Bryson’s path started in digital marketing and IT before growing into his role at Blenko. We talk about the company’s 130-year history, its move to Milton in 1921, and its shift from mostly wholesale sales to direct online sales across all 50 states. Bryson explains that Blenko’s biggest challenge is not demand. They can sell what they make. The real challenge is making more glass and training new glassblowers through a long apprenticeship process. We also talk about cash flow, digital marketing, AI, and why cameras and microphones matter even in a handmade glass business. The biggest lesson Bryson shares is that people matter. Invest in your team, invest in your community, and that work comes back around.

May 21, 2026Episode 3037 min

David Crabtree on Drones, Search and Rescue, and Business Lessons

In this episode of the Kanawha Valley Hustlers podcast, I talk with David Crabtree about drones, business, and what it takes to build something new in West Virginia. David runs Appalachian UAV Academy and works to bring drone technology into industries like public safety, search and rescue, rural health care, delivery, and commercial cleaning. His passion is using drones to find missing people faster so families can get loved ones home safe. We also talk about the hard lessons of entrepreneurship. David learned not to buy equipment before the market is ready and calls those mistakes part of paying the “ignorance tax.” He makes a strong point that business is not just about big ideas. It is about doing the boring work over and over until it starts to pay off. David believes drones are not toys. They are flying robots that can collect data, reduce risk, and solve problems across West Virginia and beyond.

May 19, 2026Episode 302

AI Can Get Attention, But Can It Build Trust?

May 14, 2026Episode 301

Chris Bautista on Roofing, Hustle, and Building Above Roofing

I talk with Chris Bautista, owner of Above Roofing, LLC, about how he got into roofing, what he has learned after 12 years in the trade, and what homeowners need to know before hiring a contractor. Chris helps with leaks, repairs, replacements, and roof inspections. He got started after helping install a roof and found that the work fit him. We talk about one of his biggest business lessons: underestimating a job and losing money. That experience taught him to inspect roofs with more care, ask better questions, and price the work the right way. Chris also explains why homeowners should ask about insurance, experience, and the types of roofs a contractor can handle, especially with older roofs in the Kanawha Valley. We also cover the staffing challenges facing the trades and why young people should consider building a career in skilled work. Chris believes every entrepreneur needs hustle, and he is working on patience. His faith also plays a role in how he built Above Roofing.