Phillip Scott: Inside the Quest to Build the Most Watched Black News Channel on YouTube Through Unfiltered Commentary

I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Phillip Scott.

Phil as his audience knows him is a Texas native graduate with a Bachelors in Theology. Throughout his life, he has amassed a diverse following where he has successfully delivered messages of: inspiration, knowledge, and optimism with a realist point of view.

The African Diaspora News Network he has created is a daily YouTube program on multiple channels with various contributors whose mission is to: inform, inspire, and entertain his listeners with engaging discussions on current events, thought provoking topics, and controversial issues (which have garnered over 550 million YouTube views and over 1 million subscribers to date). Coined, “NEWS WITH A COMMON SENSE APPROACH” Phil’s online platform has created a very diverse fan base that varies in age, ethnicity, socio-economic status, and loyal international supporters while also making him the most watched black news channel on YouTube. Phil is a Husband and Father of four children.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?

I got started in this field as a hobby on my off days as an operator in a refinery. I hate having idle time so after the encouragement of another Brotha. I filmed my first video in my bathroom in front of my shower curtain as a background.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?

I was eating with my family in a local restaurant. The waitress and manager recognized me from my show. They both wanted to take a picture with me. Then the manager gave me 50% off of my meal. I was with not just my wife and children. But my mother and father in law as well. They were surprised people were that excited to talk to me.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

One mistake I made a few times was to film 8 news reports. I went to check them and I didn’t even turn on the sound. I just had to laugh at myself. But I was also upset with myself because I had to go back and film it again. I learned to test your sound before you film. I take a few hours to film at this stage of the game for me due to the increased volume.

Can you share three reasons with our readers about why it’s really important for a business to have a diverse executive team?

I started everything on my own. It was really hard for me to let go of somethings because most content creators view their platforms like their children. But it was a great decision that helped us grow a lot further than me doing it alone.

More broadly can you describe how this can have an effect on our culture?

We need to work together as a community. The foundation of America is Anti-Black hatred. Unfortunately, it also rewards those who have Anti-Black views. Unification is the only way forward and we promote that as a solution in our platform.

Can you recommend three things the community/society/the industry can do help address the root of the diversity issues in executive leadership?

I feel Diversity & Inclusion policies have been a failure to the Black community. It’s failed because you can’t be who you are. You must put up with racism to keep your job and you own nothing. The industry can help by partnering with Black-owned and controlled businesses. We suffer due to not controlling and owning what we consume. If a company is serious about adding Black Americans then they must be on the board or CEOs, upper management, and a great percentage of the workforce.

How do you define “Leadership”? Can you explain what you mean or give an example?

In order to be a leader you must have a vision. Without a vision, there is nothing to lead someone towards. Once you have that vision and incorporate others into it. The best leader is a listener, keep smart people around them, always humble, always watchful. A great leader is slow to speak and work smart not hard. A great leader knows his or her flaws so finds great people where they can help make them look flawless.

What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why. Please share a story or example for each.

I would say your private life will go away to a point, hire an accountant, have the right business structure, take a mental health break, and ignore haters.

A part of your life will not be private anymore. People will recognize you when you’re with your family. That part is still hard for me because I’m a private person. I don’t seek fame or to be known. When someone recognizes me when I’m at the movies or just at the store. People are nice to me but I always think about that one crazy person.

Hiring an accountant when you start to make making money will save you from paying higher taxes. It took me a while to do that until my wife said, “Find an accountant. I done doing the taxes” When the wife speaks you better listen. I wish I would have listened sooner.

Having the right business structure would have saved us on taxes long ago. So if you’re making money on social media make sure to LLC with S-Corp. If you will be paying higher taxes.

Taking a mental health break is important because when I wasn’t doing that before the content I make at times can make you angry. I found out that taking a vacation better equips me to deal with the stress of our platform and business.

Ignore haters because they are a complete waste of time to respond to. I remember in the past I used to try to defend myself against those speaking ill of me or my family. You will waste precious energy by doing that. Your best response to any hater is just win and win big.

You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)

I would follow the model of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by pushing crippling economic boycotts as a way to bring justice and change. America runs on capitalism so money fuels its economy. Take away the money things go down. Only when the system loses money is when we’re listened to and respected.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

One of my favorite quotes is “Don’t Cry Over Spilled Milk” in other words don’t focus on things that happened all day. You learn from it and bring forth a solution to the problem. Crying or being depressed about it won’t solve a thing.

Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. :-)

I wouldn’t mind meeting and having breakfast with Billionaire Robert Smith. I would just want to soak up knowledge from the Brotha because I love when we as Black people that come from nothing become a billionaire.

How can our readers follow you on social media?

I could be found on our website africandiasporanews.org, on Twitter @Afrdiasporanews, Instagram at africandiasporanews and YouTube African Diaspora News Channel

This was very meaningful, thank you so much!

Jilea Hemmings is a staunch believer in the power of entrepreneurship. A successful career revamping Fortune 500 companies was not enough for her entrepreneurial spirit, so Jilea began focusing her passion in startups. She has successfully built 6 startups to date. Her passion for entrepreneurship continues to flourish with the development of Stretchy Hair Care, focusing on relieving the pain associated with detangling and styling natural black hair. For far too long, people with tender heads have suffered in pain. Until now.