Steven Bartlett, the 33-year-old British-Nigerian powerhouse behind The Diary of a CEO podcast, is no stranger to defying odds. Born in Botswana and raised in Plymouth, England, he's transformed from a dropout entrepreneur into a media mogul commanding a hyper-loyal audience of millions.
Now, with a fresh eight-figure investment round valuing his holding company Steven.com at $425 million, Bartlett is positioning himself to build what he calls "the Disney of the creator economy." The deal, led by Slow Ventures and Apeiron Investment Group, marks Europe's largest-ever funding for a creator-focused business and underscores the explosive potential of influencer-led ventures.
Announced on October 27, 2025, the investment allows Bartlett to retain over 90% ownership while fueling global expansion. "We're watching, in slow motion but also very quickly, the unbundling of institutions," Bartlett told the Forbes Creator Upfronts earlier this month.
His vision? A vertically integrated empire blending media, technology, and commerce tailored for creators - think Disney, but powered by viral TikToks and AI analytics instead of animated mice.
The Podcast That Built an Empire
Bartlett's ascent began with The Diary of a CEO, launched in 2017 as a raw, unfiltered dive into success, failure, and mindset. What started as a side hustle exploded into a global sensation: Spotify Wrapped ranked it the fifth most popular podcast worldwide in 2024, boasting a 500% annual growth rate and guests like Michelle Obama, MrBeast, and Jürgen Klopp. Its companion channel, *Behind the Diary*, has cultivated a fiercely devoted community, turning listeners into evangelists who fuel Bartlett's broader ecosystem.
This content flywheel powers everything else. "A meticulously data-driven entrepreneur whose content, deep community, and portfolio of companies create a powerful flywheel," as Megan Lightcap, Partner at Slow Ventures, put it. The podcast isn't just entertainment—it's a talent magnet, drawing in collaborators and investors who see Bartlett as the blueprint for creator monetization.
Flight Story: Where Creators Meet Brands
At the heart of Steven.com is Flight Story, Bartlett's media and investment powerhouse founded in 2023. This agency-cum-studio works with top-tier creators and brands, producing high-impact content like video podcasts fronted by Trevor Noah, Davina McCall, and Paul C. Brunson. Flight Story doesn't just create; it scales: acquiring IP, building commercial infrastructure, and incubating ventures to turn one-off hits into sustainable businesses.
Complementing it is Flight Fund, a $100 million vehicle launched in 2023 to back European startups. Investments include healthtech ZOE and, notably, PerfectTed - a Dragon's Den pitch that ballooned to over $190 million in value, one of the show's biggest wins.
Bartlett's portfolio now spans 40+ companies, from SpaceX and Whoop to Replit and MrBeast's projects, blending blue-chip stability with high-growth bets.
Recent Power Moves: Stan, Ketone-IQ, and Flightcast
Bartlett's momentum has been relentless. Just six months ago, in May 2025, he co-acquired Stan Store, a U.S.-based e-commerce platform for creators. Stan, which helps influencers launch online shops without Shopify-level complexity, now generates $30 million in monthly recurring revenue and $300 million in gross merchandise value. It's a linchpin for creator commerce, proving Bartlett's knack for spotting undervalued gems.
In September 2025, he dove into consumer health with a stake in Ketone-IQ, a ketone drink distributed nationwide at Target and Sprouts. Then, in October, alongside ex-MrBeast engineer Roxcodes, he unveiled Flightcast: an AI-powered platform for video podcasters.
It offers distribution, analytics, and growth tools - think advanced audience insights and automated clipping - to supercharge shows like The Diary of a CEO. "Flightcast brings together all the tools we built to help us grow," Bartlett said in a press release.
These aren't side hustles; they're synergistic bets on the $528 billion creator economy projected by 2030. As Christian Angermayer of Apeiron noted, "Influence is flowing to individuals at unprecedented speed and scale."
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The Investment: Fuel for a Creator Disney
Slow Ventures' bet - part of their $60 million Creator Fund - highlights Bartlett's edge: eclectic, data-backed growth that transcends viral fame. The fund has backed diverse talents like book influencer John Fish and woodworker Jonathan Katz-Moses, but Bartlett represents a "high-value vertical" where media meets muscle. With offices in London, Manchester, LA, and New York employing 100+ staff, Steven.com is already a transatlantic force.
The cash infusion targets scaling: enhancing Flightcast's AI, expanding Flight Story's talent roster, and incubating more creator ventures. Bartlett envisions a "global brand" where creators own their IP, commerce, and communities—unbundling traditional media giants one algorithm at a time.
It's ambitious, but his track record speaks volumes: From selling Social Chain for $100 million at 27 to Dragons' Den stardom since 2021, he's mastered the creator playbook.
Critics might point to past controversies - like ASA slaps for undisclosed sponsorships or Dragons' Den flak over "Ear Seeds"—but Bartlett's response is action: transparency via data and community trust. As he joins the ranks of Europe's richest young moguls, this $425 million milestone isn't a peak; it's rocket fuel.
In a world where creators like Rhett & Link and MrBeast are flexing entrepreneurial biceps, Bartlett isn't just riding the wave - he's engineering the tide. The Disney of creators? If anyone can animate it, it's this podcast dragon.
