Today we’d like to introduce you to Josh Bartell
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I started Dudes of Cleveland because I have moved around for careers alot and just didn’t take time to make friends. After graduating highschool in Youngstown Ohio I joined the Marine Corps and moved to North Carolina. After the military I moved back home for some time, then to Houston, Topsail Island NC, Boca Raton Florida, Charlotte NC, Jacksonville FL, Cleveland OH, Coconut Creek FL, and then Back to Cleveland. I said I lost touch with childhood friends and we were just at different points in our lives. Moving around so much I never really set roots and took time to make friends. Not to mention getting married young and having kids I put all of my energy into work and family. I have since divorced and remarried. My kids are all teenagers now and my wife and I have settled in Cleveland. I realized that I was kind of lonely and somewhat depressed and desperately wanted community and genuine friendships. My wife was part of a group that helped her make friends with women. I thought how it was awesome and I looked for something like it for men. Problem was it didn’t exist. So I thought to myself I couldn’t be the only one who felt this way and started Dudes of Cleveland in October of 2024. The whole idea is hosting events where it takes away the awkwardness and pressure of making friends as an adult because everyone is going to these events for the same reasons. To have fun, maybe check out a place they haven’t been too and find like minded guys to make friends. We host 2-3 events a month all over the Cleveland area now and it has been absolutely life changing for me.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I wouldn’t call it a smooth road there are always challenges with setting up events and worrying if anyone will show. Or if you will sell enough tickets to cover the cost of the event. In some places I have had to come out of pocket to cover some of the expenses, but I don’t mind because this is a passion project for me. I love getting to meet all the new people and I’m making some life long friends in the process. I have also had some amazing support from so many local businesses and people all over Cleveland. Setting up the events and promoting them and doing the social media all while working a full time job will never be a smooth road. But I definitely think it’s worth the effort.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
My every day job is the Sr. Operations Manager for Mace Security International. I have in the past had a passion for baking and even owned my own bakery where I appeared on the food networks cupcake wars twice. I do very much so have an entrepreurial spirit though and my wife and I do have a few business ideas. She is the artist of the two of us though and is currently writing a book that she is planning to release in the fall where the story takes place in Cleveland. I think my proudest accomplishments when it comes to work though is definitely Dudes of Cleveland. It has pulled me out of my shell and I think it is something that is absolutely needed. Community and friendship is what life is all about. If you can’t share your life with people that get you and care about you and that you get and care about them what are we really doing here? Without community we are just going through the motions of life until it expires.
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
That I am not as socially awkward as I thought I was. I just wasn’t practicing and putting myself out there enough. I hadn’t found my tribe. I think the best piece of advice I received about my mentality and this works with so many aspects of life is to stop waiting for perfect. Progress over perfection. I used this when starting Dudes of Cleveland. I did put it off for sometime waiting for the perfect timing or the perfect venue. Perfect never comes. There will be bumps and learning opportunities. But just continue making progress with work, friendships, life, love. As long as you try to do better each day progress will always beat perfection because perfection is not attainable
Contact Info:
- Website: https://msha.ke/dudesofcleveland
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dudesofcleveland?igsh=YmI2d2Q0NTNleWVu
