Professional achievements
• Youngest person to ever be named Partner at Sterling Seacrest Pritchard, a top 20 privately held insurance and bonding agency in the U.S.
Community involvement
Arkansas Food Bank; River City Ministry; Associated Builders & Contractors of Arkansas; Associated General Contractors of Arkansas.
Biggest obstacle you’ve overcome
“I would say time management and delegation of tasks. When I started in the insurance industry, I was focused on obtaining new clients to build a book of business. Now that my book has grown, I’ve had to learn to manage my time handling current clients as well as growing our agency. I’ve had to learn to step back and delegate some tasks to our experienced staff while focusing on larger issues and agency growth.”
What you’re most passionate about in your career
“My favorite thing about my job is building relationships, those that are already established and those that are just beginning. I enjoy interacting with clients and find satisfaction in helping them solve their problems, achieve their goals and earning their trust. My clients tend to become more like friends and that helps take the ‘work’ out of the job.”
First job and lessons learned
“I started a landscape company when I was 13 years old. I began with two yards in my neighborhood and grew the business to entail over 35 residential and commercial customers by the time I graduated college. My takeaway from that experience was the importance of building relationships and establishing a work ethic. I learned that hard work always leads to positive results and that has continued to help shape my career.”
A small habit that has helped you succeed
“A good friend of mine taught me to live by a list of things to do. I keep a daily calendar but also always have a scratch pad with my ‘to do list.’ Some days it seems like that list continues to grow and I don’t make it through everything, but when I finish the last task on the list, I feel a great sense of accomplishment, and relief!”
Who you look up to and why
“Two people come to mind immediately — my dad, Grant Swede, and my business partner, Jimbo Ramsay. My dad instilled the importance of a solid work ethic, and it takes no extra effort to be kind to everyone. As I get older, I have realized how important this is in both my personal and professional life. Jimbo helped me learn the insurance and bonding business and took time every day to make sure I would succeed. I quickly learned that Jimbo was constantly present for anyone who needed his help and treated everyone with the same level of attention and respect. Our relationship has transitioned from mentorship to partnership, and that’s special to me.”
One book everyone should read and why
“The Bible. I try to start every day by reading a verse that gets shared in my family group message. I think it is a great idea to start your day with a short scripture to get everything headed in the right direction.”
A word that describes you
“Blessed. I have been very fortunate in my relatively short career. I have had a lot of people come across my path at the right time. My faith in God has helped me realize that there is a plan for everything and I’ve been extremely blessed in that regard.”