Why The Diary of a CEO Founder Steven Bartlett Turned Down $100 Million to Build a Podcast Empire
On a crisp March morning in East London, Steven Bartlett walks into his Shoreditch recording studio—home of The Diary of a CEO, one of the most influential podcasts on the planet. As cameras begin to roll for a high-stakes debate between economist Gary Stevenson and entrepreneur Daniel Priestly, Bartlett prepares for another viral moment. But behind the lenses and the headlines, he’s quietly redefining the future of media—on his own terms.
'Steven Bartlett.'
Sebastian Nevols for Forbes
With over 10 million YouTube subscribers, 25 million social media followers, and a podcast that frequently challenges The Joe Rogan Experience in global rankings, Bartlett sits at the pinnacle of independent podcasting. And yet, in 2024, when presented with deals reportedly valued at $100 million, he said no.
Why? Because Bartlett sees the traditional podcast model as outdated—and he believes that no major media network can match the growth, agility, and data-driven edge his in-house team delivers.
“We looked at what they did in terms of testing, experimentation, innovation, and I felt like I was looking at the past,” Bartlett said.
Instead, he’s chosen to remain a free agent, wielding full creative and commercial control over a media empire that’s earning upwards of $20 million annually—from brand sponsorships with tech giants like LinkedIn and Oracle, to speaking engagements and merchandise sales.
From Dropout to Data-Driven Media Mogul
Bartlett’s journey is a masterclass in modern entrepreneurship. Born in Botswana to a Nigerian mother and British father, he moved to the UK as a child. A university dropout who launched his first startup, Wallpark, at age 21, Bartlett made his mark with Social Chain, a social media marketing agency he co-founded in 2014. By 2019, it had become a $200 million public company. But after clashing with the board, Bartlett walked away—searching for a platform to express his voice without compromise.
That platform would be The Diary of a CEO.
Launched in 2017 as a passion project, the podcast took off when Bartlett began investing heavily in production quality, analytics, and content strategy. He spent £50,000 of his own money on GoPros, robotic cameras, and AI-enhanced editing systems. Today, every episode is run through Pre-Watch, a proprietary system where 1,000 users pre-screen episodes to track engagement. This data then drives decisions on pacing, edits, thumbnails, and even punctuation in titles.
From experimenting with title formatting ("EMERGENCY DEBATE: They Lied About The Economy Recovering!") to thumbnail expressions (a serious look performs better), every detail is optimized for virality.
Why Turning Down $100 Million Made Sense
When major media networks came knocking with nine-figure offers, Bartlett listened—but ultimately declined.
“I’ve not met a single podcast network, company, or media conglomerate that can help you grow your podcast on modern platforms like we can,” he said.
Staying independent allows him to remain platform-agnostic, publishing everywhere—YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, TikTok, Instagram, and X—and maximizing reach across fragmented digital audiences. Unlike exclusive deals, which restrict visibility and distribution, Bartlett’s multi-platform approach lets him chase virality without limitation.
And it’s working. In 2023, an episode featuring former Google executive Mo Gawdat became the most-shared podcast on Apple in several regions—proof that value-driven content, not just celebrity guests, drives audience growth.
Flight Story: Scaling the Vision
Bartlett isn’t stopping with one show. In 2023, he co-founded Flight Story, a podcast and content studio built to replicate his blueprint. Alongside Georgie Holt and Christiana Brenton, he’s scaling new shows and building multi-platform commercial franchises around creators. These include branded products, speaking opportunities, book deals, and venture investments—transforming podcasts into full-fledged media businesses.
His ventures are also pioneering AI-driven content. One of Flight Story’s shows is completely voiced by an AI version of Bartlett—with full transparency. Retention metrics are strong, with 60% of listeners staying through the end.
“There’s always a bulldozer coming for you,” Bartlett says. “You either get hit by it, or drive it.”
He’s now setting up bases in Los Angeles and New York, eyeing Hollywood talent and deeper ties with U.S. brands. For Bartlett, the empire he’s building is more than a business—it’s a statement: that in the new media age, creators no longer need gatekeepers to thrive.
In an attention economy where traditional networks move too slowly and audience behavior shifts by the hour, Steven Bartlett is betting on speed, autonomy, and insight over big checks and old models. And he’s proving, day by day, that the future of media might just be built outside the system.
