At WBEC South, we’re proud to celebrate women-owned businesses that are making a meaningful difference through innovation, purpose, and community impact. This quarter, we’re excited to spotlight Harmony Hensley, founder of Barney’s Sweet Shop, a Tennessee-based gourmet popcorn company that demonstrates how a business can be both successful and mission-driven.
For Harmony, Barney’s Sweet Shop was never simply about creating a great snack. From the beginning, it was about creating opportunities for others. Before launching the business, she spent much of her career serving the disability community through nonprofit leadership and ministry. Her journey into entrepreneurship can be traced back to a single conversation that changed the way she viewed the future.
After recruiting and training college students to help care for a single mother raising twin boys with disabilities, Harmony asked the mother whether she finally felt supported. The response left a lasting impression: “This is wonderful… but what happens when my boys grow up and they aren’t cute anymore? Who is going to hire them?” 
That question became the catalyst for Barney’s Sweet Shop. Harmony realized that what the disability community needed wasn’t more charity, but more opportunity. She set out to build a business grounded in a simple but powerful belief: everyone deserves the chance to build a career they can be proud of.
Today, Barney’s Sweet Shop has become known as The Snack That Gives Back. Every batch of gourmet popcorn is handcrafted by talented individuals with disabilities who are gaining valuable skills, earning living wages, and demonstrating that talent has never been the barrier; access has.
“We’re on a mission to Make Life Sweeter—not just through handcrafted treats, but by creating a business where opportunity, dignity, and purpose are part of every recipe,” Harmony shares.
What truly sets Barney’s Sweet Shop apart is the story behind each bag. While the company proudly offers more than 90 gourmet popcorn flavors made with premium ingredients and handcrafted care, Harmony believes its greatest strength is its people.
“We believe people come for the popcorn, but they stay for the story,” Harmony says. “We’re more than a popcorn company—we’re The Snack That Gives Back.”
With every purchase, the company helps create meaningful employment opportunities, strengthen the local community, and prove that inclusion isn’t charity; it’s good business.
WBEC South has been an important part of Barney’s Sweet Shop’s growth, providing resources, encouragement, and connections during key stages of the company’s journey. From working with WBEC South’s Director of Sourcing and Certification, Lance Mitchell, throughout the certification process to participating in the Supplier Ready Academy, Harmony credits the WBEC South team with helping the business grow stronger and prepare for new opportunities. 
“Kelsey and the entire team connected us with experienced WBEs and Corporate Partners who generously shared their wisdom—from refining our pitch to understanding what buyers are really looking for before heading into the WBENC National Conference,” Harmony shares. “Those conversations gave us confidence and clarity at a pivotal stage of our growth.”
For Harmony, one of the most valuable aspects of the WBEC South community is the genuine support behind it. “The WBEC South team is never more than a phone call or email away,” she says. “They genuinely care about seeing women-owned businesses succeed, and they’re always willing to point you toward the right resource, make a meaningful connection, or simply cheer you on.”
WBENC Certification has also marked an important milestone for Barney’s Sweet Shop. One of Harmony’s proudest moments came when the company placed the WBENC Women Owned logo on its popcorn packaging.
“It may seem like a small sticker, but to me it represents something much bigger,” she explains. “It tells our customers that Barney’s Sweet Shop is proudly woman-owned and backed by a community of remarkable women entrepreneurs who are raising the standard of excellence across every industry.”
The certification has strengthened the company’s credibility with corporate partners, retailers, and organizations that intentionally seek women-owned suppliers. Beyond the business opportunities it creates, the certification serves as a reminder that Harmony and her team are part of a larger network of women committed to opening doors for one another.
When asked what advice she would offer other WBEs, Harmony’s answer is straightforward: “Be curious. Ask questions. Reach out.”
She encourages women entrepreneurs to remember that they don’t have to navigate business ownership on their own. Within the WBEC South community are people who genuinely want to help, and a single conversation, introduction, or piece of advice can have a lasting impact on a business’s future.
“Never underestimate the power of showing up, asking for help, and building relationships,” she shares. “Those connections often become your greatest opportunities.”
For Harmony, the value of the WBEC South network comes down to the power of women supporting women. It’s a community where entrepreneurs share knowledge, celebrate one another’s achievements, and help create opportunities for the next generation of business leaders.
“WBEC South doesn’t just certify women-owned businesses, it champions them,” Harmony says. “It amplifies our voices, creates meaningful connections, and reminds us that when women support women, extraordinary things happen.”
At WBEC South, we are proud to recognize Harmony Hensley and Barney’s Sweet Shop as an inspiring example of purpose-driven entrepreneurship. Through every bag of popcorn, Harmony and her team are creating opportunity, strengthening communities, and showing that when businesses lead with heart, everyone benefits.