We were lucky to catch up with Charles “Eclipse” Barnes, Jr. recently and have shared our conversation below.
Eclipse, appreciate you joining us today. Owning a business isn’t always glamorous and so most business owners we’ve connected with have shared that on tough days they sometimes wonder what it would have been like to have just had a regular job instead of all the responsibility of running a business. Have you ever felt that way?
Business ownership is something that I have always dream of. Though confident in my skills as a music arts therapist and lyricist, going into business for myself proved quite intimidating.
Whether we like our job or not, and for the record, I immensely disliked my former job, the security of funds being deposited into our account each pay cycle is psychologically comforting. It wasn’t until I realized that my value as an employee to another person would never net the true value that my services are worth that I was finally able to muster the courage to go in business for myself full time.
The psychological effects of working in an environment where your work is neither fairly compensated nor valued by superiors is something that wore on me to the point that it started to greatly affect my mental health. Once my mental health was at stake, the fear of losing a stable paycheck became secondary. Pursuit of mental peace gave me the ability to leave conventional employment with no regrets and without looking back.
Son of a drummer, music is, literally and figuratively, part of my DNA. My earliest memories are of me onstage at my father’s music events dancing, rapping and performing. Music is an intricate part of who I am. There is no era of my life during which music has not played a significant role, from trauma and grief to elation. Thus, it is indeed fitting for it to be music that freed me from the fear of letting go of my job and starting my own business.
Although I am thankful for many workplace experiences that helped comprise my expertise as a music therapist, lyricist, speaker, and podcast host, I am more grateful to be in the position where I now decide my own value and the types of projects and services that I provide.
The lesson that I have learned through the experience of being an entrepreneur is that all growth requires a period of discomfort. Though frightening from a monetary standpoint, becoming my own boss has been the best decision I have ever made.
Contrary to popular belief, it is not money that makes one rich. It is peace of mind, walking in one’s purpose, finding joy in our gifts and discovering new talents within this new life path.
In my journey as an entrepreneur in the entertainment field, I have found a new love, acting. My first theatrical acting debut was summer 2023. Recently landing my second role as a stage actor, I can’t wait to see what other gifts and talents unfold as I continue growing in my journey as an entrepreneur.
Charles “Eclipse”, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
Dark Squad Entertainment is a music entertainment brand. We create, record, stream and distribute original music, not only my own, but that of other independent artists. We are proud hosts of an interactive music podcast on our YouTube Channel @DarkSquadEntertainment, we are motivational speakers, actors, educators, musicians, and brand management consultants.
Dark Squad Entertainment provides a myriad of professional services that teach, entertain, and provide critical relief to trauma, anxiety, and mental health. Our services are tailor created for businesses, indie artists, community programs, and those seeking unique entertainment experiences. Our programs are unique in that they combine music and mental health while remaining extremely enjoyable and entertaining.
Our proudest accomplishment is that we are resilient. Dark Squad Entertainment was incorporated with no funds, directly before the start of a worldwide pandemic in which all entertainment venues were closed. Despite opening in late Fall 2019, with the pandemic lockdown occurring mere months after, we found a way to provide services during the entire pandemic.
As schools closed, we took our services to youth based organizations providing dynamic interactive virtual afterschool programming. Once some CDC restrictions were lifted, we visited community groups and asked for permission to socially distance tables and chairs outside of their facilities. Our request granted, we moved to holding music programs outside. Consequently, during the course of the pandemic, we provided music therapeutic programs to senior citizen groups, foster homes, single parent groups, grief support groups, and afterschool programs.
Dark Squad Entertainment provides music services in all countries. We are available for in person or remote services. A company that supports entertainers, we highlight artists and creatives on our YouTube podcast, showcase indie music, and provide services that support creatives, businesses, community organizations, and individuals looking for quality music programs and services.
Finally, we write, record, and distribute music by Eclipse and other artists. Our latest EP, CODE, was released in late Fall 2023. Our EP, Darkness Falls, debuted on all streaming platforms at the close of November 2023.
