Shenandoah Valley Life

April Anderson sought a career in the rapidly expanding craft beer brewing industry and landed at the right place at the right time with the right people. California provided a perfect environment to learn the trade and provide her expertise to rapidly move up the ladder in the craft-brewing scene, but family and personal issues brought her back home. April has come into her own as the master brewer at Rockbridge Vineyards and was there to help guide the creation of their brewery alongside their winery, where she is producing some delicious craft beers in the Shenandoah Valley.

Scott Asbell, SVP’s producer for the Shenandoah Valley Life Podcast series. talks about his serial entrepreneurial background and approach to life.  A humorous and talented renaissance man, Scott discusses his purchase of a bowling alley when he was a junior at JMU, his building of a tiny home, his musical talent and his YouTube videos under the moniker of Slack Scott: Not cheap, not lazy, just efficient and thrifty – all of which embodies the spirit of the Shenandoah Valley.

Hannah Cooper with the Staunton Innovation Hub, an adventurist in her personal life, explains how so many of her personal traits are analogous to the Staunton Innovation Hub management philosophy and how through a circuitous early adulthood professional journey, she stayed and thrived in the Shenandoah Valley.

Aimee Roberts with Nest Realty is in charge of a very polished publication that reaches a target audience of decision makers.  Aimee and Nest have partnered with the Shenandoah Regional Airport and the Shenandoah Valley Partnership to tell the story of living, working, playing and serving in the Valley.  Listen to what drew Aimee to the Valley and how she is channels her story of family, hiking, outdoors, education and living in a small town into the creation of each Friends of Nest publication.

Greg Campbell has been at the Shenandoah Regional Airport (SHD) since 1988, worked at the airport through college at Bridgewater and has a tireless supporter of the airports growth as an asset in the region.  No less passionate about the airport, Heather Ream has the pleasure of developing the message about the airport and our ability to be one stop from most anywhere in the world.  Learn about how the Shenandoah Valley supports and has been supported by the Shenandoah Regional Airport.

Andy VanHook may be the face most associated with Appeal Production, but he and his partners have become a force in video production in the Shenandoah Valley.  As stated on their website, “Welcome to the video sanctuary.”  Andy talks about Appeal Production’s humble beginnings, working for beer – and their employer was out of beer – to launching Appeal Production in the Great Recession and becoming the go-to firm for video marketing in the Valley.

We continue the discussion with sisters Jessica Hall and Stephanie Auville about their passion for flowers, their very creative social media following, and the rapid growth of their companies, Harmony Harvest and Floral Genius. Executive Director Jay Langston spoke with them about their exponential growth during the pandemic, their winning a FedEx National Small Business Award, and the following they have developed with their very humorous social media postings.

Sisters Jessica Hall and Stephanie Auville have teamed up to literally grow their companies in the Shenandoah Valley. Their mantra, better living through flowers, is contagious as you listen to their self-described flower-obsessed story of developing their two companies, Harmony Harvest and Floral Genius. Executive Director Jay Langston spoke with Jessica and Stephanie about their reason for moving to the Shenandoah Valley, their purchase of the farm and the number of business assistance programs, that have helped them quickly expand beyond start-up businesses and their families.

Debbie Irwin is the Executive Director of the Shenandoah Community Capital Fund (SCCF), an entrepreneurial support organization that believes the most vibrant communities grow from within. SVP Executive Director Jay Langston spoke with Debbie about how SCCF’s diverse services help grow businesses of all scales and backgrounds and how the Shenandoah Valley became the home she always hoped for.

With a mission to serve the greater good, Ryan Gundling cofounded Ryzing Technologies after a local business plan competition. Five years after the successful competition, Ryzing Technologies is expanding their capabilities as a designer and manufacturer of textile-based engineering solutions. SVP Executive Director Jay Langston spoke with Ryan about his entrepreneurial growth and how the Shenandoah Valley's premier quality of life attracts and grows the right talent for his company.