Josh Smith sits down with Tom Swenson, CEO of Bank of Montana, to explore the vital role of community banking in fueling American entrepreneurship. Tom shares his journey from a New Jersey kid to founding a bank in Missoula, emphasizing how small banks empower dreamers like Josh to build businesses from the ground up. They discuss the decline of community banks, the challenges of navigating big bank bureaucracy, and the unique ability of local institutions to take risks on promising ventures, like Montana Knife Company, that larger banks often overlook.