By Jean Baptiste Ndabananiye
Steven Bartlett’s journey is nothing short of extraordinary—a transformation from a boy shoplifting (stealing goods from a shop and hiding them in a bag or clothes) pizzas to survive, to becoming a multimillionaire, global entrepreneur, and the youngest-ever Dragon on the BBC’s Dragons’ Den. Born to a Nigerian mother who never learned to read and a British father with modest means, Bartlett’s early life was marked by financial struggle and a sense of otherness.
But where many might see barriers, Bartlett saw stepping stones. Armed with an unshakable belief in the power of action, he rewrote his story, turning every hardship into a cornerstone. Today, he’s not only a business titan but a role model, breaking barriers as a Black entrepreneur in a space where representation was once absent.
Bartlett’s rise constitutes a masterclass in resilience, ambition, and innovation, and his story offers inspiration for anyone daring to dream beyond their circumstances. This article dives into his extraordinary life, his relentless pursuit of success, and the lessons that propelled him to the pinnacle of entrepreneurship. It includes these segments:
- Early struggles
- Entrepreneurial journey
- Lessons from adversity
- Family background and impact
- Thoughts on the education system
- Conclusion and call-to-action
Early struggles
Meanwhile in our article we promised to come back to the amazing entrepreneur—Steven Bartlett. He has been guided by the motto “Don’t feed your problems with thoughts, starve them with action” to reach where he now stands, so that he has transformed it into a maxim that he popularizes. He expressed this, while celebrating his 30th birthday in 2022, specificallt sharing this insight with his Instagram followers as part of what he termed “30 fundamental lessons I’ve learned in the last 30 years.”
In its 6 Jan 2022 article “How Steven Bartlett went from dropout to youngest ever Dragons’ Den investor,” The Guardian reports “It’s been 10 years since Steven Bartlett unsuccessfully applied to be a contestant on Dragons’ Den. Since then, a lot has changed. The school dropout, who once stole food from corner shops and foraged for loose change to keep his hunger at bay, went on to start his own company from his bedroom and was a millionaire by age 23.”
Entrepreneurial journey
Dragons’ Den is a reality TV show where aspiring entrepreneurs pitch their business ideas to a panel of wealthy investors, hoping to secure funding and mentorship. The BBC says “First launched in Japan, Dragons’ Den is now an international brand with versions airing in countries across the globe. Entrepreneurs pitch for investment in the Den from our Dragons, five venture capitalists willing to invest their own money in exchange for equity.”
Despite this setback, Bartlett eventually joined the show; which adds an interesting twist to his journey. “Bartlett will be the youngest ever investor – or ‘Dragon’ – on the BBC’s hit series when it returns on Thursday. But pay attention and you’ll see him everywhere – whether it’s debates on daytime television, motivational quotes on Instagram, or on his podcast, The Diary of a CEO, which has consistently topped business charts for the past year. Steven Bartlett joined the Den in Series 19 and became the youngest ever Dragon at just 28 years old,” the BBC says.
The following are Bartlett’s words when he entered the show, according to The Guardian. “Dragons’ Den was the only window I had into business from 12 years old. It’s like the first time you go to New York City after seeing it in films for your entire life. But I understand what I bring. A new perspective from a new era of business. I feel a responsibility because there’s never been a black, young Dragon on the show. The most powerful role models, of course, are those that are most relatable.”
Lessons from adversity
The Sun published an article headlined “ZERO TO HERO: I shoplifted pizzas and pretended to live elsewhere – now I’m worth over £71m, says Dragons’ Den star Steven Bartlett” on 2 March 2024. According to The Sun, he told MailOnline “But generally – when I was shoplifting pizzas to survive – I tried to see hardship as a stepping stone rather than a final destination to stop myself getting depressed. I’m the same guy I was at 18. What I’ve learned is it’s all about the pursuit.
Number one: surround yourself with people you like. Number two: be challenged. Number three: have a sense of forward motion – [British cycling coach] Sir Dave Brailsford taught me that. You might only be making marginal gains, but the feeling you’re going forward is important. Four is autonomy and control, which I’ve always had.” Lastly, according to The Sun, he said you need a “subjectively meaningful goal.”
A subjectively meaningful goal is a goal which resonates deeply with the individual’s personal beliefs and brings a sense of fulfillment, even if others might not fully understand or prioritize it. This concept encourages people to define success in their own terms, based on what genuinely matters to them.
Family background and impact
He was born to a Nigerian mother and British father in Africa, Botswana. The Guardian says “His mum left school aged seven and can’t read or write, his dad was a structural engineer and ‘very, very smart.’ The family (he is the youngest of four siblings) moved to Plymouth, Devon, where they ‘struggled financially in a nice, white, middle-class area,’ something he expands upon in his bestselling book, Happy Sexy Millionaire. That feeling of otherness, of not having ‘the nice things other people had,’ drove him.”
