Breanna Barnes

Operations Officer, Future Anything

Meet Future Anything is our quickfire interview series where we hit up our legendary team members to learn a little more about the people in the famous Future Anything T-shirts! In this edition, we talk to Breanna Barnes, our incredible Operations Officer.

1. What is a fun fact about yourself that no one would guess about you?

I rode horses competitively until I was 20.

2. What is your top career highlight to date?

My top career highlight would definitely have to be when I managed a groups of 17 Aussie startup leaders on a trade mission through a snow bomb cyclone in the United States. It has exhilarating having keep so many participants happy (and dry!) as well as re-book and re-schedule the entire mission program for so many people in a short amount of time.

3. What brought you to Future Anything?

There were many things that brought me to Future Anything, but the main reason was inspiring Aussie youth to think big and think outside the box so that they can expand their capabilities and knowledge to lead them to exciting futures.

4. What excites you most about Future Anything’s work?

I’m excited about the fact that Future Anything is inspiring students to change their mindset, and to bring them into the headspace where they have the capacity to change the world and bend the future.

5. What is a goal that you are currently working towards?

I would love to go on a family holiday to Japan next year. It would be amazing to experience the culture, food and see all the unique sights. My entire family are foodies and we would love to experience the endless food options in Japan. It is our dream holiday destination.

6. Who is your biggest inspiration and why?

This is very clichéd but Taylor Swift. She is such a talented, strong, creative, smart woman who is also an amazing businesswoman.

7. A quick fast five:

• Coffee or Tea – This is hard, I love to drink coffee every day, but I always say that tea is a hug in a cup.

• Books or podcasts – Books

• Savoury or Sweet – Savoury

• Summer or Winter – Summer

• Beach or Mountains – Both, I can’t choose!

8. Lastly – favourite book or podcast you would recommend and why?

I really like a podcast called “Ladies We Need to Talk” with Yumi Stynes. It is a great 30-minute listen, and you learn so much from it.

More about Future Anything’s Breanna Barnes

Having spent much of her career in the corporate world, Breanna Barnes discovered a passion for supporting entrepreneurs to scale globally through her operations role at Startup Catalyst. Breanna is an operational gun contributing to over 20 international trade missions across four countries. She has co-led missions to London and the US, connecting with brilliant minds from diverse backgrounds.

Breanna has been fortunate enough to meet and learn from Australia’s top-notch entrepreneurs, investors, and global ecosystem leaders during this time.

In her role with Future Anything, Breanna ensures the smooth running of our programs and activities, sharing her startup ecosystem expertise with the team and our schools.