Steven Bartlett's Diary of a CEO Conversation Cards became one of the best-selling card games in the UK almost overnight. With over 500,000 decks sold and a waiting list that crashed the website twice, these cards clearly struck a nerve. But are they actually worth your money — or just influencer hype?
I've spent weeks using them in every setting imaginable: date nights, dinner parties, family gatherings, and solo reflection. Here's my honest, no-BS review.
The cards are a deck of thought-provoking questions designed to spark deeper, more meaningful conversations. They come in a sleek matte-black box that looks premium on a coffee table. There are multiple editions — the original, a couples edition, and a family-friendly version.
Each card contains a single question. No rules, no scoring, no winners. You just pick a card, read the question out loud, and everyone answers. That's it. And somehow, that simplicity is exactly what makes them work.
"The quality of your life is determined by the quality of your questions." — Steven Bartlett, The Diary of a CEO
Without spoiling specific cards, the questions fall into several categories:
The best questions are the ones that make the room go quiet for 10 seconds before someone answers. And this deck has plenty of those moments.
The conversation card market has exploded. Here's how the DOAC cards stack up:
The biggest advantage of the DOAC cards is that they feel connected to a larger philosophy. If you've listened to the podcast, the questions echo themes from guests like Bren— Brown on vulnerability, Jay Shetty on purpose, and Gabor Maté on emotional honesty.
"Connection is why we're here. It gives purpose and meaning to our lives." — Bren— Brown, on The Diary of a CEO
The cards are available from several retailers:
Prices typically range from £20–£25 for the standard edition. The couples edition and limited editions may cost slightly more. Watch for bundles — buying two editions together often saves £5–10.
After dozens of sessions, here's what I've learned works best:
"The conversations that change your life rarely happen by accident. You have to create the conditions for them." — Steven Bartlett
Yes — with one caveat. If you're expecting a traditional game, you'll be disappointed. These aren't "fun" in the board-game sense. They're tools for genuine human connection.
At £25, they're not cheap for what is essentially a deck of cards. But consider this: one meaningful conversation can shift a relationship, reveal something about yourself you didn't know, or turn a forgettable dinner party into a night people talk about for months.
For podcast fans, these cards are a natural extension of what makes The Diary of a CEO compelling — the belief that the right question, asked at the right time, can change everything.
Rating: 8.5/10 — Genuinely great product. Slightly overpriced but delivers real value if you use them intentionally.
Want more from the podcast? Explore our complete guides:
Best Episodes Guide — Top Quotes About Success — Mental Health Episodes