Whistle Pig Country Store Deli & Coffee Shop grew from intention, purpose, and a deep connection to place. After more than forty years away, sisters Jan Brown and Melissa Hubbard returned to Lee County and quickly recognized the shift around them. Diversity had increased, yet the shared spaces that once anchored community life had faded. A “For Sale” sign on a long-standing country store signaled more than a real estate listing. In that moment, the sisters recognized an opportunity to restore connection, not simply reopen a building.

In 2025, Jan and Melissa opened doors to Whistle Pig Country Store Deli & Coffee Shop inside the former Wheeler Store along Wilderness Road. Today, local residents mingle with visitors, travelers, and students from nearby universities. Unique merchandise lines the shelves, while a full deli and coffee shop invite guests to pause or stay awhile. From the outset, the vision held steady. Whistle Pig would foster gathering, create local jobs, and support employees through a culture of respect and care.

Opening a business in rural Appalachia brought real obstacles. Infrastructure gaps, startup logistics, and limited access to nontraditional financing shaped early decisions. Support arrived through the Mountain Empire Small Business Development Center, where the sisters partnered with advisor Becki O’Quinn. Her experience guided them through rural startup requirements, operational planning, and financial readiness.

Although funding options remained narrow, SBDC support helped identify viable opportunities and assess next steps. Small grants followed, enabling critical infrastructure improvements and paving the way to opening day.

Today, Whistle Pig Country Store Deli & Coffee Shop continues to operate with its founding purpose intact. Each morning begins with community at the center, guided by connection, service, and sustainability. Jan and Melissa credit Becki for practical guidance and for clarifying the responsibilities tied to building something meaningful in a rural place.

Their story reflects the resolve required to return home, invest locally, and create a business that serves more than customers. It serves a place.

Economic Impact

• Opened a new rural retail, deli, and coffee shop in Lee County
• Created 10 local jobs since opening
• Secured $35,000 in local grant funding to support startup infrastructure needs
• Provides a gathering place for residents, travelers, students, and park visitors
• Continues to experience steady sales growth since opening

Road Striping Services began with a straightforward idea that felt anything but simple at the time. After leaving a large company when culture and priorities shifted, Danielle Brouillet and Murray Hood set out to build a lean, values-driven operation centered on people and performance. The mission was clear: earn trust through quality, serve clients of every size, and grow only as fast as excellence allows.

From its first job in August 2024 to a full calendar in 2025, the company specialized in pavement markings, temporary traffic control, bike lanes, and ground-mounted signage. Work contracts span from federal and state projects, local municipalities, commercial sites, and neighborhood lots. Relationships drive the business model: many contractors already trusted the leadership team’s reputation and were eager to have Road Striping Services tackle delayed jobs once its doors opened. That early confidence, coupled with thoughtful hiring and training, transformed a small crew into a tight-knit six-person team.

The Hampton Roads Small Business Development Center ( SBDC) served as a trusted guide at every stage. Danielle first connected through a webinar and quickly moved into one-to-one advising. With SBDC support, the business developed a compliant startup checklist, secured the necessary licenses and pre-qualifications, established financial systems, and accessed expert resources for bookkeeping and accounting.

As the company grew, advising evolved from “how do we start” questions to capital planning and equipment strategy, helping the team scale responsibly while maintaining its hands-on quality.

“Could I have achieved this on my own? Perhaps. However, would it have been as focused, swift, and consistent? Definitely not. I had a team, a roadmap, and the assurance to continue progressing.”

Looking ahead, Road Striping Services intends to remain deliberately sized and consistently reliable, expanding capacity only when the right people and processes are in place. The vision is steady: maintain crew safety; keep traffic moving; and deliver every project on schedule, on budget, and true to the company’s promise.

