"When I wrote that maintaining a work-life balance will keep you mediocre in an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal in August, I didn't think my views were that controversial. I built my first company, Step Up Social, from my dorm room during my 2021 and 2022 sophomore and junior years at Miami University. I received thousands of comments beneath the article and on social media on the three-and-a-half hours I slept on average each night, the classes I skipped, the friends I lost, and how I outsourced everything nonessential, including cooking food, meaning I gained 80 pounds."
"It was all so I could spend as much time as possible on my company, and get closer to achieving my goal of being a billionaire by age 30. Step Up Social was worth $15 million when I exited last year, and my second business, the employee upskilling platform Flashpass, is now valued at $50 million."
"What really surprised me was how negatively many people reacted. Some called me crazy, which I took as a compliment, as I've always been a bit weird. Others thought I was a jerk because I suggested they weren't making money because they weren't working hard enough."
Emil Barr started Step Up Social from his dorm at Miami University during his 2021 and 2022 sophomore and junior years. He worked intensely, averaging three-and-a-half hours of sleep per night, skipping classes, outsourcing nonessential tasks, and gaining 80 pounds. He pursued a goal of becoming a billionaire by age 30. Step Up Social was worth $15 million at exit, and his second company, the employee upskilling platform Flashpass, is valued at $50 million. His verified net worth exceeds $25 million. He continues to work long hours but has optimized his life to spend more time with family.
Read at Business Insider
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]