British entrepreneur and TV star Steven Bartlett has quietly resigned as a director of the company behind his hit podcast, The Diary of a CEO.
Bartlett, best known for his role on the BBC show Dragons’ Den and for founding the social media marketing group Social Chain, co-founded Flight Story Group, the media business that produces The Diary of a CEO podcast. The show has grown into one of the UK’s most listened-to podcasts, featuring candid interviews with global leaders, celebrities and entrepreneurs.
From young millionaire to media mogul
Born in Botswana and raised in Plymouth, Bartlett rose quickly in the world of business. He co-founded Social Chain in 2014 and became one of the youngest self-made millionaires in the UK, paving the way for a new generation of content creators and Gen Z entrepreneurs. His story also includes public reflections on his struggles with mental health and the pressures of managing rapid success.
With the launch of The Diary of a CEO in 2017, where he interviews high-profile figures on business and life, Bartlett positioned himself not only as an entrepreneur but as a cultural voice for a new generation of business leaders. The podcast, which hit one billion streams in 2024, has over nine million subscribers on YouTube and millions more on Spotify and Apple. It is currently the second biggest podcast globally and the largest in Europe. Bartlett describes it as “an unfiltered journey into the remarkable stories and untold dimensions of the world’s most influential people, experts and thinkers.”
Business as usual or a change of direction?
Despite a Companies House filing showing him stepping down as a director of Flight Story Group, there is nothing to indicate Bartlett will stop hosting the podcast. The Diary of a CEO social media accounts continue to promote his latest episodes, with no mention of his resignation, suggesting that listeners can expect more content as usual.
So what does this move actually mean? Bartlett’s record, from Social Chain to podcasting, media start-ups and influencer ventures, suggests it is unlikely he is slowing down.
Flight Story has established itself as a leading podcast producer, with shows including Begin Again with Davina McCall and We Need to Talk with Paul Brunson, so Bartlett may see his work there as done and be stepping back to focus on new projects while leaving the day-to-day podcast operations in capable hands.
Whatever is behind the decision, Bartlett’s influence on podcasting, media entrepreneurship and a new generation of creators is set to continue
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