Steven Cliff Bartlett
He is the co-founder of Social Chain. In 2022, he began appearing as an investor on the BBC One show Dragons’ Den
1992
Botswana, Africa
South African – Black Nigerian mother and white father
1994 – moves to Plymouth, England at the age of two
Bartlett was born in Botswana. He moved to Plymouth, England at the age of two, where he grew up, attending secondary school and a sixth form. He went to study at Manchester Metropolitan University, but dropped out after one lecture.
The young entrepreneur discussed how his independence at a young age helped him succeed in life. He explained how his ‘hardest-working’ mother would sleep at her store while he was left to fend for himself while growing up in Plymouth.
The youngest of four children, Bartlett went to a secondary school of 1,500 pupils but can only recall one other Black child apart from his siblings.
“I was trying very hard to fit in. I started relaxing my hair to make it straight,” he remembers.
“I was trying to be Indie one second, listening to a certain type of music that I didn’t really enjoy that much, and the next minute would dress in Fred Perry and Rockport and Stone Island. I was also trying to be white, I guess.”
In 2013, Bartlett founded Wallpark.
In 2014, Bartlett co-founded Social Chain, a social media marketing company based in Manchester, UK, with Dominic McGregor.
In 2017, he created a podcast series called The Diary of a CEO, which has featured guests including Liam Payne and Tom Blomfield. As of 2021, it is Europe’s most downloaded Business podcast and has featured British entrepreneurs Ben Francis, Lee Chambers and Grace Beverley, as well as other public figures including former Health Minister Matt Hancock and Canadian psychologist Jordan Peterson.
In 2019, Social Chain and German online retailer Lumaland merged to become The Social Chain AG, listing on XETRA and the Düsseldorf Stock Exchange. The listing valued the business at over $200 million. In 2020, he exited the business.
In 2019, he featured in the Channel 4 series The Secret Teacher, going undercover at a school near Liverpool as a teacher.
In May 2021, it was confirmed that Bartlett, aged 28, would be the youngest ever investor on the long running BBC show Dragons’ Den.
In 2021, Bartlett released his debut book, Happy Sexy Millionaire, which was a Sunday Times bestseller.
In 2020, he was included in one of the Forbes 30 Under 30 lists
He won entrepreneur rising star at the Black British Business Awards and was inducted into Manchester’s Hall of Fame by the Mayor of Greater Manchester. In 2018, he was voted by Econsultancy as the Most Influential Industry Figure.
He has described how he feared he’d never make a success of his life after quitting his course at Manchester Metropolitan University.
Steven wrote in his book Happy Sexy Millionaire that at the time he was a broke, lonely, insecure university dropout from a bankrupt family, before founding his multi-million pound business.
In school, there were racist insults, and he says: “Another time I got a kick off a kid who called me a Black b******.”
At school his business acumen was noticed by staff and he showed his flair by organising events and trips.although he was expelled while in the sixth form for poor attendance
When he left home at 18 and dropped out of university he lived a partially boarded-up house in the worst part of Manchester, stealing food to feed himself.
He managed to pull himself together and launch a social media marketing business, later founding Social Chain with a friend, both of whom ended up millionaires.
He has found that ultimately money doesn’t buy happiness. “I thought I was unhappy because I didn’t have money – but I was just insecure,” he reflects.
Steven Bartlett – About
Who is Steven Bartlett on Dragons’ Den? Age, job, net worth & Instagram | Metro News
5 things to know about The Social Chain CEO Steven Bartlett, the youngest ever Dragon – UKTN | UK Tech News
Dragons’ Den newcomer Steven Bartlett: I’m not particularly bothered about what other people think of me | The Independent
Steven Bartlett Wiki, Biography, Age, Parents, Ethnicity, Boyfriend, Career, Net Worth & More