Nola Todd was a freshman at West Virginia University, pursuing a degree in entrepreneurship, when she began developing the idea for Goldenrod Kitchen.
At the time, Todd was training for a marathon. Those long runs gave her plenty of time to think about her future, and the blooming fall flowers inspired her.
“I always loved the color yellow,” Todd said. “I noticed the goldenrod growing along the rail trail, and I became obsessed.”
So much so that she named her business after it.
“Originally, it was going to be called Goldenrod Breakfast Company, but my best friend suggested Goldenrod Kitchen because we weren’t only going to serve breakfast,” Todd said. “And so, Goldenrod Kitchen was born.”
Todd officially formed her LLC in January 2024, when she was 19. She started with pre-order baked goods for family and friends and pop-ups in Morgantown. During her final semester of college, Todd signed a lease in Charleston. She moved into a commercial space in the Elk City neighborhood in January 2026 and opened Goldenrod Kitchen’s brick-and-mortar location in April.
A Network of Connections
While in school, Todd received business coaching from West Virginia University’s Morris L. Hayhurst LaunchLab and later from the West Virginia Small Business Development Center (WV SBDC).
“I learned about the WV SBDC through my business coaches at the LaunchLab,” Todd said. “They’re really good about connecting their clients to the broader entrepreneurship ecosystem in West Virginia.”
WV SBDC Business Coaches Todd Crump, Frank Goldsborough and Neeley Satzer helped Todd with business plan development, financial analysis, tax preparation and other technical assistance, as well as general support and encouragement.
“They helped me with a lot of the financial pieces of my business, and that’s been really impactful,” Todd said. “My business coaches through the WV SBDC have been there for me every step of the way.”
Julia Moran, Todd’s current WV SBDC Business Coach in the Charleston area, notes that this ongoing relationship is central to what the organization offers its clients.
“An overlooked quality where the Small Business Development Center can really help is being that trusted partner you can rely on for advice,” she said. “Someone who’s not a family member or relative, but who will give you encouragement, care about what you’re doing, and help you get to the next level.”
Making the Move
After graduating, Todd relocated to Charleston and met Sasha Strader of Advantage Valley, who had previously introduced herself to Todd at a pitch competition.
“She connected me with Julia, and the three of us sat down together and had a conversation earlier this year,” Todd said. “They helped me find resources that were available in this area as opposed to the ones I was more familiar with in North Central West Virginia from when I was in college.”
“I think of Nola as one of those super hardworking people that get more and more focused over time,” Moran said. “Nola is excellent at learning and growing her craft. She is great at finding a network to help her, and we [the WV SBDC] were blessed to get to be a part of that network.”
Moran has continued working with Todd as Goldenrod has opened and built its customer base.
“Watching Nola open her restaurant has been unbelievably exciting,” Moran said. “She took her time and found an amazing location, and she built it out. She thought about what the experience would be for her customers, and then created it. She wanted to create a special place, celebrating West Virginia and West Virginia food, and hospitality of our state, and Goldenrod really does that.”
Pitch Perfect
One of the most important opportunities that Todd has taken advantage of over the years is pitch competitions. Pitch competitions benefit entrepreneurs by sharpening public speaking skills, offering expert feedback, and generating public exposure.
“The pitch competitions are where all of the funding for my business came from before we stepped into this chapter in our brick-and-mortar space,” Todd said. “I’ve competed in, I think, five pitch competitions, and I’ve won close to $40,000, which is kind of crazy.”
“It allows you the chance to learn to craft what you say about your business out loud and make it more focused,” Moran said.
Build It Here
Todd’s experience as a young entrepreneur has shaped how she views small business in the Mountain State. She hopes peers with big dreams realize they don’t have to leave West Virginia to succeed.
“All the startup funds for my business came from state resources that I was connected to through different entrepreneurial resources in the state, whether it was the WV SBDC or WVU,” Todd said. “You don’t have to live in a big city for you to be able to take advantage of your dreams. West Virginia can be a really hospitable place for entrepreneurship, especially for young people. I think that it can seem impossible sometimes, but West Virginia has more resources for entrepreneurs than so many other places, and I think that’s surprising to a lot of people.”
Todd’s advice for anyone thinking about starting a business is simple.
“Your first step can be reaching out to the WV SBDC and asking for help on what you need to do to get started,” she said. “I would absolutely recommend the WV SBDC to other small business owners and entrepreneurs, and I actually do that kind of often on social media. I’ve had people comment, asking, ‘Have you ever worked with the West Virginia SBDC?’ And I’ll reply, ‘Yes, they’re the best. They’re awesome. Check them out.’”
