Steven Bartlett, an entrepreneur and host of the “The Diary of a CEO” podcast, has joined creator commerce platform Stan as a co-owner. The move comes as Stan reports reaching $30 million in annual recurring revenue and $300 million in gross merchandise value, writes Ian Shepherd, host of the “Business of Creators” podcast.

“This is not a passive investment. I will be taking an active role in the business as a co-owner,” Bartlett said in a statement, confirming that both his personal capital and FlightStory Fund are backing the deal.

Since joining the company, Bartlett has been actively involved in product strategy and team discussions, particularly around artificial intelligence implementations. Stan CTO Vitalii Dodonov noted in Shepherd’s podcast that many of the company’s current AI experiments emerged from conversations with Bartlett.

“He’s been texting us constantly about AI,” added John Hu, Stan’s founder and CEO. “It’s like having a board member in your group chat.”

Stan has grown to over 70,000 users in three years, focusing on creators who build sustainable businesses without large teams or external investment. The platform provides tools for monetization, audience engagement, and business scaling through a single integrated system.

“The creators succeeding on Stan aren’t just influencers. They’re educators, coaches, spiritual mentors, even lawyers,” Hu explained. “They’re building lean businesses with high-leverage digital products, courses, communities, and services.”

Alignment with FlightStory’s Investment Strategy

The investment aligns with Bartlett’s broader vision through the FlightStory Fund, which backs growth-stage startups that challenge conventional business models. FlightStory, launched in February 2024, applies data-driven methodologies that powered Bartlett’s own podcast success to help other creators scale their own content.

Bartlett’s involvement with Stan will include sharing business insights, helping shape product strategy, and offering exclusive opportunities to Stan’s creator base. His commitment reflects growing confidence in the creator economy’s potential, particularly for independent entrepreneurs developing focused, sustainable businesses.

“Stan is the easiest and most affordable way to get started as a creator entrepreneur,” Bartlett said in a statement.