Woodie Walker always harbored a love for history and the outdoors – especially being physically on the water. Earlier this year the University of Mary Washington (UMW) SBDC helped him turn those two passions into two new businesses: Rappahannock Adventures, a history-themed tour of Virginia’s Rapidan River, and E & L Acres, a plant nursery specializing in growing trees in demand by the federal government.

“I was in the military for ten years and then in conservation,” says Woodie. His conservation and historical pursuits have led him to serve with organizations including Friends of the Rappahannock and the Rappahannock Tribe.

Those pursuits also brought him to Fredericksburg where he began leading history-themed tours of the neighboring Rappahannock River.

“I started with a Civil War Paddle and Native American History Hike,” he notes. “My hook was history, and people loved it.”

As a lifelong learner, Woodie’s passion for the past still drove him to learn more. In 2020, at 58 years old, he earned a master’s in history from University of Mary Washington and became a historian and environmentalist for the Rappahannock Tribe in Tappahannock. From there, he took his passions a step further and launched his own business, doing so with the help of UMW SBDC Director Susan Ball.

“We met once a week,” Woodie continues. “She helped with everything I needed to be a legit business: state regulations, a business license, tax ID number.”

Susan’s advice also included establishing his businesses as two separate LLCs to minimize risks and allow him the flexibility to sell one or both in the future. She also assisted Woodie with certification paperwork for SWaM, which enhances contracting opportunities for veterans in state-funded projects, and eVA, Virginia’s electronic marketplace for buyers and sellers.

In January 2023 Rappahannock Adventures went live, offering the Civil War Paddle tour to history buffs, tourists and curious locals alike. To solidify the initial structure of his business, Woodie followed Susan’s advice of offering the Civil War Paddle as a contractor through another tour guide.

“That gave me a good payday without the expense for insurance,” he adds. “That kind of advice was valuable.”

As for his nursery, he expects the federal government to soon become a buyer of the trees he is growing on his three-and-a-half acres of land in Tappahannock.

“I’d advise anyone starting a business to visit the SBDC,” Woodie concludes. “Susan gave me positive feedback that made me feel like I could do it — and she was right!”