Fact check: A 23-year-old founder says his net worth is $35 million.

Verdict: mixed — Trust Score 59/100

The Instagram post accurately states that Emil Barr is a 23-year-old founder with an estimated net worth of $35 million, and that he wrote an opinion piece for The Wall Street Journal. These claims are supported by 5 sources. However, the claim that Miami University was the only college he could afford is contradicted by reports of his acceptance to Columbia University. Additionally, specific revenue and margin figures for Step Up Social are not independently corroborated by external sources.

Platform
instagram
Source author
hardknocksnetwork — see all fact-checks of this account
Original post
https://www.instagram.com/p/Ddr4ZWEiCIr/?img_index=6&stkn=MTc4MmM1YmI2Ng==
Verified on
September 24, 2026
Verification ID
En4PWSN9eADENFcRf6MmMw

Original content reviewed

Platform: INSTAGRAM Author: @hardknocksnetwork --- Caption/Description --- His original goal was $100,000, not $35M. Emil Barr enrolled at Miami University because it was the only college he could afford. When Ivy League tuition was out of reach, he asked himself how hard it could be to make $100,000 for a year of school. Step Up Social answered that. He says the agency hit $1M in revenue in six months, and his first $1M in his own bank account came 14 months in. Then came Flashpass, built for workers AI could displace. It trains people in a new skill in 30 days or less and matches them with jobs. Users pay nothing, and state governments do. Barr says it has contracts in Ohio, Louisiana and Delaware, proposals out in 17 states, and is on pace for at least $8M this year. Follow @hardknocksnetwork, we show you who pays when the customer doesn't. #schoolofhardknocks #emilbarr #flashpass #stepupsocial #youngfounders --- Carousel/Slides (8 items) --- Slide 1 (image): Text: HKN A 23-YEAR-OLD FOUNDER SAYS HIS NET WORTH IS $35 MILLION Slide 2 (image): Text: I'M AN ENTREPRENEURSHIP CO-MAJOR EMIL BARR CHOSE MIAMI UNIVERSITY BECAUSE IT WAS THE ONLY COLLEGE HE COULD AFFORD Slide 3 (image): Text: $2M Annually In R 40% M Step-Up Social Media Agency Monthly Business | 3 Platforms Sister Company 100% State-Funded | Online Certification Business Step Up Soc HE STARTED STEP UP SOCIAL IN HIS DORM ROOM AFTER A CLASSMATE WITH 11M TIKTOK FOLLOWERS LANDED A SINGLE $200 BRAND DEAL Slide 4 (image): Text: ONE $2,000 A MONTH CONTRACT WITH KAO OPENED THE DOOR TO HIS NEXT 10 TO 15 BRANDS BRIDGE LOAN Company Loan Amount 11/15/2020 GAMBLING MAN NO RULES MICHAEL DELL PLAY NICE BUT WIN STEVE MARTINS THE ENTREPRENEUR Slide 5 (image): Text: AT 19, JUST 14 MONTHS AFTER STARTING STEP UP SOCIAL, HIS FIRST $1M HIT HIS BANK ACCOUNT Slide 6 (image): Text: HE PUT ABOUT $75,000 OF HIS OWN MONEY INTO A FLASHPASS DEMO THAT LANDED A $4M OHIO PILOT Slide 7 (image): Text: Interviews 4

Claims analyzed (10)

  1. verified: A 23-year-old founder says his net worth is $35 million.
    Multiple reputable sources, including Entrepreneur and Linder Financial Services, report Emil Barr's estimated net worth as $35 million at age 23.
  2. mixed: Emil Barr chose Miami University because it was the only college he could afford.
    While Barr stated he chose Miami University because it was the only college he could afford, other sources indicate he was accepted into Columbia University but found its tuition out of reach. He later negotiated tuition coverage and payments from Miami University.
  3. verified: Emil Barr started Step Up Social in his dorm room after a classmate with 11 million TikTok followers landed a single $200 brand deal.
    Emil Barr started Step Up Social from his dorm room. He was inspired after a classmate with 11 million TikTok followers received only a $200 brand deal, highlighting a market opportunity.
  4. unverifiable: Step Up Social Media Agency generates $2 million annually in revenue with a 40% margin.
    While Step Up Social's revenue has been reported as millions, the specific figure of $2 million annually with a 40% margin is not independently corroborated by external sources.
  5. mostly true: One $2,000 a month contract with Kao opened the door to his next 10 to 15 brands.
    Emil Barr stated that a $2,000 a month contract, which he underpriced, with a Fortune 500 brand (later identified as Procter & Gamble, a parent company of Kao) helped Step Up Social gain credibility and secure subsequent clients.
  6. verified: At 19, just 14 months after starting Step Up Social, Emil Barr's first $1 million hit his bank account.
    Multiple sources confirm that Emil Barr's first $1 million hit his bank account 14 months after starting Step Up Social, when he was 19 years old.
  7. verified: Emil Barr put about $75,000 of his own money into a Flashpass demo that landed a $4 million Ohio pilot.
    Reports indicate that Emil Barr invested approximately $75,000 of his own money to build a Flashpass demo, which subsequently secured a $4 million, two-year pilot contract in Ohio.
  8. mostly true: Flashpass is 100% state-funded and is an online certification business.
    Flashpass is an educational technology platform that partners with state governments and community colleges to provide online workforce development programs and certifications. While it is funded by state governments, the '100% state-funded' aspect may be an oversimplification, as it also involves partnerships with schools and potentially other funding mechanisms.
  9. verified: Barr says existing contracts put Flashpass on pace for at least $8 million this year, four times last year.
    Emil Barr has stated that Flashpass is on pace for at least $8 million in revenue this year, which would be a four-fold increase over last year's reported $2 million in annual revenue from the Ohio pilot.
  10. mostly true: Emil Barr wrote an opinion piece for The Wall Street Journal titled 'Work-Life Balance' Will Keep You Mediocre, published Tuesday, August 10, 2021.
    Emil Barr did write an opinion piece for The Wall Street Journal titled 'Work-Life Balance' Will Keep You Mediocre. However, it was published in August 2025, not August 2021.

Sources consulted (15)

Related verifications

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