Meet Christian Barnes | President & Founder

We had the good fortune of connecting with Christian Barnes and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Christian, what habits do you feel play an important role in your life?

Reliability. In any long term businesses honesty is a key component to retaining and growing customers however, I think reliability runs tandem with honesty. Being there for your customers, making sure they can trust and believe in you as the creator, face and leader of the business.  The customer must be 100% sure you will be there to support them with simple to complex solutions to their problems and needs.

Patience. Patience is an inherent trait any successful angler or hunter must retain to be successful but furthermore, in entrepreneurship individuals should not unreasonably expect explosive success overnight. Sticking with your belief in the long term benefits of the business concept to the marketplace and patiently making decisions on pivots, staffing, marketing, capital investment must all be thought of in a methodical and concise manner.

Belief. You’ve got to be optimistic in the startup world and believe in yourself, your people and your customer. Sometimes the belief is the huge plunge we take to start a new concept but daily within our business we continue to believe in massive varieties of deliveries, vendors, operations, financing, investors, employees. You’ve got to believe in yourself and others to pull thru otherwise, good luck.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?

Expedition Outside has the mission of creating private land access on demand. While based in SW Colorado which is blessed with an abundance of public lands, I still noticed most public waterways and lands are under constant stress and increased man made pressures. All the while plenty of private properties are relatively underutilized for outdoor recreational activities. So I began to slowly create a marketplace in which anglers could get exclusive access to rivers in Colorado that were historically never fished. It was a win-win for anglers looking for new waters and lands to explore while also creating a new passive income stream for landowners. I am most proud of the balance thus far in the business, my angling clients are responsible and pleasant guests to these properties while landowners receive a financial incentive to allow access.

Also strong relationships are being built between my business angling clients and landowners themselves. We’ve connected the dots of two groups which can now utilize the free market for mutual benefit.

Heck no it was not easy and still isn’t. I started with zero properties on my marketplace when I formed my company in 2020. However, today I have 25 on 8 rivers within the state of Colorado and we are looking to aggressively grow our offerings in 2022. I hired the right team, built a reliable software backbone and listened to my clients and landowner’s desires and long term dreams.

People, particularly entrepreneurs, should understand the first individual over the breech takes the most flack. And yes I received criticism and was personally attacked by folks wanting to protect their own business interests but overall if you keep your head down and remain committed to your vision a path forward begins to open.

Expedition Outside wants people to know our goal is to grow opportunities for individuals looking for new outdoor adventures to experience on beautiful private locations. No crowds, just private relaxation in the great outdoors.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?

First I’d take them fly fishing on one of my exclusive properties on the Animas River close to Durango, CO. We’d enjoy a full day fishing miles of private water and watching the wildlife during lunch. Following that we’d camp a few nights along the sandstone canyons southwest of town, exploring the trails and climbing a few peaks.

I am a cook, so most nights in town we’d stay home and I’d fix some wild game (venison, elk, duck, or grouse) over a few bottles of wine.

Mesa Verde is another attraction everyone in the SW should visit the history is fascinating. Then a drive up into the San Juan mountains for an overnight camping trip to sit under the stars and enjoy the darkness and quite of a cool night by the campfire.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?

First off my wife, Amanda, if she wasn’t around to help provide advice, and support I’d be a ship without a sail. Also she does all this while working full time and providing me the opportunity to chase a dream.

Second, the Southwest Colorado Accelerator Program for Entrepreneurship (SCAPE) in Durango, Colorado. Expedition Outside was a participant in their 2019 Class. Elizabeth Marsh, John Wolgamott , and Gary Masner within SCAPE all of them provided significant knowledge, structure and networking opportunities in SW Colorado.

Lastly, Bill Bailey, CEO of Radiance Technologies in Huntsville, AL who remains the smartest and best leader I’ve ever worked. Along with Michael Anderson, the man who gave me my first job after college and always had my back in any situation. Both of these gentlemen we true examples of extraordinary leaders.

Website: www.expeditionoutside.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/expeditionoutside/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/expeditionoutside

Twitter: @expedout

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/expeditionoutside

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6Xfxe0tGZnXlp4espK7BRw