How ‘Professional Flirting' Helped Steven Bartlett Build A Massive Podcast Following

Forbes

25-04-2025

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Sebastian Nevols for Forbes
Many founders say team building is the most difficult part of running a business. But for Steven Bartlett, the 32-year-old host of The Diary Of A CEO podcast and 30 Under 30 alum, hiring has been his super power.
Bartlett initially launched the show as a passion project with producer Jack Sylvester in 2017 (Sylvester made the Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe Media & Marketing list this year). But eight years later, it's now the second largest host-led podcast in the world. And Bartlett has built an entire media empire, Flight Story, to support it. There's no doubt that much of the show's notoriety comes from the guests Bartlett's interviewed (they include the likes of Rebel Wilson, Michael Bublé and Mel Robbins, to name a few). But Bartlett says the real success comes from his ability to build a team of exceptional people around him.
'When I was in the back room getting my makeup done for this interview, someone applied for a job,' Bartlett said while on set for his latest Forbes profile. An 18-year-old at the London School of Economics wanted an internship, and Bartlett called them back within three minutes of seeing the application. 'It's Saturday here. I'm recruiting seven days a week until 3:00a.m. every night. And it's my absolute obsession.'
His process might seem intense. And it is. But it's also the reason he's gotten this far, and it's the No. 1 thing more founders need to prioritize, he said.
'Founders could save themselves so much hurt, pain, failure, anxiety, worry and confusion if they realize that they should be spending 20 times more hours per week on just meeting people,' he said.
So how does he do it? It starts with north of 30 hours a week recruiting. That includes frequent 'professional flirting,' or networking, he said. And his leadership team takes part, too.
Georgie Holt, the CEO of The Diary Of A CEO's parent company Flight Story, said they've implemented an internal system to analyze their commitment to 'headhunting.' Each week, all members of the senior leadership team will note how many hours they spent meeting both experienced and up-and-coming innovators who they think can make a difference in the company.
They've also implemented tactics like no group interviews, to avoid 'group think' on candidates, Holt said. And they score candidates on a number of evaluation points to ensure their decisions are driven by data.
While the hiring process is rigorous, it doesn't stop there. To ensure those high-caliber candidates turn into high-performing employees, Bartlett's biggest piece of advice is to focus on incentives.
'Nobody acts outside their incentives unless they are a psychopath… So I can tell them to change, but that's going to do f*** all. What I've got to do is change the incentives,' he said of motivating his team. Most people think that means money, but everything and anything can be an incentive or a disincentive, he added: 'Confusion or lack of clarity is a disincentive. It makes people not act on something. Saying 'well done' or clapping for someone is a huge incentive, actually often more important than money.'
Learn more about his journey building Flight Story, and why he's turned down $100 million deals to continue charting his own course, here.
See you next week,
Alex & Zoya
Nate Ryan for forbes
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What young people should know about this week, according to Forbes editors.
✓ Consider some dairy-free options. The U.S. FDA terminated 20,000 employees this month, many of whom have a hand in testing bird flu and parasites in products like milk and cheese. Beware of what you buy.
✓ Participate in the 'Ice Bucket Challenge.' Yes, the viral challenge from 2014, where people all over the internet dumped ice water on themselves to raise awareness and funds for ALS, has returned. This time, it was started by University of South Carolina students who want to raise money for Active Minds, a U.S. nonprofit that addresses mental health in youth.
✓ Nominate yourself or someone you know for the Forbes 30 Under 30 Local list. Our Under 30 Local list is coming to Columbus. Know any young leaders, innovators or entertainers who Columbus wouldn't be Columbus without? Nominate them here.