About the Show:
We have been toying with the idea of creating an episode Hall of Fame for the I Am Northwest Arkansas podcast. We figured we would start keeping track of the most downloaded episodes we’ve shared and the episodes that impact the host and listeners most.
While we are excited to share the first entry into our podcasting hall of fame, we are equally saddened by the reason that we have to do this now. Two years ago, Mark Zweig, who many of you have heard us mention on the podcast, introduced us to a dynamo of an Entrepreneur named Brant Barnes. Randy had the best time sitting with Brant in his Shelter Insurance office here in Fayetteville. Brant told one story after another, going back to childhood and ending up at the age of 41 with multiple pizza food franchises, a ton of rental properties, and an incredibly successful insurance agency.
He entertained us so with his energy and stories. Randy even moved all of his personal and business insurance to Brant’s Shelter Insurance Agency. The other thing that struck us about Brant was that he was always willing to give his time and talent to his teammates across all of his businesses and to special organizations. He was a businessman that made a difference in the communities he served in.
We lost Brant a few weeks back.
He crashed his plane on approach to Drake field. It was dark, and he was in an unfamiliar aircraft. Mark Zweig wrote a great article about Brant recently. You can read it here. The letter is a tribute to Brant and a reminder that every day is precious.
This episode is worth a listen. Episode 119, entitled “How NWA Serial Entrepreneur Brant Barnes found success in authenticity.” will be the first entrance into our I am Northwest Arkansas Podcast Hall of Fame.
If you need some encouragement and have struggled in business or life. This is the episode to listen to. Please consider sharing this message with a friend. We could all use a reminder of how precious each day is.
Godspeed Brant!
All this and more on this episode of I am Northwest Arkansas.
Important Links and Mentions on the Show*:
Original Show Notes Episode 119 with Brant Barnes
Brant Barnes Shelter Insurance
Shelter Insurance Website – Brant Barnes
This episode is sponsored by*:
Signature Bank was founded here in Northwest Arkansas in 2005. Their focus is personal and community banking. When you bank with a community bank, you’re investing in local businesses, local entrepreneurs, local charities, and the causes close to home. Signature Bank has worked hard to earn its tagline, “Community Banking at its Best.”
You may ask why bank at Signature?
Because they put the focus on the customer instead of on having a branch on every corner, this means you can have your questions answered by a real person, whether you’re reaching out to the call center or your banker’s cell phone. You can access any ATM in the country without fear of a fee. They will refund all of those fees at the end of every month. Finally, they are constantly improving their digital offerings to make sure you can access the best financial tools from your laptop, phone, or tablet 24 hours a day.
Signature Bank of Arkansas is a full-service bank offering traditional checking and savings accounts, investment accounts, business and personal loans, and mortgages.
Give the folks at Signature Bank a call (479-684-4700) or visit their website Signature.Bank and let them know you heard about them on the I am Northwest Arkansas Podcast.
Signature Bank of Arkansas is a Member of the FDIC and an Equal Housing Lender.
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Email info@iamnorthwestarkansas.com to learn more about sponsorship opportunities.
*Note: some of the resources mentioned may be affiliate links. This means we get paid a commission (at no extra cost to you) if you use that link to make a purchase.
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Thank you for listening to this episode of the I am Northwest Arkansas podcast. We showcase businesses, culture, entrepreneurship, and everyday people’s lives, making Northwest Arkansas what it is today.
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