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West Virginia business owners praise state export team, urge peers to pursue overseas sales
Summary
Business owners in a 2026 transcript praised a state export assistance team, saying it helped their businesses find buyers, comes at little or no cost, and can answer most export questions; the remarks were testimonial and no formal action was recorded.
A series of business representatives in West Virginia praised the state's export assistance team in remarks recorded in the transcript, saying the program helped them find buyers abroad and encouraging other small firms to consider exporting.
One business owner said exporting had brought dollars into West Virginia and called it "my favorite thing that we do as an exporter," adding that the company now "has the supply to look outside our borders" and is positioned to "export in bulk." The speaker framed export activity as a driver of local economic growth.
Another presenter praised the export team's on-the-ground support, saying, "they are very good in note-taking in our meetings with each other. They listen well and they follow through." A separate speaker said, "It's nice to be recognized by the state for doing our part," placing the assistance in the context of West Virginia's small-business economy.
A different participant urged hesitant businesses to take advantage of the program: "If anyone is on the fence with working with the export team, I would say if you don't do so, you'd be foolish. The export team are incredibly helpful." That speaker said the team connects firms with willing buyers or distributors and helps identify leads businesses might otherwise miss.
One presenter cited practical benefits, noting that in 2026 companies should assess whether they can export and seek the export team's help for questions: "they can really answer probably 90% of those," the presenter said, adding the team can refer businesses to outside experts when needed.
The transcript records these testimonials but does not document independent verification of the claims about costs, the proportion of questions answered, or contract terms. Speakers described the service as coming at "little to no cost," but the specific funding sources, pricing or program rules were not specified in the remarks. No formal motions, votes or policy decisions appear in the transcript; the record is testimonial in nature.
