The West Virginia Small Business Development Center, together with Small Business Administration WV District Office officials, recognized winners of the 2025 Small Business Week Awards at a ceremony in Fairmont last month. Award recipients spoke of their work with business coaches and how the WV SBDC helped them grow their businesses.
WV Small Business Person of the Year
Cathy Jo Higgins of The Developmental Advantage, LLC, in Charleston, is the recipient of the WV Small Business Person of the Year award. The Developmental Advantage is a pediatric outpatient clinic that provides early intervention services.
“The WV Small Business Development Center has helped me tremendously to get my business off the ground,” Higgins said.
The business is in the process of buying another building and expanding in West Virginia to provide services to children with autism and other disabilities. They also are training behavioral analysts to go out into the field, Higgins said, adding that the WV SBDC helped her with a viable business plan, research and moral support.
“Cathy has a passion to make her business a success and to see it grow and she wants to be the best that she can be,” Business Coach Harold Patterson said.
Shelia Hartley of SpaOasis in Fairmont is the recipient of the WV Woman-Owned Small Business of the Year award. SpaOasis seeks to make self-care convenient, affordable and customized in a comfortable atmosphere. The clinic offers a variety of services including float therapy, massage therapy, reflexology, facials and more.
“The WV SBDC has been there for me every step of the way, helping me stay focused and to keep moving forward,” Hartley said. “When I would flatline, they were always there with gentle hand holding to help me keep pushing forward in my growth and development.”
WV SBDC Business Coach Todd Crump praised Hartley’s drive and resilience through adversity.
“By demonstrating the passion and dedication she has put into her business and in helping others through her services, she truly deserves this award,” Crump said.
WV Veteran-Owned Small Business of the Year
Marcus Hatfield of Hatfield Family Distillery in Charleston is the recipient of the WV Veteran-Owned Small Business of the Year award. Hatfield, the great-great-grandson of Devil Anse Hatfield, prides himself on producing moonshine made with the same recipe that was passed down through his family and kept secret in the family Bible. Hatfield is also owner of The Sweeter Side of the Feud winery in Roane County.
Hatfield said the WV SBDC was invaluable in helping them to secure business loans.
“Bret and Marsa with the WV SBDC have been a big help to our business and hopefully the future looks good and bright,” Hatfield said.
WV SBDC Coach Bret Chandler said Hatfield represents everything that’s good about a veteran-owned small business.
“His hard work, his dedication to his customers and the community, the discipline it takes to be a successful small business … Marcus demonstrates all of these. He’s a great representative of the veteran small business community,” Chandler said.
Become a WV SBDC Client
The WV SBDC, an accredited partner program with the U.S. Small Business Administration and a division of the West Virginia Department of Economic Development, helps small businesses at all stages of development by connecting owners to programs, resources, and coaches.
WV SBDC business coaches have professional certifications ranging from Certified Business Advisor® (CBA), Entrepreneurship Development Professional (EDP), MBAs, design thinking, AI, cybersecurity, and exporting, along with experience in technology, innovation, manufacturing, finance, management, HR and marketing.
For more information about the WV SBDC and its services, visit wvsbdc.com.