Episode 6
Matt Barnes: Worklife Balance
Join host Nikki C as she speaks with Matt Barnes, Owner of Barnes CPR Training Center, LLC as he talks about balancing his family and career life, all while still making time to give to charities and do something he loves...running.
Guest Resources
Company Website: https://barnesmobilecpr.com/
IG: barnes_cpr_training_
FB: barnescprtrainingcenter
Charity: Ronald McDonald House
Please be sure to check us out on Instagram: @lgitw_podcast , Facebook: @lgitwpodcast
Transcript
Matt Barnes: Maintaining Work Life Balance
[:[00:00:23] He's been able to not only grow as a business owner, but also continue to maintain the work-life balance needed to be a father of two, a husband, as well as continuously pursue his own personal passions, which include running and competing in marathons. All right. You guys ready to get started?
[:[00:01:43] So, um, Matt, I want to thank you again for taking the time out to be on our podcast. And for those who do not know you, can you give us a little background kind of where you're from your, your career field, uh, whatever context you [00:02:00] want to give us, just to get an idea of who is Matt?
[:[00:02:11] Um, born, born and raised, um, actually attended visional Institute and graduating class. Um, high school, I went to Kentucky state university in Frankfort, Kentucky. Um, another ma mighty fine institutes of historical black colleges and university. While I was there I study business and business management, um, plays, cap, office PSI, fraternity, incorporated.
[:[00:03:06] And I met her. Um, basically, and that's just a different story for different. I met her on Facebook. We ended up moving to Texas, 2007. Moved down to Texas. We were engaged for about a year and a half. Got married back in Wisconsin, June 13th, 2009. We just had, an anniversary a few weeks ago, actually, almost a month ago.
[:[00:04:01]I worked as everything as a security guard. I've worked as a private, I worked, um, State farm of work. Uh, you know, some, some blue collar drives a couple of white collar jobs. Um, but my passion was to become a firefighter. And the process here in Texas is a little bit different than a lot of other places.
[:[00:04:50] 5 10, 15, maybe a hundred drops tops, you know, not everybody just gets in so well with that end up becoming an EMT, um, [00:05:00] and then worked for a firefighter on and off. Um, since 2012. Um, and then right at the end of co, actually right before COVID, um, July ish of 2019, um, started my own CPR in lexicon training business.
[:[00:05:40] Nikki C: All right. Yeah. So you sounds like you have had a very, um, colorful career-wise. , I'm really curious about that. That idea of the, um, what's the, uh, the private eye who tells you about that?
[:[00:06:09] And we moved in with my wife's aunt and her aunt's, brother-in-law worked as a private eye and I'm talking to him about it and he's, he's telling me what he was doing. And it was dealing mostly with, um, working. Yeah. So anytime somebody hurts themselves on the job, instead of paying out X amount of money, you know, they'll, they'll hire private ID and essentially it's cheaper that way just to make sure the person's actually heard it sometimes a legit herb, sometimes they're not.
[:[00:07:00] Um, I mean, it's Texas, so it's, it's hot 10 months out of the year. Um, I have, I have passed out in my car several times waiting on waiting people to come out. And that's how you learn that people are creatures of habit. Um, I worked. Um, I think one of the, one of the bigger cases I've worked was in Oklahoma.
[:[00:07:47] But I spend on and off and they go out a month or two, following this guy and this guy was following mash description to the T from the vehicle, from the address, from the height, weight, doctor's appointments, everything. And I get hours and [00:08:00] hours of video, this guy building and remodeling the house.
[:[00:08:23] A hundred percent positive? It's not him. And it was not him. Oh, wow. So feeling like crap and like I did all this work, you know, and it's all going to go south, but the client was happy because they ended up paying the guy $30,000 instead of a quarter instead of half a million. Or has worked in the top claim.
[:[00:09:01]Nikki C: , yeah, that's not something I would do. Yeah. Yeah. Especially in this climate post COVID and everything everybody's on edge. So you, especially being a person of color, walking around, lurking behind bushes and stuff, following.
