📈John Barnes

Pendleton Street Advisors is a financial advisory firm to business owners. Founded in 2013, the firm’s areas of expertise are valuation consulting, succession planning, personal financial planning, mergers and acquisitions advice, and investment management. We specialize in helping our clients work through make-or-break financial issues in their company that have spillover effects into their personal finances.

President & CEO

John Barnes

“I don’t want to feel dumb in front of my CPA.” 🤓 

A client told me this last month, and I wish more owners said it out loud.

Here’s a small secret from my world:

Most CPAs aren’t explaining things poorly on purpose.
They’re just not trained to translate.

To them:
Accrual adjustments
Revenue recognition timing
Depreciation schedules
Working capital swings
Inventory cost roll-forwards
…are second nature.

But to a business owner with 11,000,000 in revenue who’s busy actually running the business, those concepts feel like reading sheet music when you’ve only ever listened to the radio.

You’re not dumb.
You’re overloaded.

And when your CPA tries to explain why you “made money but don’t have money,” but can’t show you what to do about it… that’s where we step in.

Business owners don’t need a lecture.
They need a bridge to connect the two sides. 🌉 

Start here:
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#yourbizyourinvestment

photo cred: NY City History Museum

Helping business owners get more from their largest investment | CEO at Pendleton Street Business Advisors

Want to know the most expensive sentence ever uttered by the owner of a $10M home service business?

“The sales are there. I just don’t know where the money’s going.”
 
Last week I sat with a business owner in South Carolina who said the above sentence.

I’ve heard it… oh… about 4,000 times now.

So we dug in.

Here’s where it was going:
$380K sitting in AR over 60 days

Inventory that had quietly grown 22% in 9 months

Two “temporary” new hires who apparently weren’t temporary

A pricing change they made in January that looked good on paper but shaved 3% off contribution margin

Nothing earth-shattering.
Just normal business stuff that slowly squeezes cash out of the company.

Most owners think cash flow problems come from big dramatic events.
In reality, it’s death by a thousand everyday decisions.

If your cash is acting like it’s on a crash diet but your P&L says everything is great…you’re not crazy. But you may need some help, 

Start here:
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https://lnkd.in/eS6pu-Ae
#yourbizyourinvestment

Also: drop it in the comments if you know what movie this pic is from. It might be one of my top 3 favorite movies of all time---plus Pacino is in the middle of a level 10 rant in the film, and it's a classic. LOL

photo cred: movie web

It’s that time of year when I feel my inner Clark Griswold start to well up.

And it’s not just about Thanksgiving and Christmas, and all the fun holiday stuff.

It’s the business planning I do for myself. 🤠 
It’s the sharing of the plans, and getting the feedback. 🧩 
It’s talking to my CPA about fine tuning estimated tax payments. 📈 
It’s thinking about smart acceleration of *some* expenses (after that CPA talk) 🥩 
It’s about talking to my banker about the LOC renewal/increase request 🤑 
(yep, every biz needs one, even mine!)
It’s about spending two days away by myself to think/pray/plan about the year ahead. 🌲 

These are all part of that cherry on top of the holiday season. 🦃 🍒 
I love it so much.

JOOOOOOYYYYY TOOOOOOO THEWORLD 
(too soon?? NAH!!)

If you’re coming into the end of the year, and you’re feeling like the lumps of coal are already piling up in your stocking because the (your?) numbers aren’t what you thought they’d be…help may be a teensy click away.
Start here:
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#yourbusinessyourinvestment

photo credit: Warner Brothers

How do you know you have business financial decision fatigue that’s got you on the fast track to burn out?

A few signs I see all the time:

🔥 You check the bank balance before approving a purchase.

🔥 You “hope” payroll timing works out.

🔥 You keep two sets of numbers in your head: the “real” ones and the “I think we’re okay” ones.

🔥 You avoid conversations with your controller because you know it’s going to be “a thing”.

🔥 You’re mentally running cash flow scenarios while trying to enjoy your daughter’s recital.

Most owners can handle long days, complex projects, growth pains…but carrying the whole financial picture yourself eventually wears you down.

You don’t need relief from the work.
You need relief from the weight.

And 9 times out of 10, that weight disappears when the financials finally make sense — and someone else is carrying the numbers with you.
Need some help with that load? 
Start here:
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https://lnkd.in/eS6pu-Ae
#yourbizyourinvestment

photo cred: taste of cinema

I write almost every day about things business owners are doing, should be doing, or are not doing financially.

There’s not a lot to be said that hasn’t already been said. 

And I hate to break to the newest 300-400 folks that have recently followed me, but…..

Most of the things that will help a business owner build a fortress-like balance sheet, or help them live to tell about your hyper-revenue growth, or get them to a point where they don’t feel like a wishbone being pulled in both directions by business expenses and personal needs…..

aren’t that exciting. 