Economic Impact

• Launched operations and completed first projects in 2024, with sustained growth through 2025
• Built a six-person full-time team, with workforce development and on-the-job training for new hires
• Achieved required licenses and pre-qualifications to compete for state and municipal work
• Diversified customer mix across federal, state, local, commercial, and private sectors
• Strengthened cash-flow management through vendor terms, bookkeeping systems, and SBDC financial advising
• Pursuing growth capital to add equipment and expand capacity while maintaining quality standards

IvySys Technologies began with a clear purpose. After completing his PhD at Georgia Tech and working as a software engineer and program manager at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab, James DeBardelaben noticed a recurring challenge: large organizations collected massive amounts of data yet struggled to convert it into meaningful insight. That widening gap between collection and understanding motivated him to build a company capable of closing it for the defense and intelligence communities.

James launched IvySys in 2006, supporting government agencies as a traditional contractor with expertise in measurement and signature intelligence. As social media, publicly available information, and emerging data sources reshaped the information landscape, IvySys expanded its capabilities to meet the moment. The company now delivers artificial intelligence and advanced analytics tailored to mission-critical environments.

At the core of IvySys’s work lies DataFaucet, a platform that generates scalable synthetic datasets for operational analysis, predictive modeling, and scenario testing. The technology emerged from years of research supported by national science and defense initiatives. It has advanced into a Phase III SBIR effort and now actively supports government missions, including spatiotemporal synthetic data development for operational analysis teams.

Transitioning from consulting to true technology development forced IvySys to rethink its structure, streamline operations, and build a foundation focused on innovation rather than hourly contract work.

“That transition was challenging but necessary,” James explained. “We had to reshape our company into one that could move quickly and build products with real long-term value.”

As James refined the business, he also cultivated relationships within Virginia’s innovation ecosystem. His first connection to the Virginia Small Business Development Center (SBDC) came through a statewide innovation roundtable, where he met TJ Master from the Virginia SBDC – Innovation Commercialization Assistance Program (ICAP). Their conversations evolved into a mentorship that has guided IvySys through strategic planning, marketing insights, introductions to university partners, and access to programs aligned with the company’s goals.

TJ kept James informed about opportunities spanning campus-based innovation programs, venture conferences, and pitch events. These introductions helped IvySys forge connections at George Mason University and gain insight into business development resources throughout the region. “The most valuable part of working with the SBDC has been the personal relationship,” James said. “Even when he does not have the exact answer, TJ always knows who to connect me with.”

Looking ahead, IvySys aims to expand its capabilities within defense markets while adapting its technologies for commercial applications. The company also participates in entrepreneurship programs that offer go-to-market expertise and a network of advisors focused on commercialization. Over the next five years, James hopes to position IvySys for a strategic transaction or merger that accelerates the reach of its technology.

“We have built something that has the potential to support both national security and the commercial sector,” James said. “The SBDC has helped us stay connected, focused, and aware of the resources available in Virginia. That support has been invaluable as we grow.”

Economic Impact

• Sustained employment with 6 full-time & 2 part-time staff
• Advanced research into a commercial-ready synthetic data platform
• Earned a $2.1M Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Grant to support tech development
• Strengthened ties with Virginia’s university & small business ecosystems
• Established new pathways for commercialization through SBDC mentorship

When Katie Shull chose to step away from her desk job, she did not begin with a sweeping business plan—only a clear desire to spend her days around dogs. What started as a simple wish to “work with dogs instead of computers” evolved into a growing small business defined by care, commitment, and steady ambition.

After volunteering at a local animal shelter and several rescue groups, Katie realized that while she loved supporting animals, the emotional strain and limited income made long-term work there difficult. Seeking a more sustainable path, she reached out to a local kennel to gain hands-on experience. Sunny Ridge Kennels, just minutes from home, proved to be the ideal setting. When the longtime owner shared plans to retire, Katie began working part-time, learning everything from daily care routines to customer service. Over three years, she became part of the kennel’s rhythm and built lasting relationships with both the dogs and their owners.

When the moment arrived for Katie to assume control of the business, she encountered her greatest challenge: purchasing it. She sold her home to make the down payment and secured an SBA 7(a) loan to finalize the purchase. “It sounded a little crazy to some people,” she said, “but I knew this was what I wanted. It felt like a once-in-a-lifetime chance.”