[:[00:09:28] So sometimes keeping up with them is difficult and then following them and they recognize your, your, your vehicle. And I always to keep it. Close just to change out his shirts and change other pants. They wouldn't recognize me and stuff like that. I mean, I followed a client to a strip club once, so yeah.
[:[00:10:01] [00:10:00] Okay. All right. Well, yes, adaptability and, uh, that's, that's something that is a skill that will you carry you carry with with a lot of the things.
[:[00:10:38] Matt: I volunteer with one of the local cities. but with the state of Texas, You have to be certified as at least an EMT. So you have to have some type of medical training. So 2012 got my, my fire service, 2013, January of 2013, I graduated form from EMT school. Right. So it became a [00:11:00] here. And then halfway through there, I went back and started teaching at the school.
[:[00:11:25] And I've always had this passion for helping people, um, for being some type of servant to others. And this is, this is how it is. And that's just kind of how I grew up. , so essentially I've been teaching CPR since 2013 and it's something that I enjoy doing. I love doing it. Then I've been CPR certified.
[:[00:12:11] And why don't you start? Why don't you start to, is it okay? Whatever it kinda of. Put him in the back of my mind for a little bit. And then something to say, I think I can do this alone. Like I just, you know, sink or swim, but I can do it on my own. so, so got everything out of my instructor.
[:[00:12:50] But, um, My main focus is teaching, um, minorities and those essentially who [00:13:00] live below the poverty line. And the reason being is because, um, a study came out a few years ago saying that NGOs who minorities, especially those who have been below the poverty line are less likely to receive CPR. In the event of a cardiac arrest.
[:[00:13:41] Um, so when it comes to minorities and black people, Those who are below the poverty line. I'm a more likely in areas who don't have the resources or the, or the resources are so are stretched so thin. It's going to take a while for him to get to them. [00:14:00] Right. Um, and I picked the study zip close to 50% of children.
[:[00:14:35] Um, so that was one of the biggest things. And one of my biggest focus has been trying to get down to some of those areas. And for me, it's going to be the Dallas area. And just, just teaching those people, showing them how and what to do when you advance of our credit restaurant or any other type of emergency.
[:[00:15:19] So some of the stuff that's, um, some information has been improperly pass and, and relay. Right. Um, and, and just, and just to, to kind of educate some people, I mean, it's, it's, it's yeah. It's partially a health issue and in how we eat and things like that as minorities and African yeah. But it's also, um, being able to help in whatever way you can.
[:[00:16:05] And as many of them. Yes. And that education is so pertinent to our, um, our culture. We don't have that and what we don't know, it affects us. And so that is so great that you have this platform, you have this training center to not only educate your, you know, the people under you, but they can take that and, you know, continue their education.
[:[00:16:54] So I have an, I actually have a frat brother who has some connections that, and they were working on, [00:17:00] um, Get it into some of those areas. Um, and a lot of analysis kind of word of mouth and just kind of networking. Um, Which a majority of my, my clients, my customers, my potentials are all come from word of mouth.
[:[00:17:38] What I've come to learn. And what I found out is, especially when you're dealing with minorities, they may think it's a good idea until they bring it to the masses. And then somebody always wants a second year. So if somebody wants to kind of knock down an idea, so sometimes it's kind of getting upward in the door and, and, and helping people to understand and recognize [00:18:00] the value in something like that.
[:[00:18:33] Um, which is, which is for school, was where the Dallas Cowboys headquarters is. Yeah. So we're, we're right out here. So, um, yeah, just hit me up. Google will find me, um, we'll, we'll talking and get some information out there and, and, you know, teach people how to, how to save a life. Yeah, we'll definitely make sure we, um, put that information [00:19:00] in the description so people will have access to you.
[:[00:19:31] And, um, all of the things that you've, you know, as an EMT, firefighter, all of these things, what has been. Um, a way that you kind of deal with that stress, like how do you balance it? All I have and naturally I have always been very laid back. Um, I kind of take things in stride and I try not to let things bother me.
