Voices from the Workplace: Entrepreneurs Through Acquisition with Matt Barnes and Bob Larkin

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Aug 29, 2025

Matt Barnes, owner of Professional Touch Laundry Services, shares his inspiring journey of entrepreneurship through acquisition, emphasizing the importance of viewing ownership as shepherding. Bob Larkin, president of Treatment Technology, discusses the balance between risk-taking and surrendering to God’s will in business. Both guests highlight the need for community and support in the entrepreneurial landscape, advocating for workplaces that prioritize employee well-being and spiritual growth while showcasing their unique experiences of living out their faith in the marketplace.

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ANECDOTE

Prayer And Practical Care At Work

Matt Barnes describes buying a laundry business to live out faith practically among employees.
He recounts praying with managers and supporting a grieving employee with paid time off and food.

INSIGHT

Buying Freedom To Practice Faith

Buying a small business removed corporate limits on expressing faith and shaped daily ministry opportunities.
Entrepreneurship through acquisition let Barnes integrate faith without corporate governance constraints.

ADVICE

Consider ETA To Deploy Skills Faster

Consider ETA when you want to apply skills quickly into an existing operation instead of starting from scratch.
Be willing to risk resources and surrender to God's call when the opportunity aligns with your vocation.

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SUMMARY

What do we do when God asks us to make business risks for His kingdom? This episode dives into the world of entrepreneurship through acquisition (ETA) with two incredible stories of how God leads ordinary people into extraordinary ventures.

In the first half, we sit down with Matt Barnes, an ETA who acquired a laundry service, as he shares his story of how the Lord guided him into and through this journey of business ownership. In the second half, you'll hear a live recording from our annual Business for the Common Good event, where Denver Institute founder Jeff Haanen interviews another ETA, Bob Larkin. Each entrepreneur brings a unique perspective on integrating faith into business, creating caring work environments, and the risks and rewards of following God’s call in the marketplace. Together, their stories highlight the importance of community, wisdom, and a vision for businesses that prioritize both employee well-being and spiritual growth.

HIGHLIGHTS

On Ownership as Shepherding

"We bought a small business and we're functionally the shepherds or pastors of this group of people, most of which don't find themselves in church. And we think that that's an incredible opportunity to glorify the Lord in excellence in what we do, provide a service to the front range, and then care for our employees and their families while we do it." - Matt Barnes

On Risk

"....First and foremost is surrendering to the Lord's will. Treatment tech belongs to the Lord. It's very obvious to me in how he brought the business to the table, right? That's a huge blessing to look at one business and that be the business that you acquire and allow it to grow. And so every day I can look at Treatment Tech and say, this is yours, Lord. When things are going well, you're blessing us. When things are challenging, you're teaching us. And In both circumstances, you're drawing us closer to you, and I'm open to both of those." - Bob Larkin

RESOURCES

Download the episode transcript here
Learn more about Matt Barnes redemptive business story here from Christ At Work or this video by Aquiring Minds
Nominate a Founder or Mentor for our upcoming Denver Redemptive Lab this Fall November 12 to 14, 2025. Learn more about this 40-hour retreat intensive HERE.
The 5280 Fellowship is a 5-month learning community of spiritual formation, theology for work, and professional development that equips early- to mid-career Christian professionals to more faithfully engage their work. Applications for the 2026 cohort open on Monday, Sept. 1!
If you enjoyed the interview with Bob Larkin, join us at Business for the Common Good 2026 as we celebrate our 10th year of gathering business leaders on the Front Range.