Draft:Emil Barr
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| Submission declined on 22 August 2025 by Aeon Sentinel (talk). This submission does not appear to be written in the formal tone expected of an encyclopedia article. Entries should be written from a neutral point of view, and should refer to a range of independent, reliable, published sources. Please rewrite your submission in a more encyclopedic format. Please make sure to avoid peacock terms that promote the subject.
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This draft has been resubmitted and is currently awaiting re-review. |  |
Comment: The draft is currently written in a promotional style, which is not suitable for Wikipedia. It will need to be revised into a neutral, encyclopaedic tone in order to improve the chances of acceptance. You may find the guidance at WP:BETTER useful.In addition, please incorporate appropriate internal wikilinks where relevant.Finally, I note that the editing history of this account suggests a possible conflict of interest, which you may wish to review before continuing. Aeon Sentinel (talk) 15:24, 22 August 2025 (UTC)
Emil Barr | |
|---|---|
| Born | 2003 (age 21–22) Russia |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Miami University |
| Occupation | Entrepreneur |
| Known for | Flashpass, Candid Network |
| Website | flashpasseducation.com |
Emil Barr (born 2003) is an American entrepreneur and founder of the education technology company Flashpass. He previously founded the social media agency Step Up Social, which later merged into Candid Network. He is also known for public commentary on work–life balance and early-stage entrepreneurship.
Early life and education
[edit]Barr was born in Russia and moved to the United States at age three. He grew up in Ohio and attended Miami University’s Farmer School of Business, where he studied economics and international business.[1]
Career
[edit]Step Up Social / Candid Network
[edit]While a freshman, Barr launched Step Up Social, a social media marketing agency. The business later merged into Candid Network, a creator-focused agency. He stated in a LinkedIn post that he secured a “billionaire client” while still in college.[2]
He also negotiated around $200,000 in tuition and project support from Miami University.[3][1]
Flashpass
[edit]During his junior year, Barr founded Flashpass, a digital upskilling platform offering training in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and Excel. Flashpass lists partnerships with Intel, Khan Academy, and others, and reports generating more than $5 million in grant-funded revenue for its clients within the first year.[4]
Media attention and public commentary
[edit]In August 2025, Barr authored an opinion piece in The Wall Street Journal titled “Work-Life Balance Will Keep You Mediocre,” in which he advocated for intense work during early adulthood in exchange for long-term flexibility.[5][6]
The article received widespread attention in outlets including Fortune, Times of India, New York Post, and others.[7][8][9]
Recognition
[edit]Barr was included in the 2024 Forbes 30 Under 30 Cincinnati list.[10] He is also a member of the Forbes Business Council and holds deferred admission to the Stanford Graduate School of Business.[11]
External links
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b Bleizeffer, Kristy (2025-06-13). "This Dorm Room Entrepreneur Earned $200K From His College While Building 2 Multimillion-Dollar Startups". Poets & Quants for Undergrads. Retrieved 2025-08-25.
- ^ Barr, Emil. "I landed a billionaire client for my social media agency". LinkedIn. Retrieved 2025-08-25.
- ^ "Startup-founder Emil Barr was paid $200,000 by his university". CNBC. 2025-06-04. Retrieved 2025-08-25.
- ^ "Flashpass – Building the Future of Workforce Development". Flashpass. Retrieved 2025-08-25.
- ^ Barr, Emil (2025-08-19). "Work-Life Balance Will Keep You Mediocre". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2025-08-25.
- ^ Ma, Jason (2025-08-24). "Gen Zer who built multimillion-dollar companies says work-life balance is a trap and lists 5 ways to 'optimize ruthlessly' during your peak years". Fortune. Retrieved 2025-09-12.
- ^ "Gen Z Work-Life Balance Debate". Fortune. 2025-08-24. Retrieved 2025-08-25.
- ^ "Who is Emil Barr? Stanford-bound entrepreneur calls work-life balance a hoax". Times of India. Retrieved 2025-08-25.
- ^ "Work-life balance is what keeps Gen Z mediocre". New York Post. 2025-08-23. Retrieved 2025-08-25.
- ^ "Four Miami alumni named to Forbes 30 Under 30 Cincinnati list". Miami University. 31 July 2024. Retrieved 2025-08-25.
- ^ "Emil Barr – Forbes Business Council". Forbes Councils. Retrieved 2025-08-25.
Category:Living people Category:2003 births Category:American company founders Category:American technology chief executives Category:Miami University alumni Category:American technology businesspeople