Coach Chuck Barnard is an author, speaker and teen mindset coach who has been in the education industry for over 30 years. Chuck has a master’s degree in special education, is certified in Advanced Behavioral Modeling, and is a Master NLP, Time-Line Therapy® and Hypnotherapy Practitioner. He has been a skier for 56 years, has walked across burning coals with Tony Robbins on three different occasions and loves traveling. Chuck has been a baseball player or coach for 50 years. Chuck’s greatest passion is to see teenagers become champions not only on the athletic field and in the classroom, but most importantly in life.
Navigating Challenges on the Road to Success: Overcoming and Learning
Chuck Barnard’s journey unfolded in two distinct phases. The first part of the journey began right out of college in 1986, with the aspiration of entering the Navy flight program. However, that dream remained unfulfilled, as he received a rejection letter. On the same day, a phone call from the library brought an unexpected turn of events. His mother had reserved a copy of Tony Robbins’ book, “Unlimited Power,” after both had seen him on a talk show. By the end of the summer in 1987, he had obtained his NLP certification from Tony Robbins and had intentions of following in his footsteps, bringing these principles back to Maine and New England. Despite his passion, success in business proved elusive, and he lacked the necessary knowledge to navigate this new terrain. Seeking further training, he pursued certification in Advanced Behavioral Modeling. This led him to counsel individuals on weight loss and smoking cessation, which he found unsatisfying, and work with young athletes, which he enjoyed but didn’t provide substantial income. By the close of the 1980s, he found himself financially strained, and his dream of establishing his own school appeared distant.
Amidst uncertainty, he considered the advice of many and decided to explore a different path. Applying for a program at the local university, he initially faced rejection. However, one of the professors, impressed by his background, offered an alternative opportunity—a new program geared towards future middle school teachers. Armed with substantial student loans and supplemented income from coaching, he embarked on this journey. His initial endeavor didn’t yield a teaching position, leading to a year of substitute teaching and coaching various sports, alongside private coaching.
The following year appeared equally challenging, until, unexpectedly, two job offers emerged just days before the start of the school year. The first arose from his role as an assistant summer recreation director at a residential school for students with emotional challenges. The headmaster, aware of his teaching license, extended a job offer. Simultaneously, the school department in his hometown inquired about his interest in a job as an education technician, despite his lack of application. Accepting both offers, he juggled teaching students with significant behavioral issues, gaining valuable experience in a unique context. It was during these years that he met his future wife, marking a compelling chapter in his journey.
For eight years, he dedicated himself to the Auburn Middle School Day Treatment program, which he initiated, and worked with a dedicated team of educators. Eventually, a new opportunity beckoned in an affluent suburban area, and he seized it. Although the program he established in his hometown continued without him for only a year, he continued his mission of helping students facing scholastic challenges, often stemming from their mindset. Collaboration with steadfast colleagues further enriched his knowledge and expertise. This thirty-year period prepared him for the next phase of his life.
In 2019, he felt a resurgence of his dream to work with more students and establish a “school.” Modern technology presented a chance to reach a wider audience without the constraints of a physical institution. His journey took an unexpected turn as he sought to guide his son in exploring internet marketing and business opportunities. However, his son struggled to identify a marketable offering, leading to the creation of Success Institutes, which focused on mindset transformation from a fixed to a growth perspective.
Despite their limited understanding of business and marketing, they invested in courses and followed a particular company’s approach to selling high-ticket offers. Optimism abounded, with dreams of early retirement and a successful business venture. Yet, after three months of adhering to the company’s strategy for running Facebook ads without any significant results, he decided to regroup.
The emergence of COVID-19 introduced new challenges. He continued working on organically building traffic to his informational website, growthmindsettrainingacademy.com. By the fall of 2021, he revisited the high-ticket offer blueprint, this time determined to make it work. Technical difficulties prompted him to seek help within a Facebook group associated with the company, setting off a journey that led him to his present circumstances. Through newfound connections, he invested heavily in technology and branding, opening up new opportunities.
His primary focus now revolves around marketing to schools, offering programs designed to shift mindset towards the crucial growth perspective. These programs connect with parents and students who recognize the value of his private offerings. Athletes, given their understanding of the importance of mindset and self-investment, form a significant target group. As he engages with schools, parents, and students, he continues to evolve his mission and impact lives through the power of a growth mindset.
Wisdom for Aspiring Entrepreneurs: Lessons from the Journey
Four things: mindset, branding, marketing, and business financial literacy. From the beginning, Chuck wanted to teach and coach people, but he didn’t really understand the idea of developing authority and expertise, or marketing (outside of just running ads), and really only had the simplest idea of balancing a checkbook and tracking basic expenses. He needed to bring on experts in those areas but didn’t really think about how to raise capital and go about all of that. He had a fear of asking for financial support and letting people down. He was still working on his own mindset when he first started out and trying to conquer those nagging doubts and fears that can paralyze you.
Chuck said, “You really need to take inventory of yourself and identify strengths and weaknesses, and mindset obstacles and deal with all of that. You need to then apply synergy in your life and business and surround yourself with people who can complement your skill set. That does not necessarily mean you have to hire employees because you can outsource work.”
If you would like to get in touch with Chuck Barnard or his company, you can do it through his – Linkedin Page
