In this episode of the Kanawha Valley Hustlers podcast I’m on Capitol Street in Charleston at Tickers & Timbers with Tonya Perry and Robby Cline. We’re there for Bud Light Buckets: The Prelude, the kickoff for Bud Light Mini Hoops Mania. Tonya frames it as a way for creators and businesses to trade audiences so more people see what each side does. Robby ties it to showcasing the venue and building contacts.

Tonya shares a move she would redo: opening without a bar or food because funding was an issue. The place grew, but it locked the brand into “the axe place,” so many people only came for team events. She added food and a bar so someone can come in for dinner and a drink without throwing an axe. She also explains what’s here now: rage rooms, escape rooms, paint splatter, axe throwing, and age limits by activity.

Robby explains what a distributor does under West Virginia’s three-tier system. Spriggs covers 35 counties and holds contracts to distribute Budweiser and other brands. He calls out a myth people repeat—free beer—then points to what matters: support customers and promote accounts. He lays out the mini hoops format: January through mid-March like an NCAA bracket, with a March 21 final in Huntington. The winner gets a Vegas trip and a shot at $10,000 in the final event.

I also like the bigger point both of them keep circling. If you want people to show up, you have to give them a reason that fits their normal life, not just a special occasion. Tonya did that by widening the offer so locals can come in for food, drinks, and different activities. Robby did it by turning a promo into a community bracket that runs for months and ends with a real destination and prize. That’s what makes it work: clear expectations, simple rules, and a reason for people to talk about it and bring a friend.

We close on principles: Tonya sticks to hard work, and Robby sticks to service, even on weekends.

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