They’re pretty ordinary. Boring even.

And that’s exactly what makes them such a challenge. 

I think human nature works against us, and makes us want those things to be revelations, or earth shattering discoveries. And in the 21st century, we expect those things to be served up in bite sized packages that are attractive, and ultra-convenient.

But the fact is, hidden knowledge, or just plain ignorance is a worthy adversary.

As a business owner myself, I’ve personally experienced a lot of these lessons myself. And if I’m honest, I had to learn more than I’d care to admit the hard way. 

Helping business owners overcome and thrive in the midst of those financial challenges is what gets me up in the morning. (well, that, and the coffee—I’m not a complete animal).

I love helping business owners un-snarl themselves financially—so that they can set direction and create motion in their businesses, and make them the most valuable investment they own. 

If that sounds like something you want for your investment in 2026---

Start here:
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#yourbizyourinvestment

photo cred: biography

I get asked all the time: 

“what’s the best financial thing I can do for my business?” 🤓 

Here’s my simple response:

“Don’t run out of cash.” 😵‍💫 

The response is simple, but it can be difficult to do.

But if you run out---that’s what going to send you back to corporate.

And the threat of “getting a job” for someone who owns their business---ought to scare the daylights out of you. 😱 

Don’t get too upset—work is honorable. Being employed is a good thing.
But a lot of business owners started/bought a business---to get out of the grind of being employed by someone else. 🤠 

I’m happily unemployable---so I have to keep owning my business. 🤣 

Happy Thanksgiving! 🦃

GG understands these things; so can you. 

Read my article, and you'll be grinning like you just stole something also. 😻

A practical guide for owners leading companies between $5M and $50M in revenue. Most business owners I talk to understand their company at a deeper le

Open article: The 7 Most Misunderstood Business Financial Terms — And What They Actually Mean for Your Business
 by 📈John Barnes • 4 min read

The 7 Most Misunderstood Business Financial Terms — And What They Actually Mean for Your Business

Every company has that one person everyone calls when something breaks.

In most businesses I work with, that’s the owner.

But, here’s the trap:
When you’re the chief problem-solver, it’s really hard to be the chief strategist.

Examples from the last few weeks:

A $12M contractor spending 8+ hours a week chasing receivables.

A $9M distributor approving every purchase order over $1,000(!)

A $22M manufacturer personally negotiating every equipment purchase(!)

A $7.5M service company owner manually reviewing the weekly time sheets “just to be safe”

Sheesh. 😵‍💫 

These aren’t “bad” habits.
They’re survival habits that have outlived their usefulness.

And they sneakily cost the business:
📉 lost margin
📉 slower decisions
📉 delayed reinvestment
📉 cash flow guessing
📉 and an owner who’s tired for the wrong reasons

When you stop solving every little thing, you finally have time to focus on the big stuff; the things that actually increase the business’s value. 📈 

If you’re looking to tackle some of the big stuff in 2026, and are looking for a guide who’s “been there, and done that---with business owners in 15 states (and counting!), 

Start here:
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#yourbizyourinvestment

"Hello, I'm Winston Wolf...I solve problems."  
One of THE great movie lines of all time, in a film that's full of 'em.

Softdocs

- Spearheaded customer-focused initiatives by conducting in-depth customer interviews, meticulously designing interview processes, and facilitating design sprints. These efforts were instrumental in aligning our product offerings with customer needs and preferences.

- Implemented and managed a new customer feedback portal, creating a structured system for capturing valuable insights. This involved actively engaging with customers to gather feedback, ensuring their voices were heard and incorporated into the product development lifecycle.

- Collaborated seamlessly with cross-functional teams, particularly Product Management (PM) and User Experience (UX), to align product features with business goals. Worked closely on designing business models that addressed market demands and enhanced product value. This collaboration played a pivotal role in shaping the strategic direction of our product offerings.

- Proactively contributed to the business by making well-founded business case recommendations. Leveraged insights from customer feedback, market intelligence, and collaboration with internal teams to provide data-driven recommendations that supported decision-making processes.

- Performed all responsibilities remotely, highlighting effective communication and collaboration skills. Demonstrated a high level of autonomy and accountability, ensuring that project objectives were met seamlessly in a virtual work environment.

Product Analyst

Product Owner

South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation

- Decreased time to resolve complaints by 29% by establishing and leading an ongoing cross-functional task force that seeks to continually improve employee morale, quality, and speed of work within our investigations team.
- Made program, process, and policy decisions with the Agency Deputy Director and Agency Director after conducting research, data analysis, and conversations with internal and external stakeholders.
- Led or participated in many aspects of the Agency's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, I led the Agency's transition to all virtual board meetings. In FY20-21, the Agency conducted 227 public board meetings using WebEx.
- Led the implementation of the Agency's agreement with CE Broker to track licensee continuing education requirements for all 28 eligible boards. Licensee participation increased 47% from FY20 to FY21. Led the procurement and negotiation process for the agreement renewal through 2026.