[:[00:20:30] COVID that? That has been. My go-to as far as releasing any type of stress that I had. Um, and, and that's just a way for me to clear my mind. Right. Um, but I always try to find something constructive and, and sometimes it's, if it's not running it, it's, it's pour myself into, you know, my daughter and her girl scout troop, or, you know, finding something else to do or, you know, watch it.
[:[00:21:25] Matt: And I had to say, stop it, tell her it's like, yeah, no, no, not what happened. Right. W
[:[00:21:45] Matt: I mean, there are several, right. And some people say, well, prior to part, sit on there, sit on the bus all day.
[:[00:22:17] One department I was with, we did, you know, lockouts if you'd get locked out of the car. Um, and it's, it's, it's more than just kind of sitting around because. You have to not only stay physically fit, but you also have to kind of stay up on some of the trainings and some of the, the continuing education that goes on because, and that's what we do.
[:[00:23:03] God I have yet to hear of, or even seeing it with my eyes and aware that that is the case. There's always that in the, um, what was that? The Chicago MD or whatever. There's always these weird. Yeah.
[:[00:23:41] You have to kind of make a little dramatic. Right. You kind of have to make it to where, you know, what's going to happen next. And there's been times when my wife has gotten so, so caught up to what's going on. I look up and she's kind of teary-eyed or she's in shock or she's like, oh my gosh, what's going on?
[:[00:24:13] I mean, you know, you still gotta eat, you still gotta go out to Kroger's and Walmart or whatever. They go shopping and get food and, and things like that. So you still have to do those stuff. They're still human beings, right? You're still normal people, you know, your neighbor and average, Joe, you know, we just, you know, the SATA.
[:[00:25:00] [00:24:59] Nikki C: And, um, so one of the reasons people. Often feel like that their dreams, , have been put on hold is because it just doesn't seem enough time in the day.
[:[00:25:30] I love that because it's true. So what it is is yes, there's only 24 hours in a day and yes, I wake up at five, six o'clock in the morning and to get a run in and kind of do this then there. But, but it's, it's kind of one of the things that you, you kind of have to try to prioritize. Everything and, and, and you have to take the small battles or, or the wins where you can.
[:[00:26:16] Even when I worked at state farm. Right. There's there's, there's nothing wrong with taking a big project. Breaking it down can just set up a timeline and you kind of build an, a call on that. Um, and, and that, in a sense it's kinda, kinda helped me do with some other things. And, and one thing my wife has, has, has always gone in and even further implemented is a digital calendar to where we both are on, on our phones, but we also have a master calendar, right.
[:[00:27:06] Matt: I gotta make sure it's open on, on hers because she still works from home. Is she, she still has a life. She still has things that she needs to do and get accomplished. And so does my oldest daughter, she's got dance and she's got girl Scouts, she's got basketball, she's got all this stuff. And so we have to make sure that we have time and not kind of overlapping.
[:[00:27:54] And they just, and they put it to the side. Right. And you can't do that cause you're not gonna get anything accomplished with it. And you just have a whole trail. [00:28:00] Unfinished projects. Right. Um, and, and, and it's going to follow, you know, everywhere you go. So, you know, trying to get in the habit of having some type of system and then, and then breaking down all your larger project, a smaller project, it may take a little bit, and I've kind of had to learn, , in the hard way sometimes.
[:[00:28:45] Matt: We need to go, blah, blah, blah. And that, you know, I have to stop and refocus and come back, remember to finish our project.
[:[00:28:58] Yeah. That was key. Just [00:29:00] breaking it all down know.
[:[00:29:30] Um, I, I, keep a calendar as well. Me and my boyfriend now, we, um, we really. Try to keep it as organized as possible. So that is definitely important, important dates know what's going on. So, um, I guess my biggest thing is remembering to write on the calendar because I have like three or four calendars.
[:[00:30:20] Um, it, it, it has changed in a sense. It hasn't really changed, right. Because I was still going in, um, my wife had kind of readjusted to work from home, but it was, it was good. Um, because we have a two year old, so she was able to spend more time with her. And then with the pandemic, um, Our daycare shut down.
