FlightStory, the media company co-founded by Steven Bartlett, announced a seven-figure investment in “Hot Smart Rich” (HSR), the podcast and media brand created by Maggie Sellers Reum. The announcement marks FlightStory’s expansion into female-focused business content.

The investment will fund infrastructure development and team expansion across content production, brand and marketing, commercial operations, experimentation, product, e-commerce, and community functions. FlightStory aims to grow HSR’s revenue by ten times its current level.

“Maggie is a trailblazer who has built an incredible platform and taken a completely fresh approach to the culture of business, entrepreneurship, and wealth generation, unlike anything I’ve seen before,” Bartlett said in the announcement.

Sellers Reum added: “This partnership is more than an investment in me, it’s an investment by Steven and his team into the future of women taking control of their businesses and lives.”

“Hot Smart Rich” reached 1.8 million total downloads and 500,000 individual audience members in less than one year, according to the announcement. Sellers Reum currently maintains an 8.10% engagement rate, compared with the industry standard of 2.4%.

The HSR Angels community, which the brand describes as its audience base, spans Los Angeles, New York, London, Toronto, Sydney, and Paris. Survey data from the community indicate that 31% self-identify as active entrepreneurs and 21% as aspiring entrepreneurs, with most members aged 20-45.

Industry Context

A study cited in the announcement found that 7% of business and entrepreneurship podcasts are hosted by women. “I was shocked to hear that as little as 7% of business podcasts are fronted by women, and yet it is estimated that women control a huge proportion of consumer spend in the U.S.,” Bartlett stated.

Sellers Reum described her content approach: “I started creating content that felt like you were out to dinner with friends – a place to be vulnerable, learn, laugh, cry, and most importantly have fun.”

FlightStory’s Track Record

FlightStory applies methodologies developed for “The Diary of a CEO,” which Bartlett hosts. That podcast ranks as the world’s second-biggest host-led podcast with 35 million followers, 14 million YouTube subscribers, and 60 million monthly listens and views, according to the company. The show had more than 1 billion streams by 2024 and added 500,000 YouTube subscribers per month.

Founded in 2023, FlightStory previously launched podcasts including “We Need To Talk” with Paul C. Brunson and “Begin Again” with Davina McCall, both of which reached number one on Spotify and Apple charts. Combined, those shows have accumulated a social and podcast following of over 2.5 million people and more than 800 million views across all channels since launch. 

The “Hot Smart Rich” podcast has featured guests including Susan Yara, who exited Naturium to e.l.f. for $355 million; venture capitalist Megan Lightcap from Slow Ventures; and Jonathan Van Ness, who discussed the bankruptcy of his haircare brand, JVN Hair.

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