Detavio Samuels: orchestrating a new narrative and the quest for a billion-dollar Black-owned media empire

A compelling journey of Detavio Samuels, Revolt's CEO, as he shares his vision at Black Tech Week about constructing a billion-dollar Black-owned media empire.

Revolt CEO Detavio Samuels, a transformative figure in the Black-owned media landscape, recently shared his trailblazing journey and vision at Black Tech Week. In a session titled “Changing the Narrative,” Samuels candidly discussed the path from his tenure as a chief marketing officer to the helm of a multi-platform media company and his aspirations for constructing a billion-dollar Black-owned media empire.

His approach to narrative work encapsulates a combination of “profit, product, and purpose.” In Cincinnati, Samuels underscores the importance of brands contributing to the world consumers dream of inhabiting, asserting, "We're playing to change the world, and we all believe that it's possible and doable. Otherwise, we wouldn't get out of bed to do it.”

As the leading architect of One X Studios, the branded content studio at Urban One, Samuels deftly demonstrated his commitment to this ethos. With an initial budget of only half a million dollars, he generated an award-winning division that revolutionized the way black stories were depicted and celebrated. His relentless pursuit of innovation, balanced with a keen respect for legacy, is a testament to his visionary leadership.

However, the journey hasn't been a bed of roses. Samuels is candid about the struggles he faces, especially when it comes to financial commitments towards black suppliers and media. Reflecting on the diminished commitments in the years following the death of George Floyd, Samuels remarked, “Just because they're not paying attention, they don't care… It took two global pandemics… for people to see our pain.”

This societal inertia fuels Samuels' resolve to create systemic change. He's on a mission to transform a world where progress for the Black community is not viewed as a loss for others. Expressing his quest for a solution, he said, "I'm good at solving complex problems. My prayer every day is that I wake up solving the puzzles that God has uniquely put me here on this Earth to solve.”

Amid all these challenges, Samuels remains unwavering, urging individuals and organizations at Black Tech Week to embody change in their daily lives and business operations. His journey and perspectives underscore the untapped potential of Black-owned media and the necessity for equitable representation across all industries.

His concluding words echo a powerful call to action and a relentless quest for equality, “I am searching… How do I get people to care? How do I make them see it's not a zero-sum game?” His journey from a CMO to a CEO and the ambition to build a billion-dollar Black-owned media empire is an unfolding narrative, one that reverberates with potential, resilience, and a vision for a more equitable world.

The pressure for Samuels is palpable though, as he feels the urgency of his mission. He notes, “I have until January 2025 to figure out how to solve this very massive problem because in a year and a half, my world on the business side is gonna look very different.” A testament to his acute awareness of the shifting political and social landscapes, and how they directly impact his endeavors.

Despite the challenges, Samuels remains hopeful and resilient, believing in his ability to solve complex problems. He openly invites ideas and collaborations to address the major challenge at hand – shifting the societal perspective on black success. He says, "If anybody has any ideas, I'm 1,000% open. Let me know."

Samuels' audacious goal of creating a billion-dollar Black-owned media empire, while fraught with obstacles, remains a beacon of possibility. His journey embodies the belief that Black narratives deserve a rightful place in media and the world at large. "Revolt probably has 150 of the Fortune 500," Samuels says, emphasizing that he's ever ready to ask, "where are the other 350?"

Samuels' appearance at Black Tech Week underscores a fundamental truth – narratives matter. By speaking openly about his journey and ambitions, he's rewriting the script and inspiring others to see the enormous potential in black-owned media.

By all means, Detavio Samuels is a maverick in the media industry. His tireless work to shape a new narrative in Black-owned media, and his candidness about the complex road to a billion-dollar media empire, make his voice a critical one in this era. He is actively fighting for the world to not just sit still and take notice, but to care enough to act.