Obren V. Barnes is a seasoned professional with a diverse portfolio of expertise across business management, legal services, and education. He serves as a Managing Director for Vantagepoint Partners, LLC, a firm dedicated to providing business management and development services to start-up and early-stage companies. In addition to his role at Vantagepoint, Mr. Barnes is the founder and principal of Metropolitan Legal Associates, LLC, where he focuses on estate planning, business/corporate representation, and civil litigation. Mr. Barnes brings a wealth of experience in estate and wealth preservation planning, business and corporate representation, and negotiating marketing and endorsement deals. His expertise extends to coordinating public relations, special appearances, and media relations, making him a versatile advisor in various professional arenas. Since 2007, Mr. Barnes has been a thought leader in the college planning space. He began his journey with a national college planning company, assisting families and students in navigating the complex road to college. Starting as an enrollment consultant, where he consistently ranked among the top five nationally, he swiftly advanced to Regional Director for the Northeast Region. Under his leadership, his region repeatedly competed for and won "Region of the Year" honors. In 2019, Mr. Barnes was promoted to National Director of Student Enrollment, overseeing regional compliance, training protocols, and corporate directives for two sister companies. Throughout his 14-year tenure, he crafted national corporate policy, developed educational training materials, planned large-scale corporate events, delivered numerous speaking engagements, and recruited and trained highly skilled college planning sales professionals. His innovative and supportive leadership consistently delivered profitable results for corporate stakeholders. Mr. Barnes' extensive experience, combined with his passion and dedication to empowering and uplifting our youth, has inspired him to partner with EmpowerYouth Enterprises, LLC in this groundbreaking initiative. Mr. Barnes is also the co-host of the Generation Us Podcast, where a young baby boomer and a progressive millennial seek common ground through their generational differences. The podcast is available on Apple iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, and numerous other major platforms.