Nearly four months into his role as Director of Ventures at FlightStory, the company behind Steven Bartlett’s chart-topping podcast “The Diary of a CEO,” Leon Farrell is helping shape a strategy to turn creators into founders of businesses that last.
“We help turn creators into founders and stories into scalable businesses,” Leon says, summarizing the mission. “At FlightStory, we’re the bridge between creators and their fans. We develop products that genuinely reflect the DNA of the show or brand in ways that consumers love and value.”
A Blueprint from ‘The Diary of a CEO’
FlightStory’s approach is directly informed by the systematic methodology that propelled “The Diary of a CEO” to become one of the world’s biggest podcasts. That blueprint, combining rigorous data analysis, creative development, and commercial strategy, underpins the company’s broader ambitions to build sustainable creator businesses.
“For us, the exciting part is that this isn’t an experiment. It’s based on proven success,” Leon explains. “Steven built ‘The Diary of a CEO’ with obsessive care for the audience. We’re applying that same approach to develop products, licensing partnerships, and new ventures that deliver real value to fans.”
Expanding Distribution and Building Fan Connections
Since March, the Ventures team has focused on making FlightStory’s products more accessible to global audiences.
“Distribution was a big focus in the first few weeks,” Leon says. “We’re looking at Amazon as a global platform, TikTok Shop for younger fans, and even physical retail spaces like airports or the high street. Fans engage in different ways, so we need to meet them where they are.”
This multi-channel approach aligns with FlightStory’s data-driven mindset. “We know our fans aren’t monolithic. Their behaviors vary by platform, region, and even time of day. It’s about being thoughtful in how we reach them.”
Bringing Expertise from the Music Industry
Leon’s decade at Warner Music Group, most recently as Vice President of Artist Services for International, shaped the team’s approach to supporting creative talent.
“One of the big lessons from music was that artists, and now creators, are multi-hyphenates,” he says. “They don’t just make content. They build worlds their fans want to inhabit.”
But he also notes the pitfalls of fragmentation. “The music industry is full of separate players: publishing, recorded music, merch, live. It can be hard for the artist to keep control and for the fan to get a coherent experience.”
Everything Under One Roof
FlightStory’s integrated model is designed to address that challenge. Unlike traditional agencies or production companies, the business keeps strategy, production, and commercialization in-house.
“We have studios in the building. Our creators, like Davina McCall or Paul C. Brunson, can film there. We have Flight Books, our own publishing imprint. We recently launched Paul’s digital journal through the Ventures team,” Leon says.
This structure ensures that every part of a creator’s business can be strategically connected. “If Paul records a show, we can develop a digital product that deepens that story, and that might lead to a book. It’s all designed to amplify the creator’s brand in a way that feels authentic and joined-up.”
Building Creator-Led Businesses
As a team, Ventures oversees how FlightStory turns audience engagement into lasting businesses. FlightStory’s ambition to build creator-led businesses and products has been a consistent focus, investing in our creators and in this division, from what was originally a one-person team with Natasha to growing into a more substantial team to deliver on those ambitions.
“We’re not just trying to sell products,” Leon explains. “We’re building self-sustaining brands that can stand the test of time, even as the creator’s career evolves.”
He points to successes like “The 1% Diary,” developed with Steven Bartlett’s audience in mind. “That’s the ideal for us. It is a product so rooted in the creator’s values that fans immediately understand why it exists.”
The team also works on licensing partnerships and true joint ventures with creators or operational partners, structured as equity plays that aim for long-term growth over quick wins.
“We want to create businesses that can grow independently and deliver value for the creator, FlightStory, and the fan,” Leon says.
The Role of Data and Testing
Leon emphasizes that this approach isn’t guesswork. “We test everything,” he says. “Data and experimentation are part of FlightStory’s DNA. It means we can adapt quickly, double down on what works, and ensure we’re truly serving our creators’ audiences.”
The team is also exploring AI tools to accelerate product development and make it more responsive to audience insights. “It’s not about replacing creativity. It’s about augmenting it so we can move at the speed fans expect.”
A Mission-Driven Approach
Ultimately, Leon says what drew him to FlightStory was the clarity of its mission.
“I said in my interview: ‘I wasn’t looking for a job, I was looking for a cause.’ We want to help creators build meaningful businesses that can outlive trends and deliver genuine value to their fans.”
That mission, turning audiences into communities and communities into fandoms that can sustain a brand, remains at the core of FlightStory’s strategy.
Nii A. Ahene is the founder and managing director of Net Influencer, a website dedicated to offering insights into the influencer marketing industry. Together with its newsletter, Influencer Weekly, Net Influencer provides news, commentary, and analysis of the events shaping the creator and influencer marketing space. Through interviews with startups, influencers, brands, and platforms, Nii and his team explore how influencer marketing is being effectively used to benefit businesses and personal brands alike.
