# Steven Bartlett

> Steven Bartlett is a British entrepreneur, investor, author, and podcast host who dropped out of university after a single lecture to build Social Chain - a social media marketing company that went public at a $200M+ valuation before he turned 28. He hosts The Diary of a CEO, the second most-listened podcast globally on Spotify Wrapped 2025, with over 15 million YouTube subscribers. He is the youngest-ever Dragon on BBC's Dragons' Den and the founder of Steven.com, a creator holding company valued at $425 million.

- **Role:** Founder & CEO at Steven.com
- **Organizations:** Steven.com, Flight Story, Social Chain AG, Thirdweb, The Diary of a CEO, Stan Store, Ketone-IQ, PerfectTed
- **From:** Gaborone, Botswana
- **Nationality:** British
- **Education:** Secondary education (expelled from sixth form), Plymstock School, Dropped out after one lecture, Manchester Metropolitan University
- **Known for:** Co-founded Social Chain and took it public on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange at $200M+ valuation aged 27, Youngest-ever investor on BBC One's Dragons' Den (joined 2021), The Diary of a CEO ranked second globally on Spotify Wrapped 2025

## Career timeline

- **2013** — Founded Wallpark, an online messaging board
- **2014** — Co-founded Social Chain, a social media marketing agency in Manchester
- **2017** — Launched The Diary of a CEO podcast
- **2019** — Social Chain merged with Lumaland, listed on Frankfurt Stock Exchange at $200M+ valuation
- **2020** — Stepped down as CEO of Social Chain; inducted into Manchester Hall of Fame; included in Forbes 30 Under 30
- **2021** — Joined BBC's Dragons' Den as youngest-ever investor; published Happy Sexy Millionaire (Sunday Times bestseller); became non-executive director of Huel
- **2022** — Thirdweb raised $24M Series A at $160M valuation; BBC reprimanded for advertising guideline breaches
- **2023** — Published The Diary of a CEO: The 33 Laws of Business and Life - fastest-selling personal development book on record; launched Flight Story with $100M investment fund
- **2024** — Made seven-figure investment in Groq AI startup
- **2025** — Steven.com closed eight-figure funding round at $425M valuation; named in Time 100 Creators list; The Diary of a CEO ranked second globally on Spotify Wrapped; Groq acquired by Nvidia for $20B
- **2026** — Named in Powerlist 2026's most influential Black people in UK; The Diary of a CEO won Best Business & Finance Podcast at iHeartPodcast Awards; engaged to Melanie Lopes

## Achievements

- Co-founded Social Chain and took it public on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange at $200M+ valuation aged 27
- Youngest-ever investor on BBC One's Dragons' Den (joined 2021)
- The Diary of a CEO ranked second globally on Spotify Wrapped 2025
- 15.2 million YouTube subscribers and 1.27 billion views on The Diary of a CEO
- Forbes 30 Under 30
- Published two books: Happy Sexy Millionaire (2021) and The Diary of a CEO: The 33 Laws of Business and Life (2023)
- The Diary of a CEO: The 33 Laws of Business and Life is the fastest-selling personal development book since records began
- British Book Awards shortlist for Book of the Year (2023)
- Named in Time 100 Creators list (2025)
- Named in Powerlist 2026 as one of the most influential Black people in the UK
- Inducted into Manchester Hall of Fame (2020)
- Steven.com valued at $425M after 2025 funding round
- Won Best Business & Finance Podcast at iHeartPodcast Awards (March 2026)
- Accompanied Prince William on Homewards homelessness initiative visits
- Invested in Groq AI - later acquired by Nvidia for $20 billion

## Latest updates

- **2026-03** — The Diary of a CEO won Best Business & Finance Podcast at iHeartPodcast Awards
- **2026-01** — Engaged to long-term partner Melanie Lopes
- **2026-01** — Named in Powerlist 2026 as one of the most influential Black people in the UK
- **2025-12** — Groq AI, in which Bartlett had invested, announced a $20 billion acquisition deal with Nvidia
- **2025-10** — Steven.com closed eight-figure funding round at $425M valuation, led by Slow Ventures and Apeiron Investment Group
- **2025-06** — Named in Time 100 Creators list
- **2025-01** — The Diary of a CEO ranked second globally on Spotify Wrapped 2025

## Links

- Website: https://stevenbartlett.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steven-bartlett-56986834/
- Twitter/X: https://x.com/stevebartlettsc
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheDiaryOfACEO
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/steven/
- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@steven

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/steven-bartlett
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-06-01