That determination led her to the Shenandoah Valley Small Business Development Center (SBDC), where advisor Barry Henderson became an essential guide. “I didn’t know where to start,” Katie explained. “Barry helped me understand what banks needed to see. He taught me how to build a business plan and financial projections that made sense.” He also connected her with key resources, including an attorney who later became one of her boarding clients.

With guidance from the SBDC, Katie successfully transitioned from employee to owner in October 2024. She and her husband, Dustin, now operate the business and live on the property full-time, supported by a dedicated team of six part-time staff. Under their leadership, Sunny Ridge Kennels continues to offer a safe, clean, and nurturing environment for pets while preserving the personalized care that clients have come to rely on.

“The SBDC made a process that felt impossible seem achievable,” Katie said. “They gave me structure, confidence, and the right people to talk to when I needed them most.”

Katie’s journey is a testament to what happens when passion meets preparation. As Sunny Ridge Kennels celebrates its first anniversary, she remains focused on steady growth and happy dogs. “Every day I get to do what I love,” she said. “That’s success to me.”

Mountain Thyme Honey began as a simple dream. After nearly thirty years in Northern Virginia, Sarah Melendy moved to a quiet log cabin surrounded by mountains and wild thyme, imagining a slower, more intentional life. She had long been fascinated by beekeeping, inspired by her daughter’s college course in honeybee biology and a high school honeybee club where students shared jars of fresh honey like precious gifts. When Sarah discovered stacks of unused hive equipment in the garage of her new home, it felt like a sign. The former owner told her she could keep everything, and Sarah stepped into beekeeping with curiosity and a sense of wonder that still shapes her business today.

For Nancy Rivers, LR3 Solutions began with a simple but powerful belief: she wanted the freedom to deliver technical work at a higher standard and to build a company where engineers could grow, question, innovate, and take pride in their solutions. After years in large organizations where quality sometimes took a back seat to process, Nancy envisioned a different approach. She imagined a firm that addressed complex utility challenges with clarity and care while mentoring the next generation of engineers along the way.

In June 2020, she founded LR3 Solutions, a technical practice specializing in risk assessment, infrastructure analysis, and strategic planning for government utility systems. The firm supports military installations and federal clients facing aging infrastructure, limited funding, and the pressure to make decisions that affect both safety and long-term resilience. LR3 helps these clients understand their risks, weigh capital improvements, and identify solutions that reduce costs while increasing reliability.

Behind the technical work lies a culture Nancy shaped with intention. She developed formal and informal training pathways, fostered an environment where team members ask questions freely, and launched internal programs that encourage continuous learning. “Being a business owner allows me to set the tone for quality and to support my employees in a meaningful way,” she explained. “We want every engineer to feel empowered to do their best work.”

As LR3 began to grow, Nancy recognized the need for guidance outside her technical expertise. A colleague introduced her to the Mason Small Business Development Center (SBDC), launching a long-term advising relationship that helped her strengthen the company’s foundation.

Her SBDC advisor, Timm Johnson, guided her through business registration, operational setup, payroll and accounting reviews, and marketing strategy development. He recommended workshops, encouraged her to join the Thrive Emerging Leaders program , and offered steady direction whenever new questions arose. Nancy valued that the SBDC didn’t provide quick answers; instead, it offered frameworks that allowed her to make informed decisions and take confident next steps.

D&S Wellness Spa began as a deeply personal mission for founder Diana De Paz-Ceus. After moving to Williamsburg, Diana contracted E. coli while traveling and spent long, exhausting hours waiting for IV therapy in the emergency room. She recalled a similar experience during pregnancy when she required IV support for hyperemesis and often wondered why no dedicated wellness space offering this level of care existed in her community. With experience working in a plastic surgery office and hands-on familiarity with cosmetic procedures, she saw an opportunity to create a space that combined medical expertise with compassionate care.