A music entertainment brand. Our services include:
Songwriting
Ghostwriting
Editing of Written Songs or Verses
Studio Coaching Sessions
Music Expressive Arts Programs
Rap Training
Vocal Training
Workforce Development
Virtual Open Mics
Virtual Parties for Corporate, Personal, or Entertainment Use
Artist Development
Music Therapeutic Programs for Corporate, Personal, or Entertainment Use
Podcast (Interviews, Guests, Trivia, Entertainment)
Can you talk to us about how your funded your business?
Dark Squad Entertainment believes in the power of simply getting started. We began our journey with no funds and no major equipment. Although it is wise advice to ensure that your business has capital at inception, we did not have that luxury. What we did have, however, was combined decades of expertise.
Many times in business, your most valuable asset is what you know. Between myself CEO, Charles “Eclipse” Barnes, Jr. and the COO who holds a PhD in communications, we had an extremely strong level of expertise in sales, education, networking, forming partnerships, and creating impactful programs. We leveraged this knowledge by partnering with community organizations who had space and funding but lacked expertise in creating the types of programming and services that we were capable of designing and executing.
While advisable to have capital before starting any business, never underestimate the worth of your expertise. Especially, if your expertise serves a niche population where experts in your field are not easy, nor inexpensive to find.
After the community at large saw the impact and quality of our services, we were approached with leads on possible grants. Writing for grants is time consuming, can be confusing and a bit intimidating. Nonetheless, we completed every grant application referred to us.
Six months after going into business with no capital, we won a tiny grant for $500. We were absolutely elated! For some, the relatively small amount of $500 was what they focused upon. For us, it meant new beginnings. It symbolized that there were entities in existence that believed in our services and expertise to such high extent until they were willing to put money behind it. That endorsement and the confidence boost that this small grant gave to Dark Squad Entertainment was priceless.
In summary, we didn’t have any initial capital when opening the business. We simply got started. However, with over two decades expertise in business we knew that we could leverage both that experience and our community relationships until such time as capital could be raised.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
At 40 years old, through the support of my COO, I willed myself to pursue my dream of working in entertainment by starting of my own label, Dark Squad Entertainment.
Creating Dark Squad Entertainment is a story of resilience. At 40, working a conventional 9-5, I thought that it was too late for me to follow my dreams. Going out on faith and starting over in a new career path at that age filled me with anxiety. As a man, I have responsibilites. How would he public receive me? Is dreaming at 40 even sensible? What if I failed?
Overcoming these doubts and finding the courage to start again is a tribute to all my fallen friends who didn’t live to follow thier own dreams nor celebrate this success with me. This accomplishment is for them. It is also for all those who have a gift, a passion, a fire inside, but through the worst of life circumstances aren’t able to achieve their goals. If there is anything that I want you to remember from this article, it’s that it is never too late to believe in yourself. To step out on faith whether you fail or succeed and create your own journey.
The biggest illustration of my resilience, you ask? My music. I want people to know that it’s OK to be human in music, to be real, to share loss, pain and grief.
Dark Squad Entertainment represents resilience. I have seen many people fold and crack under the pressure of mental trauma. In my EPs, CODE and Darkness Falls, what I most want people to take away from the music is authenticity. When I speak about my pain, anger, fear, joy and sadness, know that I speak from a real place.
The Bible says, ‘From the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.’ And that’s what my music is, my heart speaking. I also want people to know that I understand. Challenges, trauma, things that leave us forever changed, the everyday fight to keep going. From human being to human being, I understand. I am telling the story of my life but in many ways, I am telling a story that belongs to all of us.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.washingtoninformer.com/dc-dream-center-rap-mental-health/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darksquadentertainment
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Eclipse-Dark-Squad-Entertainment/100070121354553/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@DarkSquadEntertainment
- Other: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/65174N80pMifU6ZzmUBxfi
- Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/eclipse/1604488090
Image Credits
LaTonia Sanders Photography