The Guardian reports that he once said “I learned that if I was to have anything, it wasn’t going to be left for me under the Christmas tree; it was going to be a direct consequence of my own actions.”
The Sun echoes the point. “He grew up in Plymouth where his parents had little money and often argued.”
The Guardian reports “He was an insecure boy who struggled in school, barely scraping through GCSEs and A-levels. His attention, he says, was focused elsewhere – from organising school trips to brokering deals with vending machine companies and taking a cut. It was clear from a young age that his interest and talents lay in the world of entrepreneurship.”
So it wasn’t entirely surprising that he dropped out of his course in business management at Manchester Metropolitan University after just one lecture. He says “[I] looked around the room, full of hungover students and a lecturer handing out felt-tip pens, and realised this wasn’t going to take me to where I needed to go.”
MailOnline on 7 February 2022 stated “Dragons’ Den’s youngest investor Steven Bartlett, 29, was a broke university drop-out but says he’s made millions thanks to ‘parental failure’ after learning to be independent while his mum and dad were always at work. He previously described how he feared he’d never make a success of his life after quitting his course at Manchester Metropolitan University.”
“Actually the reason why I’m sat here today [in a show], I am 100 per cent sure, is because of things you would consider parental failures. ‘It’s because my parents weren’t around, it’s because I didn’t have all the nice gifts and presents, there wasn’t Christmas presents you know as I got older, there wasn’t birthday presents. So what that meant was, on one hand, because my parents were so busy working, and my mum is the most hardest working person I’ve ever met.
She would sleep in her office on the floor, in her shop on the floor, wake up and run the shop and then go back to sleep on the floor in the back room on a bag of rice in Plymouth. Because they weren’t around, I learned this very important lesson that if I am to have anything it doesn’t appear on the kitchen counter or under the tree. It’s of my own doing.”
Thoughts on the education system
He harbors vociferous opinions about the education system, which he calls a “propped-up scam” held together by a number of stakeholders, none of which are incentivised to help young people nurture their talents and work towards what they’re good at. “You’ve got the employment world that requires a 2:2 for jobs. You’ve got the university who are getting paid to drag you in and keep costs low, and then you’ve got the schools, which are ranked by grades.
It’s an archaic system that hasn’t moved with the modern world fast enough. Information is almost redundant by the time universities publish their textbooks. There’s probably not that many that have been written about blockchain, but we know it’s a pivotal part of our future.”
The phrase “propped-up scam” forms a strong criticism, implying that something is artificially sustained or supported, often to deceive or mislead others. In this context, when Steven Bartlett refers to the education system as a “propped-up scam” he is suggesting that the system is fundamentally flawed and not genuinely serving its intended purpose of preparing students for success. He argues that it is held together by various interests (schools, universities, and employers) that benefit from maintaining the status quo, even though it may not effectively address the needs of students or equip them for the modern world. The word “scam” implies that the system may appear legitimate or valuable on the surface, but in reality, it fails to deliver real value or innovation.
Conclusion
Steven Bartlett’s journey from humble beginnings to becoming a globally recognized entrepreneur and the youngest Dragon on Dragons’ Den underscores the transformative power of resilience, self-belief, and relentless action. His story illustrates that success is not merely a result of talent or opportunity but of an unyielding commitment to persevere through hardship and embrace continuous growth.
Bartlett’s mantra, “Don’t feed your problems with thoughts, starve them with action” serves as a universal lesson for all. It reminds us that while challenges and setbacks are inevitable, they can be turned into opportunities for growth with the right mindset and determination.
From his innovative approach to business to his bold critiques of outdated systems like traditional education, Bartlett challenges conventional thinking and inspires others to carve their own paths.
As he is continuing to influence millions through his businesses, podcasts, and public speaking, Bartlett exemplifies what it means to transform adversity into triumph, becoming a beacon of hope for aspiring entrepreneurs worldwide.
Call-to-action
Steven Bartlett’s story is a call to evaluate our own approach to challenges. Are we letting obstacles define us, or are we using them as stepping stones toward our goals? Let Bartlett’s life inspire you to:
- Take action—stop overthinking and start taking small, meaningful steps toward your dreams.
- Seek Purpose— align your actions with a subjectively meaningful goal that drives you forward.
- Foster Growth— surround yourself with people who challenge and inspire you, and commit yourself to continuous learning.
- Challenge Systems— don’t hesitate to question outdated practices that no longer serve today’s needs.
Share Bartlett’s story with others who might benefit from his wisdom, and consider what steps you can take today to transform your obstacles into opportunities. The next success story could be yours. In the meantime, it is intriguing that Steven Bartlett identifies as a Black man, while his heritage is mixed, with a White father and a Black mother. This complexity is further compounded by the fact that he has faced racism, which likely shaped how he navigated the world and formed his sense of identity.