Get motivated to challenge the status quo with 23-year-old Steven Bartlett, founder of Social Chain, as he shares raw stories of failure, creativity, and building one of the UK’s most talked-about agencies against all odds.

Steven Bartlett, Founder & CEO, Social Chain

Twitter: @StevenBartlettSC

Website: socialchain.com (may no longer be active)

Join host Max for an eye-opening interview with Steven Bartlett, a self-made entrepreneur who went from being expelled from school and living in poverty to running one of the UK’s largest influencer marketing agencies—before turning 24. Steven’s unconventional path is proof that disruption and bold thinking can trump traditional routes to success. In this candid conversation, Steven reflects on his early hustles organizing sold-out student events, why he believes asking is everything, and the mindset that helped him secure investment, break into consulting for global brands, and ultimately build Social Chain from scratch.

This episode dives deep into how Steven leveraged social media communities to create influence, why cultivating an internal locus of control is essential, and how reimagining work culture leads to exceptional results. Steven and Max also unpack the role of creativity in entrepreneurship, the power of failing fast, and why happiness—not just achievement—should define success. If you’ve ever questioned whether the “normal” path is right for you, this discussion delivers real-world lessons and the inspiration to carve your own.

Note: This podcast is no longer active and was originally published before 2016. Links and contact details may be out of date, but the conversation still holds valuable insights today.

Key Points

• Steven shares how being expelled from school and dropping out of university shaped his rebellious mindset (19:02, 23:09)
• Early hustles running underage club nights taught him to spot opportunity and build from scratch (04:13, 06:29)
• The principle: “If you don’t ask, you don’t get”—and how it landed him free equipment and game-changing introductions (08:42, 09:41)
• Why believing success depends on yourself, not external circumstances, is crucial (11:30)
• Building influence by creating and owning social media communities was the foundation for Social Chain (16:07, 36:19)
• Rejecting conventional career paths and betting that “everyone else was wrong” (21:00, 25:30)
• How poverty and hardship fueled his entrepreneurial ambition, not fear or self-doubt (28:34, 30:37)
• Startup lessons: hiring, partnering, and “learning by doing” instead of chasing perfection (33:40, 51:23)
• Social Chain’s growth strategy—acquiring digital communities and focusing on storytelling over metrics (45:54, 58:13)
• Creating an open, autonomous, and fun work culture by treating employees as trusted partners, not robots (56:05, 62:05)

Top 3 Takeaways

• Challenge conventional wisdom—don’t be afraid to forge your own path even when everyone else disagrees.
• Don’t wait for permission: Asking boldly and being proactive creates opportunities others miss.
• Build from first principles and focus on creative problem-solving, not just following proven formulas.

Links & Resources

• Social Chain: socialchain.com
• Billions in Change (documentary recommendation)
• Articles from Huffington Post (Steven Bartlett contributor)
• Handpicked book mention: References to Steve Jobs and Elon Musk for inspiration

Quotes

“Sometimes you can just ask for things and ask people for help and there’s nothing really to lose in doing so. If they say no, you’re in the position you were in when you started—but if they say yes, you’ve taken a step forward.”

“Being at the bottom and trying is much worse than being average and settled. I was as happy then as I am now, even when I couldn’t eat and didn’t have electricity. I was fulfilling my purpose.”

“It never even crossed my mind, what if it didn’t work? I really backed myself. Plan B acts as a distraction a lot of the time.”

“We’re all about disruption and about challenging the conventional wisdom. Not just in our product, but in everything we do—from how we hire to how we build the business.”

“Entrepreneurship is a verb. It’s about doing—if you believe in something, go find out quickly if you’re right. Don’t waste time worrying or over-planning.”