Career Coach • Financial Literacy Advocate • Speaker • Author of Smarter Minds
Bill Barnett is a serial entrepreneur, author, and career and financial literacy coach who founded Smarter Minds Network after decades in media, education technology, and entertainment. He served as the first President of Radio Aahs — the first and only children’s radio network, which later became Radio Disney — co-founded Goldbar Entertainment, and built LikeLive, a video interview platform acquired by ETS (Educational Testing Service) in 2012. A USC alumnus, Bill has spoken at Harvard Business School and USC Marshall School of Business.
After building and selling multiple companies and hiring hundreds of employees, Bill kept seeing the same problem: smart, talented graduates arriving at work completely unprepared for the financial and professional realities of adult life. Not because they weren’t capable — because nobody had ever shown them the playbook.
That gap — between what schools teach and what life actually requires — is the reason Smarter Minds Network exists. Bill channels decades of frontline business experience into coaching, speaking, and curriculum development designed to give people the real-world skills that schools left out: money management, career strategy, networking, and long-term financial security.
The Career
Advertising & Media
Bill’s career began in advertising and communications, establishing a foundation that would span radio, television, film, internet, and mobile media. That cross-industry experience gave him a rare vantage point: he didn’t just understand one corner of the business world, he understood how deals, brands, and audiences intersect across media.
Radio Aahs — The Children’s Radio Network That Became Radio Disney
One of Bill’s earliest and most notable achievements was becoming the first President of Radio Aahs — which was, at the time, the first and only children’s radio network in existence. Radio Aahs later evolved and was rebranded as Radio Disney, one of the most recognizable children’s media brands in America. Bill was there at the beginning, building something that had never existed before.
Goldbar Entertainment
After Radio Aahs, Bill co-founded Goldbar Entertainment, a film and television production company that produced and distributed over 20 films. This deepened his expertise in deal-making, production, and the business side of entertainment.
Branded Entertainment — Warner Bros. TV and Beyond
Bill was an early mover in branded entertainment — the integration of brands into entertainment content, which is now standard practice across media. He served as Executive Vice President of OneWorldLive, Melanie Griffith’s media and marketing company, and worked on branded integrations for Warner Bros. TV / Telepictures productions including The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, Ellen, and Extra.
926 Ventures
In 2003, Bill established 926 Ventures, a financing and production company for television and web properties. 926 Ventures remains his active holding and operating entity today. During this period, he also served as a Director for Entertainment Media Works, an entertainment internet company that operated StarStyle.com.
LikeLive — The Education Tech Exit
This is the chapter that connects Bill’s entrepreneurial career to his current mission.
In 2008, Bill co-founded LikeLive (originally called MyCollegei) alongside Caryl Kristensen, a college counselor, and Jason Mehrvarz, an internet technology specialist. LikeLive was a video interview platform that allowed college applicants and job seekers to build online interview profiles that admissions officers and recruiters could view and assess asynchronously.
The platform solved a real problem: colleges faced enormous challenges managing interviews — staffing costs, logistical constraints, and the inability to fairly evaluate international and diverse candidates who couldn’t afford campus visits.
On February 1, 2012, ETS (Educational Testing Service) — the world’s largest educational testing organization and the body behind the SAT, GRE, and TOEFL — acquired MyCollegei and established it as a wholly owned subsidiary called LikeLive LLC. Bill served as President of LikeLive post-acquisition, and the platform expanded to include HR, scholarship, and recruiting divisions.
LikeLive was built in the education space, focused on helping students present themselves to institutions — the exact intersection of education, career readiness, and opportunity that now defines Smarter Minds Network.
Smarter Minds Network
After his work with LikeLive and ETS, Bill shifted from platform-building to person-building. He took everything he learned — hiring hundreds of employees, selling multiple companies, and working inside the education system — and channeled it into direct coaching, speaking, and curriculum development. The result is Smarter Minds Network: a platform designed to democratize the playbook that privileged and connected people have always had access to.
Education & Institutional Connections
Bill is an alumnus of the University of Southern California (USC). He returns regularly as a guest speaker, including at USC Career Fest 2026, where he presented “Blueprint For Success: Planning For A Sustainable Future.” He has also spoken at USC Marshall School of Business and was featured at the Harvard Business School Startup Bootcamp in January 2026.
Concern Foundation: The Work Bill Is Most Proud Of
Since 2002, Bill has served on the Board of Directors of Concern Foundation, a nonprofit that provides critical funding to post-doctoral cancer researchers focused on cancer genetics, cell biology, and immunology for cancer prevention and treatment. Concern Foundation has raised over $42 million for cancer research.
Bill describes this as what he is “most proud of” in his career. Over two decades of service to a single cause, before and separate from any business benefit, says something about the person behind the brand.
Who Bill Works With
Smarter Minds Network serves a diverse range of people and institutions:
Gen Z Students
High school and college students through the Playbook for Life program
Early-Career Professionals (22–35) Students
Navigating first jobs, income, and career growth
Veterans & Transitioning Service Members
An underserved population with specific program alignment
Parents & Allies
Guiding young adults who want grounded, practical advice
Educators & Institutions
Universities, community colleges, career centers, and youth programs
Career Changers & First-Generation Professionals
People without access to traditional wealth-building knowledge
Important Note
Important Disclaimer
Bill Barnett is not a CPA, CFA, or CFP. All information provided through Smarter Minds Network is based on personal experience and is for informational purposes only. It is not intended as personal financial advice. Bill strongly recommends that clients consult with certified financial professionals for investment decisions and formal financial planning.
Frequently Asked Questions
Bill Barnett is a serial entrepreneur, author, and career and financial literacy coach who founded Smarter Minds Network. He previously served as the first President of Radio Aahs (which later became Radio Disney), co-founded Goldbar Entertainment (20+ films produced and distributed), and built LikeLive, a video interview platform acquired by ETS (Educational Testing Service) in 2012. He is a USC alumnus and has spoken at Harvard Business School.
Bill co-founded Goldbar Entertainment, founded LikeLive (acquired by ETS in February 2012), and established 926 Ventures, his current holding company. He served as Executive Vice President of OneWorldLive and worked on branded entertainment for Warner Bros. TV / Telepictures productions.
Bill has spoken at Harvard Business School (Startup Bootcamp, January 2026), USC Career Fest 2026, USC Marshall School of Business, de Toledo High School, and numerous other universities and community organizations.
No. Bill is not a CPA, CFA, or CFP. His coaching is based on decades of personal entrepreneurial experience. He strongly recommends that clients consult with certified financial professionals for investment decisions and formal financial planning.
Smarter Minds Network is a coaching and education platform founded by Bill Barnett that teaches financial literacy, career strategy, networking, and real-world money skills to Gen Z students, early-career professionals, veterans, career changers, and institutional partners.
LikeLive (originally called MyCollegei) was a video interview platform co-founded by Bill in 2008. On February 1, 2012, ETS (Educational Testing Service) — the organization behind the SAT, GRE, and TOEFL — acquired it and established it as a wholly owned subsidiary. Bill served as President of LikeLive post-acquisition.
Bill served as the first President of Radio Aahs, which was the first and only children’s radio network in existence. Radio Aahs later evolved and was rebranded as Radio Disney.
Yes. Bill actively serves veterans and transitioning service members through coaching and the Playbook for Life program. His work with the veteran community is a core part of the Smarter Minds Network mission.
Bill Barnett — Founder, Smarter Minds Network. Serial entrepreneur. Author. Speaker at Harvard Business School and USC.
Last updated: March 2026