The creator economy is experiencing a meteoric rise, and few individuals have capitalized on its potential as successfully as Steven Bartlett, the entrepreneur and host of Europe’s top-ranked podcast, Diary of a CEO. In a revealing discussion at Spotify’s recent Podcast Movement event, Bartlett shared the remarkable story of how he transformed his personal passion project into a thriving, multifaceted media business. The Diary Of A CEO company now generates almost 50 million monthly downloads and $20m in annual revenues and earlier this year Steven announced the launch of Flight Studio, his new media production company.
When Bartlett first launched Diary of a CEO a few years ago, he had no lofty ambitions or grand visions of podcasting stardom. “I never thought I would be considered a podcaster—I’ve always seen myself as an entrepreneur,” he explained. Instead, the podcast was a labor of love, a creative outlet that allowed him to explore his curiosities without any expectations of success or financial reward.
“The Diary of a CEO and podcasting were among those things [I would do] without any expectation of remuneration or success,” Bartlett recounted. “Even today, I still feel a deep sense of dissonance and confusion when people refer to me or introduce me as a podcaster.”
But what began as a personal project quickly evolved into something much larger. As Bartlett immersed himself in the world of podcasting, he recognized both the inherent challenges and the vast untapped potential of the medium.
“One of the biggest challenges in podcasting is growth,” he explained. “Audio platforms and Apple don’t offer much inherent growth because they aren’t social networks with built-in content discovery—there isn’t a billion people just one retweet or share button away from discovering your show. So much of the growth comes off the platform, which is why video is so critical in podcasting.”
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This bold pivot proved to be a transformative moment for the podcast. As Bartlett’s audience continued to grow, so too did the commercial potential of his creation. “Our team started with just one person and has now grown to more than 40,” he revealed. “I didn’t realize when I started that the podcast would effectively scale into a media company.”
Spotify has emerged as a driving force in the evolution of the podcast industry, adapting to the changing needs and expectations of both creators and audiences. The platform has witnessed a rapid surge in video content, with over 250,000 video shows and more than 170 million global users tuning in to watch their favorite podcast content.
This year, Diary of a CEO will generate over $20 million in revenue. Bartlett credits this remarkable success to his unwavering commitment to authenticity and his relentless pursuit of his own evolving curiosities.
“The most important thing is to stay true to your curiosity, and I say this for a reason that might not be so obvious,” Bartlett explained. “The way I see it is, if I’m going to do this podcast for the next 10 or 20 years, then the most important thing is to ensure I enjoy it. The easiest way to make sure I enjoy it is to ensure that every single time I wake up in the morning and see that I am booked to record a podcast, I feel excited about the conversation.”
This focus on quality over quantity has been a key driver of Diary of a CEO’s growth and engagement. “We delete about 10-20 episodes a year purely because we believe our audience will be able to tell that we didn’t think it was a good use of their time, and we never want to break that trust,” Bartlett said.
Bartlett’s journey is a testament to the power of the creator economy, where passion, authenticity, and strategic vision can transform a personal project into a thriving, multimillion-dollar business. The key for aspiring podcasters is to “obsessively focus on how you can make your show even 1% better every day, and one day you’ll wake up to find that more people than you could ever have imagined are listening.”
For Bartlett, that day has already arrived. And with the creator economy continuing to evolve and expand, it’s clear that his success is just the beginning.
“Podcasting is a special medium because people really get to know you,” Bartlett reflected. “In the case of The Diary of a CEO, they listen to our episodes for up to five hours per week! This means that an average DOAC listener probably knows me better than some of my family. Because of this, you have no choice but to really show up as yourself—if you don’t, the community will know.”
This deep connection with his audience has been central to Bartlett’s approach, guiding everything from his content curation to his community-building strategies. “Consistency is another key element in community building,” he said. “Showing up regularly, delivering quality content, and being reliable are critical to building an engaged community. The Diary of a CEO really took off when I became consistent with the publication schedule.”
As someone deeply embedded in the creator economy, Bartlett has a unique perspective on the evolving role of podcasts within this dynamic landscape. “They need to stop seeing their podcast as just a podcast and start seeing it as any other piece of media—like TV, for instance,” he advised. “A podcast is a show, and a show can and should be cut into many forms: a newsletter, TikToks, a long-form video version, social clips, audio, etc. Much of the reason podcasts don’t grow is that they’re trapped by the stigma that podcasts are small!”
“Don’t focus on becoming the next [Insert name of big podcaster]; obsessively focus on how you can make your show even 1% better every day, and one day you’ll wake up to find that more people than you could ever have imagined are listening,” Bartlett advised. If his own journey is any indication, those words of wisdom could unlock the next big success story in the creator economy.
Written by Ian Shepherd Follow him on Twitter or LinkedIn. Check out his website.