[:[00:31:06] Um, with the Otis, it changed for her in the sense that she didn't see her friends all the time, but she got a chance to, to do virtual and she enjoyed it. She loved, she didn't have a problem with it. Right. I mean, it's every once in a while we had to, had to wake her up and make sure she wasn't late for class, but that didn't happen often.
[:[00:31:54] Right. Um, Because in 2012, my [00:32:00] oldest was two. And not only was I a volunteer firefighter, but I was also working full-time so I will go two days a week, actually. Yeah, two days, some weeks and three or four days, other weeks, not seeing my oldest or barely seen my wife because I was, I was literally going from one job to the next, come home change.
[:[00:32:56] that stress in that.
[:[00:33:18] Nikki C: Oh with the girl allowed so much of us to just kind of reset for a minute and take that time. Um, I'm glad that your wife had that opportunity to, to bond with your, the little one, you know, cause everything is always, so go, go, go. But just getting to spend that quality time is, is absolutely essential and I can only imagine how it made it even harder having to go out and.
[:[00:34:11] Matt: Well, as a matter of fact, I graduated last December, graduate with my master's last year. So thank you. So what I wish I had known, I wish I had finished it. I wish I went back sooner. Um, Because in what I have learned, at least with, with, with, with the, the S the school that I was attending is that a lot of it, a lot of the curriculum, a lot of the activities.
[:[00:35:04] Right. And, um, there's all these, all these activities, um, networking activities and events that were going on during the day. I guess what I couldn't team, because I had to. Right. And, and I, I can't pick off every event. I want a 10. So it was kind of one of those things where I didn't necessarily feel like I was getting left behind or missing out, but I knew I had to, I had to kind of play catch up as far as networking and things like that.
[:[00:35:55]Nikki C: , I know about that. Taken some time off.
[:[00:36:33] Matt: Um, I, I'm more intentional with the things I do. Um, because I know my daughters will pick up on, on things that's going on in, in both of my girls are, are, are bright. I mean, they're, they're, they're awesome. And they pick up on every little thing. And my oldest is not only that she sees stuff, but she kinda takes it on in a sense that.
[:[00:37:28] And when I, when I received, when I finished undergrad and went right into grad school and graduated, I didn't want to walk. Like it wasn't a big deal for when I got into whatever I do, my diploma, they would mail it to me, whatever. With my undergrad, my wife made sure that I walked in. She wanted it to be to the point where my oldest would see that more to understand.
[:[00:38:22] Eye level. So they can see me in and my youngest daughter genius. See that experience that. So, um, it's just being more deliberate in how I do things and how I approach situations.
[:[00:39:06] Cause I remember when I was a little, I was, uh, I had, um, brothers that were a lot older than me and I remember being three years old. Couldn't really see, but I went to like this, their high school graduation and it just. The feeling of graduation overall was just such a. A great, uh, experience, just to, to feel that, to see it.
[:[00:39:54] And it's something that as I am sure, as a young person, they will always remember that. So I'm [00:40:00] glad that they were able to have that experience. So, um, before we, you know, get ready to get out of here, um, I want to do what I call. Brandon Brown. Um, is this a series of a few questions that I just kind of asked to so we can kind of get an idea of who you are as a person?
[:[00:40:44]Matt: So not not to, to, to throw this person under the bus, but, um, whenever you start like that, I know, I know.
[:[00:41:19] Right. And, and. When she says something like that, it's not it's, it's not her saying, Hey, you should stop Chris. I don't one time she goes, say that, but it, it, she says in a way, for me to kind of puts a little doubt in a second guessing, and for four minutes I did, I was like, I give up, like, I'm done whatever.
[:[00:42:14] So it wasn't, it wasn't necessarily her telling me to stop to give up which. And in hindsight, she wasn't telling me, but at the time I probably, she was, um, does cause you to pause a little bit or cause me to hit the brakes because I mean everything, every bit of advice or anything my wife says I kind of take to heart.
[:[00:42:54] Nikki C: Um, so it's it's and if, and even if, even though it may have seemed like [00:43:00] you put the brakes on it, I think if you think about it, what she did caused you to pause and just really evaluate and make sure.
