Daniel Priestley on Diary of a CEO: the two skills that survive AI

Daniel Priestley sat down with Steven Bartlett on one of the world’s most-listened-to podcasts: Diary of a CEO. On the episode Daniel and Steven have a wide-ranging, honest conversation about AI, entrepreneurship, and what it actually takes to build a resilient business right now.

Watch the full episode

What they covered

• Why this moment feels more disruptive than the dot-com crash, the global financial crisis, and COVID combined — and why Daniel sees it as the biggest opportunity of his lifetime
• The Jevons Paradox — and why AI could create millions of thriving small businesses rather than simply destroying existing ones
• The six-step entrepreneurial process that works in any economy: from founder-opportunity fit, through validation and product-market fit, all the way to scale and exit
• Why “relatable beats impressive” — and how to find the personal playbooks that only you can share
• The financial bear case for AI that almost nobody is talking about, and why Daniel believes 2029 is a year to watch
• Why small, lean businesses of 2–20 people are easier to build than ever — and why the big business model is getting harder
• How to use AI as a thinking partner, not just a search tool — and what employers are actually looking for right now

“I’ve never seen more excitement for the opportunities in front of us — and I’ve never seen more fear for the disruption that is coming. We’re living through transformational times.”

Daniel Priestley, Diary of a CEO