James H. Norman of Storehouse Financial Group

08/12/2026

One of the wonderful things about living through an AI-led revolution is how accessible many previously complicated tasks have become.

With that, though, comes what I suspect is the use of AI for far more than it should be. I’m sure you’ve seen a sign or advertisement for a local business that made you stop and think, “Wait a minute, was that completely AI-generated?” I know I have.

Beyond questionable advertisements, I believe there is a real risk in professionals allowing AI to fully automate their social outreach on platforms like this. I understand the pressure to keep up with the algorithms and post consistently, but at what point does your outreach stop representing your thoughts?

Personally, my process for my newsletter and social posts is pretty simple. I come up with a rambling draft full of my own thoughts, idiosyncrasies, and occasional grammatical issues. Then I filter it through AI to make it more digestible and legible. I still read through the finished version and change anything that doesn’t sound like me.

That way, my audience is still getting my thoughts, just a more refined version of them.

It’s easy to fall into the trap of automated outreach, especially when it saves time. But AI should help you communicate what you think, not decide what you think for you.

Your actual thoughts and opinions will always be more valuable to your audience than a polished collection of whatever a machine determines sounds best.

08/05/2026

Alright folks, it’s a fresh month, which means it’s time for me to ramble briefly about the Federal Reserve.

The Fed has received renewed attention under its new chairman, Kevin Warsh. Warsh appears to be taking a page from the late Alan Greenspan, who led the Federal Reserve under Presidents Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Clinton, and George W. Bush.

To simplify Greenspan’s approach massively, he led a quieter and less predictable Federal Reserve. Rather than giving investors a detailed roadmap, the Fed allowed markets to do more of the work of interpreting economic conditions.

Warsh now appears to be attempting a fundamental shift away from the communication strategy that developed in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis.

For years, investors didn’t just analyze the economy. They analyzed what the Fed was likely to say about the economy.

A recent Wall Street Journal article argued that markets had grown accustomed to pricing risk through the Fed’s guidance. Warsh’s approach points toward less forward guidance, greater dependence on economic data, and more responsibility for markets to reach their own conclusions.

So, what does this mean for investors?

It means becoming more comfortable without a detailed roadmap from the Federal Reserve. Investors will still watch the Fed, but they may no longer be able to outsource as much of their risk assessment to its public statements and projections.

That could produce more volatility and greater disagreement about where interest rates and the economy are heading.

A market forced to price risk for itself may be less comfortable, but comfort and healthy price discovery are not always the same thing.

07/27/2026

Renewed conflict with Iran has once again put the Strait of Hormuz and global energy markets under pressure. We’ve already seen the immediate result in higher energy prices here in the U.S., but for agriculture, I think it’s time to start looking several months ahead.

We’re rapidly approaching harvest season, and shocks like this usually have longer-term consequences beyond the initial price spike. Even if commodity prices give us a fantastic year, higher diesel costs can quickly eat into those margins.

That means fuel for the combine or cotton picker, the trucks hauling grain to the co-op or, in my old stomping grounds, down to the Mississippi, and the irrigation motors still running through the summer.

There’s no reason to preach to the choir. Cash flow makes or breaks ag families, y'all know that, and it may start tightening again right when many were hoping for some relief.

I’ll be exploring this topic more in-depth in this month’s edition of my newsletter, The Ledger. If you’d like to receive it, just send me a message with a good email address and I'd be happy to add you to the list.

07/22/2026

I’m very thankful to the AGC of Missouri for allowing me to help sponsor their Young Executives Club Golf Tournament up in Columbia this past Monday. It is always a lot of fun getting out with the AGC. They have been a fantastic group with a fantastic mission.

While workforce development was not the focus of this particular event, I love how involved AGCMO is in helping nurture, create, and promote careers in the construction industry. Through its different events and programs, the organization is making leaps and bounds in bringing visibility to a sector that far more young people should consider.

