The Neighborhood Talk Creator Shares What It Takes to Build a Successful Media Company

In today's world building a media platform is not for the weak. From creating content to keeping audiences engaged, and competing with other platforms for exclusives, being the person behind the brand takes a great amount of willpower. For Kyle Anfernee Simpson, entering the media world at a young age was an advantage, but he has also faced his share of challenges.

Timing has proven to be everything for the Marlboro, Maryland, native who has become a force in the entertainment world. Waiting until the last minute to get an internship to graduate from Pepperdine University with a degree in Broadcast Journalism, the entrepreneur happened to scroll on Instagram and DM a new blog called The Shaderoom Inc. As fate would have it, Anfernee was brought on board the next day.

Trusting time, Anfernee knew when his career at The Shaderoom had come to an end. Taking the leap of faith, the young media mogul started his platform, The Neighborhood Talk.

"Going from a platform that had 12 million followers and here I am starting something at zero," was Anfernee's biggest obstacle. Wondering if his next move would be his best move constantly played a part in knowing if this next chapter would make sense.

Consistency is was Anfernee attributes to his growing success. Even in times when he thought he was "in over his head." The young mogul's hard work continues to pay off as he watches his Neighborhood Talk brand reach almost 1 million followers. He has brand deals with the likes of Fashion Nova and has worked alongside Nicki Minaj.

In our interview, Kyle Anfernee Simpson dives deep into the challenges Black-owned media face, what's needed to build a successful media company and more.