Ranked 9th by earnings and 11th overall, Steven Bartlett is the only British creator in Forbes’ 2025 Top Creators list, earning the highest possible entrepreneurship score.
Steven Bartlett, entrepreneur, investor, and host of The Diary of a CEO, has been ranked among the Top 10 highest-earning digital creators on Forbes’ 2025 Top Creators list. He is the only British creator featured and received the highest possible entrepreneurship score.
The list, published by Forbes in June 2025, profiles creators across YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and podcasts who have built not just massive audiences, but thriving, multi-channel businesses. According to Forbes, this year’s top 50 creators collectively earned $853 million, up 18% from the previous year. Published annually, the Forbes Top Creators list recognises the world’s leading digital creators based on revenue, audience reach, entrepreneurial success, and overall cultural impact. The 2025 list highlights creators who are not only building massive online communities but also founding and scaling businesses worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
According to Forbes, Steven Bartlett’s creator brand generated approximately $29 million in direct revenue last year through podcasting, brand deals, advertising, and content-driven businesses — placing him among the top 10 highest-earning creators globally. Steven Bartlett is on track to generate $40m of revenue from his creator business alone in 2025.
As reported by Forbes:
“Since launching his business podcast The Diary of a CEO as a side hustle in 2017, British entrepreneur Steven Bartlett has turned it into a more than $20 million franchise. After building and selling digital marketing company Social Chain, which landed him a spot on the Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe list in 2020, he went all in on building the show. In 2025, he officially founded Flight Story, a media and investment company that now produces five podcasts along with Diary of a CEO. He’s inked partnerships with the likes of LinkedIn and Oracle. One of the biggest shows in the U.K., he moved to Los Angeles this year to build his American audience.”
The Only UK Creator in Forbes’ Global Top 10
Bartlett’s inclusion in the Forbes 2025 list marks a milestone for the UK creator economy. As the only non-American name in the Top 10 of earnings, his presence reflects the growing global influence of European creators – and the opportunity for media entrepreneurs outside the U.S. to shape the future of content, commerce, and culture.
Bartlett is the only UK-based creator featured in Forbes’ Top 10 earnings, standing alongside creators such as MrBeast, Jake Paul, and Alex Cooper. His ranking reflects not only audience size, but business acumen and strategic impact across multiple ventures.
“It’s crazy to be on this list. It’s even crazier to be the only non-American,” said Steven Bartlett. “But the part people aren’t talking about is how creators are leveraging their audience to build real companies.”
Forbes’ ranking focuses specifically on creator revenue — not equity holdings or company valuations. That distinction matters, as Steven Bartlett’s impact extends well beyond the earnings of a single brand.
Using the Creator Platform to Build Long-Term Companies
In addition to his chart-topping podcast The Diary of a CEO, Bartlett is the founder of Flight Story, a global media and investment company. Under Flight Story, he has helped launch or invest in a growing portfolio of high-growth companies, including:
- thirdweb – Web3 infrastructure platform
- Stan Store – Creator commerce tool
- FlightCast and The Studio @ FLIGHTSTORY – Podcast and media production
- The Fund @ FLIGHTSTORY – Early-stage venture capital
- Metastat, Chapter 2, PerfectTed, Ketone-IQ, Cadence
- Shareholder and former board member in Huel
- Shareholder in health tech leaders ZOE and WHOOP
These companies span multiple industries including wellness, software, blockchain, nutrition, and consumer tech — and represent Bartlett’s philosophy that creators can drive serious long-term enterprise value.
“At FLIGHTSTORY, we believe creators can unlock greater value by thinking like entrepreneurs — prioritising long-term impact while maintaining full creative control,” said Bartlett. “We don’t need to sell our shows, give up ownership, or overload content with ads to succeed. There are more innovative, sustainable ways to build.”
Flight Story Fund invests in high-growth, early-stage companies, providing capital, distribution, and strategic support to accelerate breakout success. Flight Story fund has backed some of the countries and world’s most notable and fastest growing companies.
Bartlett’s inclusion in the Forbes Top Creators 2025 list not only celebrates his personal success, but also reflects a broader shift in the creator economy — one that values long-term thinking, international representation, and entrepreneurial innovation. As more creators move beyond content to build lasting businesses, Bartlett’s trajectory offers a blueprint for the future: think bigger, retain ownership, and lead with purpose.
“Thank you for all the support over the years — if this journey was only about revenue, we would have stopped long ago. It’s still an honour (and a little surreal) to be recognised in this way, especially as a Brit,” said Bartlett.
“Huge credit to the incredible team at FLIGHTSTORY for helping put a British name among the Americans. Here’s to seeing more international creators — and more women — on future lists.”
Written by Rana Babar