Meet Kelsey Barnes | Advertising Professional & Content Creator

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

Hi Kelsey, how do you think about risk?
Risk taking has been an inherent part of my life and career path. I was a figure skater for most of my life, which required daily risks – always pushing the limits of your body as an athlete and always at the risk of a bad fall.

As I moved into my career in the advertising industry, I learned that risk taking plays a huge roll, especially in decision making. Great work comes about when people are willing to ask unconventional questions and risk sounding stupid. It gets everyone to think differently and pushes the work outside of the box.

I also learned how much taking risks can pay off when my fiancé took and job in Amsterdam, and I decided to go with. I didn’t have a job lined up until yesterday weeks before we moved, which was terrifying. In the end, living abroad was one of the best experiences of my life and a risk totally worth taking.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’ve had a bit of an unconventional career path, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. I spent my life training as a figure skater and dreaming of the Olympics. When my career came to an unexpected end, I was forced to rethink things. I ended up going back to school and getting into the advertising industry. I was lucky enough to be able to find jobs within the industry in NYC and later, Amsterdam.

It was while in Amsterdam that I decide to start my blog and delve into the world of content creation. I have been running my blog for 4 years now, and I’ve had the opportunity to work with some amazing brands and connect with incredible people. It’s become my creative outlet and happy place outside of my 9-5.

There have been challenges all along the way, especially with career uncertainty while living abroad and during the pandemic. I’ve learned to stay positive, be nimble, and be open to all different types of jobs and careers. I spent two years in marketing in the beauty industry while abroad, and it was such a great learning experience. If you have an open mind, you’ll always find something new to learn.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
It’s been a while since I’ve lived in Colorado Springs for my training days, but I would definitely take my friend hiking. There’s so much natural beauty in Colorado right outside your door. I would also head to Shuga’s for a coffee, Omelette Parlor for a real American breakfast, and Amanda’s Fonda for Mexican.

It’s also always worth a day trip to Denver or to red rocks for a show

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to shoutout to my parents for encouraging me to take risks from a young age and peruse my dreams. I’d also like to shoutout my fiancé, Jon, for being my support system through all of life’s uncertainties.

Website: www.Kelseyybarnes.com

Instagram: @kelseyybarnes

Twitter: @kelseyybarnes

Facebook: @kelseyybarnes