Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Corey Barnes. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Corey, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?
Back in February 2021…. My life changed forever… Life happened and I wasn’t equipped to handle it… came out of nowhere… I decided to deal with it all alone… and it was tough…real tuff.. but I endured… minute by minute.. day by day… I dealt with it… Then… I made a decision that I thought was mine at the time… I now know that it was God ordering my steps… I went away to hit the restart button.… didn’t tell anyone, didn’t plan anything, I just left… All of my life…I had never really been a risk taker. I had become very comfortable with being comfortable… I have since learned that a comfort zone is where most people go to die…So, one day I decided to take a risk that would change my life, but ultimately it looks like exactly what I was supposed to and needed to do.
Life happens to all of us. Sometimes we can predict it, and other times we cannot. In my case, I didn’t have any control over life happening to me. It came out of nowhere and I was ill equipped and unprepared to deal with it. I had been through plenty of obstacles in my life and made it through. So I was not adverse to difficult situations.
In my previous life, I was a principal at a Collegiate High School in Florida. I built the school from the ground up to one of the top high schools in the county and the state. We had 100% grad rates, sent plenty of students to college and much more. But in January of 2022, I decided to step down and resign and move to Georgia and start over. It was a life changing decision. I had built up my reputation over the past 30 years back in Lakeland, Florida. I had done so from an educational, athletic, and community perspective. But still, I walked away from it. At the time, I didn’t know that God had a purpose for the move.
The whispering came.. plenty of speculation, lot of lies, some truth here and there… I heard it all and ignored it all..and… that was tough…real tuff… Traumatic situations have a way of exposing the real and the fake just the same… hard lessons I had to learn…and since I am such a dedicated student… I learned the big lesson he was trying to teach me was to trust the process… that he had greater purpose for me than even I could imagine… that he had to take away everything I put ahead of him… he told me that I had to lose it all so that I could find me… All my life I have always done right by others… always made sure they were straight… people made withdrawals out of my physical, mental, and spiritual accounts without ever putting any deposits back into me…even in the midst of life happening to me, I was still helping others… So God saw fit, to change my address so he could change me…Couldn’t heal in the same place that you got hurt… All I kept hearing is trust me… I got you… I always have… My great grandmothr Dora Told me the same thing.. So did my grandmother Rozann… So I went through the storm… but a funny thing happened… I actually GREW in the storm… I got STRONGER in the storm…now I chuckle and laugh at it… God told me I’m gonna give you back everything I had to take away… and I’m gonna give it to you double for how you handled it…how you trusted me… how you never handled it how you wanted to..and he has already been replacing and enlarging my territory…
Since I have relocated, God has taken care of me better than I ever could have imagined… I have been able to start multiple businesses… I am now consulting… created and developed partnerships and relationships that have put me in position to elevate higher than I have ever dreamed of. Things have turned out well…and continue to get better…
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
My name is Corey J. Barnes. I am originally from Lakeland, Florida. I am a lifelong educator, coach, father, (soon to be) spouse, brother, and friend. My son is a Senior at Duquesne University where he plays football while majoring in Political Science. I got into education actually not on purpose. It was not my original plan. As a freshman in Tuskegee University, I actually wanted to be a computer engineer while on a football scholarship. But that route was not meant to be. Once I majored in Education, I continued on that path and still continue in that lane to this day. I graduated from the University of South Florida by way of Tuskegee University. I earned my Bachelor’s Degree in Education, majoring in Specific Learning Disabilities and minored at Elementary Education. I have been in education for 27 years. I started out as an elementary teacher, and in my career, I have had the privilege to serve in various roles, such as: a Basketball Coach, Dean of Students, Assistant Principal, Principal, and Adjunct Professor at the elementary, middle, high school, and college levels. I started my publishing company, Jaye Luv Publishing back in 2010, providing tutorial services, editing, resume writing/creation, proofreading, and professional services, while self publishing 3 novels and one anthology. I was a Co-Founder of a travel basketball organization named Lakeland Fire Youth Sports back in 1997, which is still in operation today. I was a head basketball coach for 21 years at 2 different high schools and on the travel ball circuit as well.