[:[00:43:29] Matt: I, I, I was, I was almost done. Um, and I was thinking, man, I get all these, all these, these classes in prior academy, all down the drain and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. But. I mean it's and it's good. Cause she's, she's, uh, a support system I've always had and she always, she, she keeps it real. I she'll support me, but she also be like, all right now, or it's really the best thing to do is this really the best route to take or, or whatever.
[:[00:44:30] random round we got going on. Well, I had to switch some questions out so that it was like, I'm going to, I like to ask the different questions for different people. So yeah. So check this out. I am not so I'm, I'm I'm I am a social butterfly, but I'm not, and it's kind of one of those things. Pick and choose when I want to be bothered with people.
[:[00:45:16] And didn't just in the zone where I didn't care. Don't don't come talk to me. Don't leave me alone. And a guy came up to me. Chat and, and come to find out he was a firefighter and we got to talking and he ended up being, um, not only a good friend of mine, but he, he is, he is, is, is responsible, at least in, in, in part for me getting on with the volunteer fire department that I got on, which kind of helped me bond my weight into the fire, sir.
[:[00:46:07]Matt: I know people in the gym, we don't really talk. So the fact that you were able to, I was like, what two men randomly, who don't know each other striking up conversation to this day?
[:[00:46:38] I just don't say anything. Right. It could be, you know, it could be one of those or, or both, but I'm glad it happened. And, and, and, and Joe was actually a good buddy of mine and he's, he's doing big things. And he moved in him, his family moved to Michigan and they're doing some big things up there. So.
[:[00:47:30] Matt: So there's, there's Denzel Washington, one dinner though, only 1 0 1 dinner. Perfect. We were at a table. We are at a table. Um, And, and after we get off in, after we get off this call, I was going to change, right. Um, Denzel Washington, Jim Carrey, those, those two are some of the brightest persons. Um, I mean, if you ever just, just watching [00:48:00] interview, just, just listen to their story.
[:[00:48:41] Nikki C: Um, yeah, she's amazing. Oh man, I got to see her alive. She she's, uh, she's really good. Yeah, she will. She, well, not dancing, but I got to see her at a book reading. Because she had a book out at the time and all the little girls came in their ballerina outfits. It was just, it was just amazing [00:49:00] out of brown, black, and brown girls, old front row.
[:[00:49:16] or we get Dr. King, we get CJ, CJ walk. I forget Misty, man. I am going to, I'm going to do Frederick. And I'm going to do, um, my great grandfather who I have never met, but he was a Buffalo soldier.
[:[00:50:15] Nikki C: Oh. Cause I couldn't be at that table. I would just, I would never speak, they were like somebody on the end. I don't know who that was history. Right. So it's really going to be one of those things where I'm going to be on a high for a day
[:[00:50:45] Matt: All right. Well, I just want to thank you so much. I don't want to keep you all night. I know you got to get back to your family, but, um, you know, thank you so much for just taking this time to, to, to talk to my [00:51:00] listeners and, uh, Uh, just coming in and being an awesome guest. And if listeners want to get more information about you or your business, where can I go?
[:[00:51:42] Um, if I don't answer, leave a message. I'll get back to you, but I greatly greatly appreciate this. Uh, and, and, and I forgot to do it. I need to do an I apologize. I will. Thank you. For, um, making a donation to, um, to my charity, [00:52:00] the Ronald McDonald house. You're welcome. You're welcome. I haven't been fund raising.
[:[00:52:30] And, and what happens is in the event that, um, your child is sick and needs, um, some type of medical procedures, they, they help offset the costs. It helps, um, it, it puts, puts families up into lodging. Um, they provide meals for, um, for the families while in a lot of child is, is, is in a hospital in the end, actually.
[:[00:53:21] Okay. All right. Um, definitely. Thank you for that. Um, you heard it from Matt himself. We will, I will make sure I put all of the links to all of those, um, those, uh, social media, the websites, and, um, um, the charity link in the description notes. And, uh, just to go ahead and do final closings. Um, I just want to thank.
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