Building Business Foundations with Barbie Wood

In this episode of the Kanawha Valley Hustlers podcast, I talk with Barbie Wood, a business coach with the FASTER WV program at Advantage Valley. She helps entrepreneurs in their first three years by offering free business coaching and support, then connects them to expansion programs. We meet right after the Advantage Valley board meeting, where there’s a lot of energy around projects like the Appalachian Outlaw Trails, a 100,000-acre ATV and UTV resort coming to Kanawha County in 2026. Barbie is part of the development team helping bring that project to life. She also works closely with small business owners, guiding them from idea to launch. When I ask what advice she gives to new entrepreneurs, she says to start with research and build a strong team—business coach, CPA, lawyer, and mentor. She encourages people to reach out to others already doing what they want to do, even if the answer is no. We talk about staying persistent, being prepared, and keeping the right mindset. If someone wants to connect with Barbie, she says just give her a call.