When life gives your business resources, use them. Becky Titchenal, owner of West Virginia Fruit and Berry, talked with Jim Matuga, host of The Positively West Virginia Podcast, about seeking out West Virginia resources to help with the success of your business, resources that maybe you didn’t even know about.
West Virginia Fruit and Berry, founded 25 years ago, is a collection of all-natural preserves and fruit wines with varieties of berries and fruits native to the Appalachian region. These all-natural preserves and fruit wines are sold at fairs, festivals throughout the state and are in more than 600 retail stores included Kroger, Walmart and Sam’s Club.
Use the resources around you.
For emerging business owners and entrepreneurs, it can be daunting to go out and search for funding; however, without funding, a business can not run.
“There’s a lot of resources here that people people probably don’t even realize,” Titchenal said.
West Virginia has great resources a business owner can use such as The Small Business Administration (SBA), Emerging Leaders and The State Department of Agriculture.
The SBA offers free business counseling, business loans, home and business disaster loans and federal government contracting. Through the SBA website, a business owner can plan, launch, manage and grow his or her business with the help of educational articles.
Emerging Leaders, launched through the SBA, is a mini-MBA program designed to help established businesses gain momentum in revenue growth.
The Agriculture Business Development Division in the The State Department of Agriculture promotes products grown in West Virginia to consumers. This division provides training and resources to business owners to help maximize their profit.
Entrepreneurs and business owners can also go to West Virginia’s Small Business Development Center to find training, confidential advising, advice and financial resources.
Follow your heart.
West Virginia resources can be amazing. These resources can help a business owner success and profit from their business. One thing to remember, it is okay to 
reach out for advice, but you don’t always have to take it.
As a business owner, you should also follow your heart. If you’re getting a piece of advice that you’re not fully in on, don’t do it. Take as much time as you need to think about the piece of advice.
Think long-term.
As business owners know, you should always have a short and long term plan. While a business owner needs to be able to reach those short term goals and objectives, they should always, always keep their long-term plan in mind.
For West Virginia Fruit and Berry, “It’s to stay in West Virginia–to expand it into a direction so that it never gets lost here,” said Titchenal. “We also want to add a product-line.”
Thinking long-term, getting up and going to work every day and utilizing West Virginia’s resources has contributed to West Virginia Fruit and Berry’s success, and it can help you, too.
Titchenal was a guest on The Positively West Virginia Podcast. Listen to her full podcast here.
PWV QUICK BITS | WEST VIRGINIA RESOURCES
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This article was written by the InnerAction Media staff.