Classroom connection leads to FSB grad's future high-profile client
Emil Barr's persistence and patience paid off in landing a new client.
Classroom connection leads to FSB grad's future high-profile client
A recent Farmer School graduate’s connection with an alum through the John W. Altman Institute for Entrepreneurship – and some persistence -- led to the graduate’s social media company gaining a new high-profile client.
Emil Barr, a 2024 economics graduate, created StepUp Social while he was still at Miami, and was a member of the seventh cohort of student-led companies in the Altman Institute's RedHawk Launch Accelerator.
During an entrepreneurship capstone class, Barr met guest lecturer Chad Bronstein, founder of marketing company Fyllo/Semasio. “He shared his phone number with me, and implied some desire to potentially be an advisor to this new venture,” Barr said in a LinkedIn post. “I texted him three times but to no avail. I shrugged it off ~ life can get busy.”
“Six months later, I decided to follow up again and let him know we were raising money. He replied, saying he’d meet me in person if I could get myself to Chicago. At the time, I couldn’t,” Barr said.
“Fast forward a year and a half, he calls me out of the blue and asks if I know who (former professional wrestler) Hulk Hogan is. I said, ‘Of course, I know who Hulk Hogan is.’ He says, ‘I have Hulk Hogan on the other line - do you want your agency to manage his social media?’”
The decision, Barr said, was “an absolute no-brainer.”
Last month, StepUp Social began managing Hogan’s social media, as well as the media for Hogan’s new beer brand, Real American Beer – which Bronstein is a co-founder.
“Never underestimate the power of a follow-up - you never know what can come of one,” Barr said.
And now that they’ve met, what’s Hulk Hogan like? “Super down to earth and wicked smart.”