Assistant Deputy Director

University of South Carolina

- Collaborated with the US Chamber of Commerce, SC Chamber of Commerce, and SC Department of Administration to plan 2 annual conferences designed to bring together the cybersecurity business community with CISOs and other IT professionals from state, county, and municipal government agencies.
- Statewide programmatic responsibility for five focus areas including training and workforce development, education, advanced technology development and commercialization, knowledge management, and critical infrastructure protection.
- Responsible for strategic planning, oversight of expenditures, and relationship management with ~25 corporate partners.
- Directed the creation of an asset map that identifies cybersecurity and information technology degree and certificate programs throughout the state. This resource was provided to SC high school guidance counselors through a partnership with the SC Department of Education.
- Delivered presentations to North Augusta and Aiken middle school students on online safety and careers in cybersecurity and information technology.

Senior Program Manager

USC Columbia Technology Incubator

- Developed, marketed, directed, and instructed 3 cohorts through our startup accelerator program. This program, a partnership between the Incubator, SC Jobs and Economic Development Authority, and the University of South Carolina provided direct business planning, consultation, funding, and technical assistance to ~30 startup companies.
- Directed strategic planning and management for all startup support programs. Created, implemented, and supervised a structured program to assist startups from inception through successful completion of the program.
- Responsible for one-on-one consultation and advisement sessions with startup companies, and responsible for connecting them with a network of ~20 volunteer mentors.
- Oversight of internal and external communications and outreach efforts. Increased brand awareness through public speaking at entrepreneurship related events, invited guest lectures, and interviews with print and online media.
- Established and led the working group to coordinate Columbia's Global Entrepreneurship Week in 2015 and 2016, which led to over 2,000 entrepreneurs, designers, and developers attending related seminars, networking events, and workshops; culminating in Columbia's Startup Weekend in partnership with Techstars.
- Established key relationships with Amazon Web Services and HubSpot to provide startups with low cost access to cloud computing infrastructure and targeted marketing tools.

Managing Director

- Oversaw implementation of the university's research strategic plan and related communications strategy. These responsibilities required frequent interaction with senior administration and faculty, and their counterparts from other institutions.
- Conducted research, data analysis, and made program recommendations to the Vice President for Research.
- Focused efforts on the development and retention of talented young faculty, including the creation and management of the ASPIRE seed grant program and Breakthrough Awards program. For these programs, established and led standing faculty awards committees and developed transparent awards guidelines.

Operations Manager

Mill Music, Inc.

- Operated boutique rehearsal studio, provided entertainment management and consultation services.
- Produced and co-hosted 50+ episodes of The Weekly Monitor, a weekly podcast covering the music and arts scene in Columbia with a listenership of ~1,000 each week.
- Provided internship experiences and supervised 4 student interns.

Founder

Audacity Recording Studios

- Developed a comprehensive marketing strategy that prioritized product offerings to maximize revenue with existing clients and generate new business. This strategy was a major factor in the company’s ability to thrive during and after the recession of 2008.
- Negotiated contracts and budgets, and directed creative and technical processes for recording projects.

Project Manager and Producer

ME Productions - Corporate destination management and event planning firm

- Designed entertainment including musical, visual, and performance art for high end private and corporate events.
- Reported to executive management team and collaborated with sales and creative departments to incorporate entertainment options into client proposals. 
- Controlled cost and maximized profit margins through effective relationship management. I regularly exceeded targets of 50% margin.
- Managed entertainment planning and on site logistics.

Director, Music and Entertainment

I have over four years of experience in leading and supporting customer-focused initiatives that align product features with business goals. I have a strong background in product strategy, customer development, stakeholder relations, design thinking, and agile methodologies.

In my most recent role at Softdocs, I spearheaded customer-focused initiatives by conducting in-depth customer interviews, meticulously designing interview processes, and facilitating design sprints. These efforts were instrumental in aligning our product offerings with customer needs and preferences. I also implemented and managed a new customer feedback portal, creating a structured system for capturing valuable insights. I collaborated seamlessly with cross-functional teams, particularly Product Management and User Experience, to align product features with business goals.

I am passionate about delivering value to delight my customers and stakeholders. I am naturally curious, and I am fascinated by others’ ideas and the connections between them. I enjoy producing work products that quickly deliver value to delight my customers. I enjoy collaborating with my team and seek to understand the underlying motivations, root causes, and pain points for the people I work with, my stakeholders, and my customers. I strive to be authentic, transparent, inclusive, and accountable.

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