Nearly four months into his role as Director of Ventures at FlightStory, the company behind Steven Bartlett’s chart-topping podcast “The Diary of a CEO,” Leon Farrell is helping shape a strategy to turn creators into founders of businesses that last.
“We help turn creators into founders and stories into scalable businesses,” Leon says, summarizing the mission. “At FlightStory, we’re the bridge between creators and their fans. We develop products that genuinely reflect the DNA of the show or brand in ways that consumers love and value.”
A Blueprint from ‘The Diary of a CEO’
FlightStory’s approach is directly informed by the systematic methodology that propelled “The Diary of a CEO” to become one of the world’s biggest podcasts. That blueprint, combining rigorous data analysis, creative development, and commercial strategy, underpins the company’s broader ambitions to build sustainable creator businesses.
“For us, the exciting part is that this isn’t an experiment. It’s based on proven success,” Leon explains. “Steven built ‘The Diary of a CEO’ with obsessive care for the audience. We’re applying that same approach to develop products, licensing partnerships, and new ventures that deliver real value to fans.”
Expanding Distribution and Building Fan Connections
Since March, the Ventures team has focused on making FlightStory’s products more accessible to global audiences.
“Distribution was a big focus in the first few weeks,” Leon says. “We’re looking at Amazon as a global platform, TikTok Shop for younger fans, and even physical retail spaces like airports or the high street. Fans engage in different ways, so we need to meet them where they are.”
This multi-channel approach aligns with FlightStory’s data-driven mindset. “We know our fans aren’t monolithic. Their behaviors vary by platform, region, and even time of day. It’s about being thoughtful in how we reach them.”
Bringing Expertise from the Music Industry
Leon’s decade at Warner Music Group, most recently as Vice President of Artist Services for International, shaped the team’s approach to supporting creative talent.
“One of the big lessons from music was that artists, and now creators, are multi-hyphenates,” he says. “They don’t just make content. They build worlds their fans want to inhabit.”
But he also notes the pitfalls of fragmentation. “The music industry is full of separate players: publishing, recorded music, merch, live. It can be hard for the artist to keep control and for the fan to get a coherent experience.”
Everything Under One Roof
FlightStory’s integrated model is designed to address that challenge. Unlike traditional agencies or production companies, the business keeps strategy, production, and commercialization in-house.
“We have studios in the building. Our creators, like Davina McCall or Paul C. Brunson, can film there. We have Flight Books, our own publishing imprint. We recently launched Paul’s digital journal through the Ventures team,” Leon says.
This structure ensures that every part of a creator’s business can be strategically connected. “If Paul records a show, we can develop a digital product that deepens that story, and that might lead to a book. It’s all designed to amplify the creator’s brand in a way that feels authentic and joined-up.”
Building Creator-Led Businesses
As a team, Ventures oversees how FlightStory turns audience engagement into lasting businesses. FlightStory’s ambition to build creator-led businesses and products has been a consistent focus, investing in our creators and in this division, from what was originally a one-person team with Natasha to growing into a more substantial team to deliver on those ambitions.
“We’re not just trying to sell products,” Leon explains. “We’re building self-sustaining brands that can stand the test of time, even as the creator’s career evolves.”
He points to successes like “The 1% Diary,” developed with Steven Bartlett’s audience in mind. “That’s the ideal for us. It is a product so rooted in the creator’s values that fans immediately understand why it exists.”
The team also works on licensing partnerships and true joint ventures with creators or operational partners, structured as equity plays that aim for long-term growth over quick wins.
“We want to create businesses that can grow independently and deliver value for the creator, FlightStory, and the fan,” Leon says.
The Role of Data and Testing
Leon emphasizes that this approach isn’t guesswork. “We test everything,” he says. “Data and experimentation are part of FlightStory’s DNA. It means we can adapt quickly, double down on what works, and ensure we’re truly serving our creators’ audiences.”
The team is also exploring AI tools to accelerate product development and make it more responsive to audience insights. “It’s not about replacing creativity. It’s about augmenting it so we can move at the speed fans expect.”
A Mission-Driven Approach
Ultimately, Leon says what drew him to FlightStory was the clarity of its mission.
“I said in my interview: ‘I wasn’t looking for a job, I was looking for a cause.’ We want to help creators build meaningful businesses that can outlive trends and deliver genuine value to their fans.”
That mission, turning audiences into communities and communities into fandoms that can sustain a brand, remains at the core of FlightStory’s strategy.
Checkout Our Latest Podcast