Rich Barnes has been involved in the haircutting business since he was young as his father started the Cost Cutters and Supercuts businesses 25 years ago.  The company is now at 40 locations in three different states (Nebraska, Iowa and South Dakota).  Rich had always enjoyed the business, so he decided to enter the family business in 2003.

What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced professionally? – To “earn my own” in the family business and to take the business from a 20 store business to a 40 store location business. The difference between 20 and 40 was a tough transition with personnel and structure.

What has been your most important achievement professionally? – Creating and keeping a great working relationship with all my fellow employees who help us achieve a successful business. We truly have some of the most amazing people in the world who we work with, hair stylists are so great!

Tell me a little about your family. – The family consists of my fiancé Bethany, who is an amazing massage therapist at Bella Spa. She also graduated from Johnson and Wales Culinary School, which makes her an amazing chef too! Great combo for me.  We also have two dogs: Ruger, who is a Yellow lab/Golden mix and Diego who is a Puerto Rican street dog that is mixed with who knows what!

What do you see as one of the biggest turning points in your life? – Moving to Colorado when I was 19. I needed to leave Lincoln to get some real life experiences outside of the state (and to be a ski bum for a while). I learned a lot about myself (good and bad) and still use those lessons daily. I couldn’t imagine myself today if I didn’t at least try something different.

What is your favorite thing to do on a day off? – We LOVE to smoke all kinds of meats. We use a Big Green Egg to do lots of pork,beef and chicken. Or if we have time, travel to a close or far destination. We LOVE to travel all over and experience new worldly cultures. This mixes in quite well with our love of food.

What are you the most proud of? – I am very proud to be a part of a family business that has been successful for over 25 years. To see what my father has built and to be part of that is an amazing experience.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received? – To never take life too seriously. Also, to never concentrate on the past or future too much, “now” is all you can deal with at this moment.

If you could choose only one descriptive word to be remembered as, what would it be? – Kind

If you could have a super power, what would it be? – My Super power would have to be flying. Super strength is appealing but I LOVE to travel and flights are expensive!

What is your greatest talent that you don’t utilize in your daily work life? – My love for music, still trying to figure out how to incorporate that into the business.

Which talent would you most like to have? – I play the guitar a little bit but to actually be able to play it well.

If you could choose any other profession to be successful in, what would it be? – It would be heritage hog/cattle farming. I grew up helping on my grandparents farm and it was my first passion as a child.

What is your favorite book or the last good book you read? – It is hard to pick my favorite but I just finished up George R.R. Martin’s Dance with Dragons. I love all kinds of books but fantasy is my favorite. I am on book for or the “Dark Tower “ series now and am hooked!

What is your favorite movie? – One of my favorite movies is probably Snatch but Office Space would have to be up there too.

What is your favorite TV show? – Game of Thrones or Parks and Rec. I wish I was Ron Swanson.

What is your favorite local restaurant? – I don’t have just one but to name a few: Venue, Pho Nguyen, Super Taco, Parthenon and Issara. It is great to see Lincoln’s food scene change, slowly but surely. I hope the chain food movement will end soon in Lincoln because there could be some great opportunity.

If our readers would like to contact you, how should they do so? – You can contact me at (402) 423-9599 X108 or at rich.barnes@costcuttersne.com.