CEO, podcast host, author, investor, self-proclaimed Happy Sexy Millionaire... Steven Bartlett has never been short of accolades. His narrative is tight. Bartlett is the university dropout who grew up in financial hardship but made a million by 23.
Today, he’s the youngest investor to get a seat in the BBC’s Dragons’ Den and, over the years, Bartlett has gained a reputation as an entrepreneurial renegade and wellness guru. More than 10 million people download his cult podcast, Diary of a CEO, every month; his book of the same name – as well as his memoir, which really is titled Happy Sexy Millionaire – is a bestseller.
Forbes magazine valued his social media and investment empire at £71m when he was just 26 years old. He came from little and made a lot – a perfect rags-to-riches story. And yet...
People really don’t like Steven Bartlett. Like, huge swathes of people. They don’t like the way he speaks. Based on no intimate knowledge of him at all and just a feeling, all kinds of people will tell you they think he’s a “narcissist”, a ”grifter” “a hustler”.
“He’s a new-age hippy but made all his money in marketing and social media,” another posted recently. “He just promotes quacks and mad health theories,” says another. More gripes: “He lets people like Matt Hancock whinge to him about being in love on his podcast.” “He wears fancy clothing.” I just find him very smug.”
These are not unique opinions. In fact, social media platforms are full of them – last week more vehemently than most.
On Wednesday, Bartlett’s advertising deal with “nutritionally complete” food brand Huel and wellness programme app Zoe was sensationally pulled by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).
Denne historien er fra August 19, 2024-utgaven av The Independent.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra August 19, 2024-utgaven av The Independent.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Carse justifies England faith as the archetypal bold pick
If you won a boxing match after your opponent continually punched themselves in the face, how much credit can you take?
Tenacious Diallo the key to Amorim pressing machine
Old Trafford has not seen anything like this before.
Gold King Cole packs the Bridge with merry old souls
In the 83rd minute, the ball rolled to the feet of Cole Palmer in a bubble of space outside Aston Villa's box, and the crowd snapped to attention.
Vibrant Anfield marks the changing of the Guardiola
There was a lull in the noise, a break in the Anfield atmosphere, when a defiant chant emerged from a corner near Stefan Ortega’s goal.
What is so daunting about Spain's new data checks?
Q You have written about the new “red tape” for visitors to Spain. So, as well as your usual passport details you will give a contact number, address and email. Not exactly the Spanish Inquisition, is it?
Sectarian clashes claim at least 130 lives in Pakistan
At least 130 people were killed in deadly sectarian clashes in Pakistan's northwestern Kurram district in spite of a tentative ceasefire, days after gunmen opened fire on a convoy of vehicles carrying Shia Muslims, local officials said.
Coalition government likely in Ireland as count proceeds
Fianna Fail say decisions on power-sharing for another day’
How Syria's forgotten war is back on the world's agenda
Many believed the country was lost in an unsolvable conflict, until everything changed in a matter of days, writes Bel Trew
Assad regime scrambles to halt Syrian rebels’ advance
Civilians reportedly killed by Russian and Syrian airstrikes
Mother of poisoning victim says she knew she would die
Lawyer Simone White succumbed to the effects of methanol while backpacking in Laos with two of her childhood friends
