Matt Barnett grew up dreaming about explosives. At fourteen he blew up his hand, looked death in the face, and kept going. Today he is one of the most fascinating figures in the world of high explosives, working with everything from avalanche control to government agencies and major media productions.
This conversation goes far beyond blowing things up. Matt opens up about the accident that reshaped him, the philosophy that guides his life, the power of visualization, raising strong kids, and why danger and purpose are tied together for anyone who wants to live a real life.
If you have ever wondered what drives someone to chase a childhood obsession into a career most people would never dare to try, this episode will pull you in. Explosives, chemistry, freedom, leadership, self reliance, personal growth, and the fire it takes to build something meaningful. It is all here.
What you will hear in this episode:
• How a kid with a chemistry set became an explosives expert
• The accident that nearly took Matt’s life and what he learned from it
• Why humans are wired to crave controlled danger
• The mindset that separates dreamers from builders
• Raising kids in a world that fears risk
• What freedom, responsibility, and legacy really look like
• Why modern society is starving for men who refuse to live small lives
If you love conversations about resilience, purpose, freedom, and the people who shape their own world instead of waiting for permission, this one will hit home.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattexplodesstuff
Website / Leadership Camp: https://www.impresariocamp.com/
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Silvercore Club - https://bit.ly/2RiREb4
Online Training - https://bit.ly/3nJKx7U
Other Training & Services - https://bit.ly/3vw6kSU
Merchandise - https://bit.ly/3ecyvk9
Blog Page - https://bit.ly/3nEHs8W
Host Instagram - @Bader.Trav https://www.instagram.com/bader.trav
Silvercore Instagram - @SilvercoreOutdoors https://www.instagram.com/silvercoreoutdoors
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TIMESTAMPS
00:00 The spark that starts a life in explosives
00:41 Travis welcomes Matt Barnett
01:00 Why humans are drawn to things that go boom
01:51 Order, chaos, and the intoxication of controlled destruction
02:42 Childhood experiments with fireworks and gunpowder
04:18 Matt learns to make black powder at seven
05:00 The obsession with creating without limits
06:07 Chemistry, invention, and the ADHD mind
07:27 Growing up with explosive hobbies
08:57 Talking openly about dangerous knowledge
10:41 Where the line sits between education and harm
11:49 Using explosives to make the world safer
13:01 Childhood accidents and lessons learned
16:04 Matt’s near fatal blast at fourteen
17:50 Seeing the reality of destruction up close
19:14 How the accident changed his view of war and life
20:00 Parents, dynamite, and early experiments
22:00 Raising kids around explosives and responsibility
24:00 How business in the energetics world really works
25:16 The surprising truth about social media and notoriety
26:00 What it is like to film explosive content
27:32 The camera confidence Matt learned as a kid
28:36 What Matt would tell his younger self
29:00 Building a business inside a maze of regulation
30:15 Travis compares the Canadian system
33:00 The cultural divide in how nations regulate freedom
36:00 Why local control matters
38:06 The challenges of trying to build in Canada
40:41 A firearms case that shaped Travis view of the system
43:18 Matt’s drive through Canada and observations
45:00 Understanding different legal cultures
46:27 The origin of Benetti
46:44 What impresario means to Matt
48:00 Why Matt teaches leadership
50:15 When leadership pushes people to leave the status quo
51:00 The clients who can afford it, and those who truly need it
52:00 What legacy really means
53:16 Why his children are his real contribution
54:00 Raising kids like frontier families
55:56 The human experience is not meant to be safe
57:00 Why some of us need risk to feel alive
58:00 Matt’s time in the hospital and what it taught him
59:37 The turtle that changed everything
01:00:20 The power of visualization
01:01:20 What Matt sees for his future
01:03:00 Why the world still needs wild men
01:06:00 Final thoughts on compassion, responsibility, and becoming better humans
01:08:45 Closing