Today we’d like to introduce you to Derrich Phillips.
In a varied and interesting life, Derrich grew up in poverty in one of the most dangerous cities in the United States. Throughout his childhood, Derrich battled extreme adversity. He navigated an environment plagued by gangs, drugs, and violence. Derrich overcame these obstacles to proudly serve in Iraq and Afghanistan and to lead cybersecurity teams at Fortune 500 Companies. Now he is fulfilling his life’s purpose, empowering at-risk youth to conquer change, boost resilience, and accelerate success no matter what life throws at them.
After getting laid off from Hewlett Packard Enterprise in June 2018, Derrich decided that he wanted to pursue his passion for mentoring and empowering at-risk youth full-time that is when Mentor Select was born. On August 14, 2018, Derrich launch the Mentor Select podcast which provides virtual mentorship and career guidance. The podcast has lead to Derrich publishing the book, Poverty Powerball, an online course, and character development workshops. In addition, Mentor Select provides consulting services to design, enhance, and manage mentorship programs for schools, nonprofits, and corporations. Mentor Select works closely with Pamper Lake Highlands, The Foundations for CHOICE, Prison Entrepreneurship Program, and the Dallas County Juvenile Department. Derrich is a member of Shoreline City Church.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
There is nothing smooth about entrepreneurship. Since taking the leap of faith and becoming a full-time entrepreneur, I had a huge learning curve. One of the biggest challenges was shifting my mindset from employee to business owner and realizing that as a sole-entrepreneur I am responsible for everything (marketing, sales, product creation, accounting, advertising, business development, etc.).
Building the Mentor Select brand has taken time, consistency, and laser focus. It sometimes is frustrating to work on projects without any idea if the market will be receptive to the product. There has been a lot of trial and error trying to find out what works and what doesn’t work.
As a start-up capital has been an ongoing challenge. I have invested my own money to fund the business. With a baby on the way, cash has been tight.
What keeps me going during the hard times is my passion for what I do. I have never felt more fulfilled in my life. I could not imagine myself doing anything else. I know that this is my life’s calling. I also know that the tough times are part of the process, so I embrace the good and the bad.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Mentor Select – what should we know?
Mentor Select takes a holistic approach to mentoring and empowering at-risk youth. It’s our goal to inspire and equip at-risk youth with the skills and support system that they need to reach their full potential. Mentor Select’s vision is to help 1 million at-risk youth break the cycle of generational poverty. Mentor Select is known for the weekly Mentor Select podcast, the transformational book Poverty Powerball, the video blog Poverty Powerball Winners, and its character development workshops and boot camps.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
My wife Requill has been my biggest supporter through all of the crazy ideas, frequent changes, late nights, and early mornings. I certainly would not have made it this far without her.
Michael Hoffman – my speaker mentor, has helped me tremendously with my business plan and identifying the heart of my message.
National Speakers Association – Betti Coffee, Courtney Ramsey, and Niki McCuistion have been big mentors and supporters throughout this process.
District 50Toastmasters – Anne Barab and Gaurav Shekhar got me started down this career path. Toastmasters is where it all started for me. That is where I discovered my voice and my burning desire to share my message with the world.
Contact Info:
- Address: 9330 LBJ Freeway, Suite 900, Dallas, Texas, 75243
- Website: www.derrichphillips.com
- Phone: 866-485-7171
- Email: info@derrichphillips.com
- Instagram: /derrichphillips
- Facebook: /derrichphillips
- Twitter: /derrichphillips
- Yelp: /derrichphillips
Image Credit:
Prison Entrepreneurship Program, Bright Futures, Crowley Collegiate Academy
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