How To Here
What’s up! For those unfamiliar, my name is Matthew Richard Barnes. But I just go by Barnes. I like it better. It’s easier, brief, and memorable enough.
I’m starting this blog as a way to memorialize some of my experiences and share some lessons and insights. I hope it helps someone out there.
A little background:
I’m a business owner coming up on my one year anniversary. Woot! I design super cool products and gifts for people to share. I’m a family man. Three amazing offspring. They are absolute inspiration for all I am and do. I’ve got an amazing partner that I’d be nowhere without. An exceptional human being that I love dearly. Love cooking, cycling, making products for my business, growing that business, and spending time with especially rad people. My absolute favorite thing in the world is to make people feel awesome. About themselves, about others, about ideas, and about the future. It took awhile, but that is the golden thread that has weaved me to now and will into the future. (More on that as things unfold.)
Okay, I’m going to be like super vulnerable here and tell you something that I don’t often share with others. I’ll be 42 in a month. (That’s not the thing) Since the age of 14 I’ve been a working person. In that time frame I’ve worked over forty plus jobs, gigs, startups, and projects. (That’s the thing) What I learned in each experience was supremely invaluable. Lessons in leadership and failure, culture and business conduct, as well as selling tactics and practices. I’m going to share that all here. Eventually.
But first, I want to start from the beginning. Not to bore you, but to give you some context on all that I’ve seen and been through. Below is a list of every single job I’ve had since the age of 14.
Baseball Card Shop clerk - 1 day
Comic Book Shop clerk - PackRat Comics - 1 day
Caddie - Muirfield Village Golf Club - (Seasonally for 11 of 14 years)
Dishwasher - Otie’s Pub - 8 months
Busboy - Lonestar Steakhouse and Saloon - 9 months
Burger flipper - Backyard Burgers - 3 months
Clerk - West Coast Video - 6 months
Sandwich Maker - Jersey Mike’s Subs - 4 months
Kitchen Staff - Tumbleweed Steakhouse - 4 months
Grounds Crew - Heritage Golf Club - 4 months
Retail Sales Clerk - Structure - 6 months
Marketing intern - Structure - 6 months
Retail Sales Clerk - Abercrombie - 18 months
Deli Cook - Cafe Bella - (on and off 4 years)
Kitchen Staff - Funny Bone Comedy Club - 3 weeks
Kitchen Staff - Figlio - 3 months
Leasing Agent - JPI Properties - 6 months
Front Desk Attendant - Marriott Hotels - 4 months
Valet Parking Attendant - Platinum Parking - 6 months
Handyman Assistant - Koolers Powerwashing - 5 weeks
Bouncer - Long Street Live - 4 months
Actor - As The World Turns - 1 week
Counter Attendant - Bronze Bubble Tanning and Laundry - 4 months
Server - Rafferty’s - 1 month
Assistant Manager - Abercrombie - 6 months
Marketing Associate - Property Marketing - 3 weeks
Server - Lemongrass Fusion Bistro - 7 months
Kitchen Staff - Roosters - 3 months
Server - Cameron Mitchell Restaurants/Catering - 9 months
Founder - SHOWColumbus - 18 months
Lead Generator - Quest Software - 8 months
Marketing Director - Delaware Golf Club - 4 months
Photographer/Videographer - 2 years
Experiential Game Designer - tweetandgoseek - 6 years
Freelance Business Development - FUDHA - 6 months
Ice Cream Pint Labeler - Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams - 1 month
Wholesale Sales Director - Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams - 16 months
Executive Creative Director/Co-Founder - CivitasNow - 36 months
Co-Founder - RootsUp - 6 months
Sales Development Director - Trident Design - 8 months
EQ Group Lead - Next Level Trainings - 6 months
Freelance Model - 6 months
Charitable Cause Project - A Rising Tide - 4 months
Development Director - Weber Associates - 8 months
Sales Director - Ares Sportswear - 13 months
Co-Founder - Leisure Club - 27 months
Account Director - Postali - 6 months
Assistant Janitor - BarnesCards - Forever
The months aren’t going to add up exactly. Sometimes I was working 2 or 3 jobs at once or none at all. This is just to give a little context to the lineage of my professional working life. Every bit of it has lead me to now.
I am so excited to share with you all of the lessons I’ve learned. Buckle up, there will some inspiring stories as well as helpful tips on ways to improve your business, create additional value for the world, and connect with people in purpose driven and meaningful ways. I hope the posts ahead will help you in one way or another.
Barnes.
2020
2011
1993