I was part of the generation that was told time and time again, “You either go to college, or you won’t amount to anything.” The strength and growth of the construction industry over the past 50 years is a prime example of how flawed that thinking can be.

College is absolutely the right path for many people, but it is not the only path to a successful and meaningful career. As long as people continue innovating, developing new tastes, and advancing as a society, there will always be a need for skilled people who can build, maintain, and improve the world around us.

Construction is not going anywhere, and the opportunities within it are not getting smaller anytime soon.

07/19/2026

07/15/2026

Man, it sure has been a busy month for me and Storehouse Financial!

This last weekend, my wife and I were representing the company at the Four State Farm Show in Pittsburg, Kansas. It was a great time meeting a ton of local families, ag families, and folks from across our four state region here in the Ozarks and beyond.

It was also a lot of fun meeting the other vendors and getting to know them. A bottle of wine, a new wallet, and a smoothie later, we certainly helped with their overhead too.

We love doing shows like these. It is so important to get out and shake the hand of the person you may be doing business with. In my opinion, nothing beats going out and meeting people where they are, whether that is at a farm show, in a field, or at a job site.

It is not just good customer service. It is a good way to show that you are intentional, that you care about the relationship, and that you are willing to go the extra mile, sometimes literally, for the people you work with.

Next up, we have a golf tournament in Columbia, Missouri, with AGC of Missouri. I am looking forward to seeing more folks I know there and meeting plenty of new ones as well.

Until I post about that, I hope everyone has been having a great summer!

07/03/2026

Going into Independence Day weekend, I want to wish everyone a happy Fourth of July and a safe weekend.

This year also feels like a good time to reflect on what has brought us here. Two hundred and fifty years is no small thing. It has taken sacrifice, courage, faith, resilience, and the commitment of generations of Americans.

Take pride in this holiday. Our country has seen struggles and triumphs, and there will be more of both ahead. But through it all, we are blessed to share this nation together.

Happy Independence Day.

06/30/2026

Financial planning often gets talked about like it is only for people in boardrooms.

I do not think that is right.

Some of the people who need clear planning the most are farmers, truckers, contractors, business owners, tradesmen, and families who have spent years building something the hard way.

Their financial lives are often not simple.

Income can be irregular. Expenses can be heavy. Equipment can be expensive. Taxes can sneak up. Insurance matters. Succession matters. Retirement may not look like a clean break at age 65.

That is exactly why planning matters.

Not because life is predictable, but because it is not.

My goal is to help people get organized, understand their options, and make decisions with more clarity.

06/24/2026

The halfway point of the year is where good intentions go to die.

We’re just about halfway through 2026, which is an absolutely wild thought. But with that in mind, how many of the goals you identified back in January are still waiting to be acted on?

This is a great point in the year to pause and ask a few honest questions:

Are you still on track?

Are those goals still the right goals?

Has life changed enough that the plan needs to change too?

That applies to your finances as much as anything else.

Retirement contributions, savings goals, debt payoff, insurance coverage, tax planning, and business cash flow are all easy to put off until “later.”

But later has a bad habit of showing up fast.

If you’re looking for clarity, a second look, or a place to start, I’d be glad to sit down for a mid-year financial review and help you get your bearings before the second half of the year gets away from you.

06/21/2026

Do you ever look back through your photos and realize you do not have nearly enough pictures with someone?

That is what I realized when I went looking for a photo of me and my dad.

Today, I want to take a moment to give my dad the recognition he deserves. Without him, I would not be where I am today. I also would not be nearly as passionate about working with agriculture, trucking, construction, and the trades.

The incredibly tall man on the right has farmed his whole life, worked construction, driven trucks over the road, worked as a crop insurance adjuster, and taken on more than a few other roles over the years to keep food on the table.

Every year I get older, I understand a little more of the sacrifices he made when I was growing up. But I have a feeling I will not truly understand all of them until we have children of our own.

Today is a special day.

Take the picture. Make the call. Cherish it.

Happy Father’s Day.