West Virginia has always possessed many forward-thinkers, but 2007 could mark a turning point in the state’s cultural and economic future. A significant number of community, business, and opinion leaders are shifting from traditional approaches to development given the realization that a “new economy” has arrived, and if measures are not taken to adapt, many [...]

Posted in Business, Culture, Economy, Government, Tourism, West Virginia 16 Comments »

The Extreme Entrepreneurship Tour will travel to the Mountain State on Nov. 15 from 3:00-7:00 p.m. at West Virginia University Tech (Davis Hall). This free session will provide students, entrepreneurs, and community leaders the opportunity to network and brainstorm, in addition to refining their entrepreneurial ideas and initiatives. The agenda format is available here.
Interested persons [...]

Posted in Business, Economy, Government, West Virginia 1 Comment »

Large employers such as Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Charleston Area Medical Center, and Verizon provide a significant foundation for West Virginia’s economy, but the small business community is equally important. Business ventures are a continuous challenge, and fortunately the Advantage Valley Entrepreneurial League System (ELS) is working with 100 business owners who receive coaching, professional collaboration, [...]

Posted in Business, Economy, West Virginia 2 Comments »

Today Gov. Joe Manchin announced his office will accept suggestions from West Virginia residents regarding state welcome signs. You can submit ideas online or call 1-866-SLOGAN-4 through Sept. 19.
The Manchin administration began promoting an “Open for Business” mantra in 2005 and state signs were modified with the theme early last year. Though he is popular [...]

Posted in Business, Culture, Government, Tourism, West Virginia 2 Comments »

The first two weeks of September are going to be busy for six Charleston area professionals, including myself, as we raise money for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and compete for the namesake of “Charleston’s Finest.” The goal is simple: Raise as much money as possible, via direct contributions and ticket sales for the Sept. 15 [...]

Posted in Business, Culture, Media, West Virginia 1 Comment »

A few months ago, I attended a lecture by Stephen Dubner, co-author of the best-selling book Freakonomics. The book is heady, quirky, interesting, and informative. You must understand this book is written by economists that study questions in depth. I’m talking thousands of data points and years of observation. None of their answers are anecdotal [...]

Posted in Business, Culture, Economy, Government, West Virginia 4 Comments »

Okay – unless you have been living under a rock, you’ve probably heard about the July 11 special report from Forbes.com, entitled “The Best States for Business.” The business report placed West Virginia at number 50. Dead last!
I do business mostly in two states, West Virginia and Virginia. The latter ranked number 1 [...]

Posted in Business, Economy, West Virginia 3 Comments »