Dismantling Gatekeeping and Creating Unfair Advantages

Alphonzo "Phonz" Terrell, co-founder and CEO of Spill, is rewriting what it means to build community online. From his early days in music and media to leading social strategy at HBO and Twitter, Alphonzo’s journey embodies the intersection of culture, entrepreneurship, and advocacy. After being laid off during Twitter’s transition, he transformed a setback into an opportunity by launching Spill: a Black-owned social platform designed for safer, more rewarding, and more authentic online connections.

In this episode of So Ambitious, Alphonzo opens up about the urgency of creating digital spaces rooted in trust, cultural fluency, and joy. He shares lessons from building at the highest levels of entertainment and tech, how Buddhism guides his leadership philosophy, and why dismantling gatekeeping is critical for future generations of Black entrepreneurs. This conversation explores risk, resilience, and redefining authenticity in the era of AI.

If you’re an entrepreneur, creator, or community builder who believes ambition is about more than vanity metrics, Alphonzo’s story is proof of how vision and conviction can create movements with lasting impact. As he reminds us: “Entrepreneurship is really an act of faith. You’re creating something from nothing.”

KEY POINTS 

- How a “Great Day at Inkwell” photo became a cultural moment for Black ownership and legacy

- Alphonzo’s transition from music to media to tech

- Lessons from HBO, Insecure, and Twitter on how conversations online reshape culture

- Why marginalized communities drive internet trends yet face the most harm online

- Founding Spill: designing platforms that prioritize joy, safety, and fair credit for creators

- Redefining “builder” beyond technical vs. non-technical labels

- Spill’s vision: To have safer, more rewarding, and more human digital connections

- The role of Buddhism in Alphonzo’s leadership and resilience

- Why gatekeeping harms Black entrepreneurs

- The power of collaboration and equity crowdfunding

- On raising millions in venture funding while centering culture and community impact

QUOTABLES 

“One out of every two Black people has experienced hate speech online in the past year. It’s a health crisis, not just a business problem.” – Alphonzo Terrell

“Authenticity is just a proxy for trust, consistency, subject matter expertise, and honesty.”  – Alphonzo Terrell

“Gatekeeping comes from white supremacy telling us there’s only one seat on the bus. We need to expand the pie into a garden where everyone eats.” – Alphonzo Terrell

“If we’ve been blessed with platforms, what are we going to build to unleash the next generation?” – Alphonzo Terrell

RESOURCES 

Alphonzo "Phonz" Terrell

Website | www.spill.com 

Felecia Hatcher

IG | @feleciahatcher

Black Ambition

IG | @blackambitionprize

So Ambitious is produced by EPYC Media