Steve Finn is the Founder and Executive Director of Chestnut Mountain Ranch, located in Morgantown, West Virginia. Chestnut Mountain Ranch is a Christ-centered safe haven for families and boys in crisis. It is also a place for family restoration, where boys can enjoy school again and experience positive family values.
Before opening Chestnut Mountain Ranch, Steve earned a degree in Criminal Justice from Georgia State University. While attending college in 1991, Steve began his 11-year career in law enforcement. During his time as a police officer in Metro Atlanta, Steve’s heart began to grow towards helping and encouraging young people to make good decisions. Eventually, these experiences sparked his vision to one day have the opportunity to work with youth and families in crisis on a full-time basis.
Little did he know that in 2005, he and his wife Dawn would be called to West Virginia to begin and develop Chestnut Mountain Ranch.
Chestnut Mountain Ranch is located 6 miles south of Morgantown’s city limits on 225 acres of land. Boys attending The Ranch have the opportunity to work, earn a paycheck and learn valuable skills surrounding the stewardship of money in The Ranch Thrift Store and their oil change facility, The Ranch Quick Lube. Additionally, both of these businesses are used to help fund and support Chestnut Mountain Ranch.
SHOW NOTES:
- 4:02 Steve, take a minute, fill in some gaps from that brief intro and give us a little behind the curtain look into your organization.
- 7:53 Can you tell us about the roots you have in WV?
- 9:11 What were the early days at Chestnut Mountain Ranch like?
- 11:42 What was it like being a finalist for The John C. Maxwell Leadership Award in 2016?
- 13:08 What is your 30 sec. pitch for Chestnut Mountain Ranch?
- 15:10 Can you tell us about the homes you provide for the boys?
- 16:27 What age group do you serve?
- 17:44 Can you tell us more about the families you are helping?
- 18:28 So, in essence, you are preparing these boys for the rest of their lives?
- 19:17 Can you tell us more about The Ranch Thrift Store?
- 21:58 Can you tell us more about The Ranch Quick Lube?
- 24:20 What is the geographic market that you serve?
- 25:35 Can you talk about what it was like for you and your boys to be invited to a bible study with VP Mike Pence?
- 28:01 How did your meetings with VP Mike Pence help you start a dialogue with state leadership about the foster care situation in WV?
- 31:24 What is your vision for this foster care program at Chestnut Mountain Ranch?
- 33:30 PWV Commercial Break
- 33:55 What is the biggest challenge you’re facing at Chestnut Mountain Ranch right now?
- 35:44 What are some ways people can contribute/donate to Chestnut Mountain Ranch?
- 37:53 Can you tell us more about donation matching?
- 38:37 What is one piece of advice that you’d give to young entrepreneurs?
- 40:26 What is one thing that you do every day that you think contributes to your success?
- 41:00 What is one book or podcast that you’d recommend to young entrepreneurs?
- 42:44 Can you talk about what the boys do for fun at Chestnut Mountain Ranch?
- 45:22 Can you tell us about your new book?
- 47:53 Outro
Website:
Chestnut Mountain Ranch
Facebook:
Chestnut Mountain Ranch