Business

Legacy Black partnership with UK Black Business Show aims to generate £100 billion in economic impact

Thursday, 16 October 2025 4:08AM UTC

FlightStory and the UK Black Business Show have teamed up to create Legacy Black, a media platform dedicated to empowering Black entrepreneurs worldwide, with a bold aim to drive over £100 billion in economic impact over the next decade.

FlightStory, the global media and investment company founded by British entrepreneur Steven Bartlett, has entered a landmark joint venture with the UK Black Business Show to establish Legacy Black, a media brand dedicated to Black entrepreneurship, business, and wealth. The announcement was made during UK Black Business Week, running from October 13 to 18, 2025, signalling a significant move to amplify and support Black professionals on a global scale.

Legacy Black aims to become the world’s leading media platform for Black entrepreneurs and business leaders, with a mission that extends beyond media presence to actively empower and celebrate Black talent. The joint venture aspires to drive over £100 billion in economic impact within the next decade. Legacy Black’s bold brand identity is crafted to resonate with both existing and aspiring Black founders and entrepreneurs who aim to make a lasting and influential impact. Dr. Raphael Sofoluke, co-founder and CEO of the UK Black Business Show, will lead the operational efforts, while Steven Bartlett’s FlightStory provides scale and media expertise to propel the brand internationally from 2026 onwards. The partnership is actively seeking commercial collaborations to support its growth.

Steven Bartlett is well-known as the host of “The Diary of a CEO,” Europe’s leading podcast, which recently surpassed one billion streams, marking a first for a UK-produced show and a milestone for Bartlett as the first Black British podcast host to reach this achievement. Besides hosting, Bartlett is an entrepreneur, investor, and multimodal media figure with notable investments in health, wellness, and technology companies like Huel and ZOE. He also holds the distinction of being the youngest-ever ‘Dragon’ on BBC’s “Dragon’s Den.” Through FlightStory, Bartlett has built a media powerhouse encompassing multiple ventures spanning investment, marketing, and talent development, creating a robust platform for reaching diverse audiences.

Georgie Holt, CEO and co-founder of FlightStory, emphasised that Legacy Black will leverage the deep expertise and vibrant global community of the UK Black Business Show combined with FlightStory’s media growth engine to create arguably the most influential platform for Black business worldwide. The initiative is described not merely as a collaboration but as a generational movement designed to uplift, inspire, and cultivate lasting growth, connection, and opportunity for future leaders, including potential unicorns emerging from the Black entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Legacy Black’s creation represents a powerful step towards reshaping the narrative and fostering economic empowerment within Black communities globally. By combining FlightStory’s proven media success—exemplified by Bartlett’s podcast and strategic partnerships like the social-first SME series launched with Vodafone Business—with the established network and influence of the UK Black Business Show, the joint venture positions itself as a catalyst for sustainable change and innovation in Black entrepreneurship.

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Source: Noah Wire Services

More on this

https://podnews.net/press-release/legacy-black - Please view link - unable to able to access data
https://www.ukblackbusinessshow.co.uk/steven-bartlett/ - Steven Bartlett is a British entrepreneur, speaker, investor, author, and host of Europe's leading podcast, 'The Diary of a CEO'. He co-founded Flight Group, a media, marketing, and investment company consisting of Flight Fund, Flight Ventures, Flight Story, Flight Studio, Flight Talent, and Flight Tech. Bartlett has made notable investments in companies like Huel and ZOE, focusing on health, wellness, and technology sectors. He is also the youngest-ever 'Dragon' on the BBC show 'Dragon's Den'.
https://www.flightstory.com/stories/doac-hits-1-billion-streams - In January 2025, 'The Diary of a CEO', Europe's No.1 podcast, reached one billion streams across Apple, Spotify, and YouTube. This milestone made it the first UK-produced show to achieve such a feat, with Steven Bartlett becoming the first Black and British podcast host to reach this landmark. The podcast has featured global personalities like Simon Cowell, Jada-Pinkett Smith, and Richard Branson, and has over 8 million subscribers on YouTube.
https://www.blackhistorymonth.org.uk/article/listings/region/aberdeen/an-interview-with-steven-bartlett/ - Steven Bartlett, a renowned entrepreneur and host of 'The Diary of a CEO', was featured in an intimate business masterclass at Aberdeen's Music Hall. The event highlighted his journey from a university dropout to building a $500 million social media marketing company. Bartlett also discussed his role as the youngest 'Dragon' on BBC's 'Dragon's Den' and his best-selling book, 'Happy Sexy Millionaire'.
https://www.flightstory.com/shows/diary-of-a-ceo - Hosted by Steven Bartlett, 'The Diary of a CEO' is a podcast that offers unfiltered conversations with influential individuals, including entrepreneurs, experts, and thought leaders. Since its launch in 2017, the podcast has amassed over 40 million monthly downloads, with more than 1 billion streams. It consistently ranks in the top 10 globally and has over 9 million YouTube subscribers.
https://www.blackcountryradio.co.uk/podcasts/the-diary-of-a-ceo-with-steven-bartlett/ - Steven Bartlett, a British entrepreneur, investor, and author, is the founder of Flight Story, a media company, and Flight Fund, an investment fund backing the next generation of category-defining businesses. He created 'The Diary of a CEO' to share unfiltered insights from the personal diaries of the world’s most fascinating CEOs, experts, therapists, and leaders, aiming to help listeners live better lives.
https://vergemagazine.co.uk/vodafone-business-partners-with-steven-bartletts-flightstory-studio-to-launch-social-first-content-series-empowering-uk-smes/ - Vodafone Business partnered with Steven Bartlett’s FlightStory Studio to launch a social-first video series aimed at empowering UK SMEs. The series features a rotating panel of entrepreneurs and experts discussing real challenges faced by SMEs, sharing experiences, tips, and actionable insights on navigating digital opportunities and change. This initiative is part of Vodafone’s broader business.connected programme, which aims to equip one million SMEs with new skills by the end of 2025.

Noah Fact Check Pro

The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may warrant further investigation.

Freshness check

Score: 10

Notes: ✅ The narrative is fresh, with the earliest known publication date being October 16, 2025. The announcement coincides with UK Black Business Week, running from October 13 to 18, 2025.

Quotes check

Score: 10

Notes: ✅ No direct quotes were identified in the provided text, indicating potential originality or exclusivity.

Source reliability

Score: 8

Notes: ⚠️ The narrative originates from Podnews, a reputable source in the podcasting industry. However, the press release is hosted on their platform, which may indicate a lack of independent verification.

Plausability check

Score: 9

Notes: ✅ The claims about the joint venture between FlightStory and UK Black Business Show are plausible and align with their known activities. The partnership aims to establish Legacy Black as a leading media brand for Black entrepreneurship, business, and wealth, with a goal of driving over £100 billion in economic impact over the next decade.

Overall assessment

Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): OPEN

Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM

Summary: ⚠️ While the narrative is fresh and plausible, the reliance on a press release hosted on Podnews raises concerns about independent verification. The lack of direct quotes and the absence of coverage from other reputable outlets further contribute to the uncertainty. Therefore, the overall assessment is 'OPEN' with a medium confidence level.

Black entrepreneurship
media partnership
economic impact