Calm App Founder: From $0 To $2 Billion By Making The World Meditate: Michael Acton Smith | E117

In this episode of The Diary of a CEO, Steven Bartlett interviews Michael Acton Smith, the co-founder of Calm, the globally successful meditation and sleep app. The conversation explores Smith's remarkable entrepreneurial journey that led to building a company valued at $2 billion. Smith walks through his early years and his progression through three major business ventures before Calm: Firebox, an e-commerce gift site; Perplex City, an alternate reality game; and Moshi Monsters, a digital creature collection game. Each venture taught him valuable lessons about business, product market fit, and what it takes to scale a company. The conversation then shifts to the founding of Calm and how it evolved from an idea into a global platform helping millions of people with meditation, sleep, and anxiety management. Smith discusses how Calm specifically addressed the growing crisis around sleep deprivation and the wellness challenges facing modern society. He shares insights into how the app helps people improve their sleep quality through meditation, sleep stories, and soundscapes. A significant portion of the discussion focuses on misconceptions about sleep itself. Smith explains how many people underestimate the importance of quality sleep and have incorrect beliefs about what constitutes healthy sleep habits. He emphasizes that sleep is not a luxury but a fundamental pillar of health that directly impacts productivity, creativity, and mental wellbeing. The conversation takes a personal turn when Smith discusses some difficult challenges he faced during the year. He uses these tough moments as an opportunity to reflect on what truly matters in life. This leads into a discussion about his relationships and how he has made changes to prioritize connection and communication with the people closest to him. Smith shares his views on the foundations of good communication and how being vulnerable and honest can strengthen relationships. The episode addresses the stereotype that mindfulness and meditation are associated with hippie culture. Smith discusses how mindfulness has become scientifically validated and mainstream, particularly as workplaces and institutions recognize its benefits for mental health and performance. Toward the end, Smith reflects on whether he feels the positive impact of the work Calm has done globally in helping people meditate and sleep better. The conversation concludes with a discussion on psychedelics as potential treatments for mental health conditions, exploring the promising research emerging in this space and how these tools might complement traditional approaches to mental wellness.