Since being in Georgia, I have expanded my reach and expanded my portfolio. I created Luv Doc Cleaning, Vending, and Design, which is a three pronged business model. Through our cleaning umbrella, we provide residential and commercial cleaning services and currently have multiple contracts while we continue to grow. Under our Vending arm, we provide high quality vending services to businesses. With our Design umbrella, we provide custom T-Shirt Design and other apparel products to our customers. Through Barnes Consulting Group, we provide educational consulting, specializing in Behavior Intervention. I am currently a Marcus Crisis Prevention Program (MCPP) certified trainer. I am also Gifted Endorsed and am currently completing my Coaching Endorsement .
I also founded Polk Hoops in 2019, which is a media platform that has become the #1 Source for high school basketball in the State of Florida. We essentially fuse basketball and culture that provides the heartbeat to Polk County. Through Study Smart Educational Services, we provide tutoring solutions through face to face and virtual options in a variety of subjects.
What sets me apart from others is my ability to build relationships and impact the culture and improve the outlook of those who I come in contact with and encounter and coach. I use my coaching experience to build effective and successful teams.
With our different brands and wide ranging services, we provide guaranteed results done with integrity and respect.
Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?
On my road to self discovery, these books have been a big help. I have read all of the following:
The Subtle Art of Not Giving A Fuck by Mark Munson– this book helped me to see that I don’t have always be so concerned with others, as well as that there is something to learn from our failures
Let Love Have the Last Word by Common – this book helped me to see the importance of therapy, that you have to present in the process, trusting God and learning to truly love yourself. This book was a BIG help.
Crushing by TD Jakes – this book was a BIG help too. This taught me that crushing and pruning is part of the plan. That God has to break us down to build us back up. God uses pressure to work us to power. I stopped saying Why Me? and began to say Why Not Me?
Courage to Change – this book helped me to understand the child of an alcoholic parent. This allowed me to better understand parts of my childhood.
The Perfect Day to Boss Up by Rick Ross – This book helped me to know that every day you should be working on what you want and where you are trying to be. No matter what you got going on in your life, you have to keep moving.
Set Boundaries, Find Peace by Nedra Glover Tawwab – this book was very practical. I have had trouble with setting boundaries in the past. I got some very good strategies for doing so with family, friends, coworkers and the like.
Difficult Conversations by Slone, Patton, and Heen – this book has helped with how to have conversations that are not easy. I sometimes struggle with this one so this book has helped me to learn how use better strategies to make these easier
The Psychology of Money….. – this book right here changed my whole outlook on how to think about money and how it works for (and sometimes against) us. Change your mind about money and it can change your life.
The Power of Broke by Daymond John – He uses other rags to riches to story to show how not wanting to be broke can be the biggest motivator to make yourself into a success.
Adversity of Life – Jeezy – Jeezy became a real estate and business mogul using his street smarts and way of doing business and making it legit and legal. Lots of gems in between the stories he tells.
Hustle Like You Broke – 50 Cent – 50 cent is one of the most underrated business minds today. His hustler background is a great recipe and blueprint for success.
The Tanning of America – Steve Stoute – this is still one of my most favorite reads. He was able to pivot and transition from one industry totally to another. The importance of culture on business and other areas of life is something I am looking to emulate in the industries that I am in.
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
I think the thing that has helped to build my reputation within my market is just good ole fashioned honesty and trust. The market that I serve can be sure that I am always putting their best interests first and it is of my utmost and foremost concern.
I pride myself on my discretion and my clients who I serve can be assured that their information and our services will be protected at all costs. Many of my clients come to me by way of word of mouth advertising. I am told on a regular basis that the quality of my work is only superceded by my integrity, fairnesss, honesty, and trust.
I was always taught that your reputation is important it is all that you have at the end of the day. So I protect mine in each and every part of my business.
Contact Info:
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/corey-barnes-edd-49914725/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@JayeLuvPublishing
- Other: [email protected]
