We were lucky to catch up with Phantom Phil Warder recently and have shared our conversation below.
Phantom Phil, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?
My mission is to not only continue to create a podcast that informs and entertains but to create a safe haven. A safe haven for those who have had unexplained experiences that have reshaped their life. Unexplained Inc. is the podcast where the unknown connects with the empowered.
If you have had a spiritual experience, a ghost, extra-terrestrial or cryptid encounter that you want to share…or if you want a better understanding on any of these subjects…this is the show for you.
The mission is to give the collective consciousness a more thorough understanding of these experiences in order for humanity to raise its frequency as we enter a new age of prosperity.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
This is taken straight from my website…unexplainedinc.com….it sums up my work and brand the best.
“Phantom Phil started Unexplained Inc. in March 2020. Yes THAT month…obvious circumstances almost prevented the show from being launched but the message just had to get out and so it was to be. The show started out as The Friday Night Fright and evolved to Where The Unknown Connects With The Empowered. As the intensity and absurdity of world events carried out Phil saw that the subjects of the paranormal, metaphysical, unexplained, conspiracy and spirituality all weaved together like a web. Digging into the truth of the unknown needed to be aided by aspects of spiritual healing and the ascension of consciousness.
Phil not only has a fascination with the unknown but has a background in broadcasting media. He is also in the process of becoming a practitioner of spiritual healing. He is certified in the modalities of Core Shamanism that extend back to the teaching lineage of Michael Harner. Phil is also certified up to Level II in Usui Reiki and will eventually get his Masters Degree. He is also being trained in the art of spiritual hypnotherapy throughout 2023.”
That sums up what my work and brand is all about. On May 1, 2023 I launched a Patreon page for the show (www.patreon.com/unexplainedinc)…so why and gain patrons? I made a decision in 2022 not to run any ads on the show. This was a personal choice that goes against the grain of what most podcasters do to gain revenue. I decided if I opened a paid platform with bonus content that could benefit the viewers / listeners than why not just do that. All proceeds will be reinvested directly back into the show. I will likely never fully do this as a living so I don’t feel the need to bloat the content with ads and announcements so I can increase in my own income.
The Patreon has monthly and quarterly updates. The Best Of The X-Files is a live commentary over classic X-Files episodes with my brother (and fellow podcaster) Robin. This segment is mainly for entertainment purposes but could provide some facts and helpful info you didn’t know about. It is updated quarterly.
Seasons Of The 4th House is a quarterly news show that is released around the seasonal equinoxes. It includes guest appearances by the Intrinsic Minds podcast (Ray & Gio) and professional astrologer Amanda Rose. We connect major events in the world to astrological transits and just try to make sense of all the chaos out there.
There will be quarterly episodes with members of the Vancouver Paranormal Society. The VPS has become a close friend of the show and we want to share experiences and evidence from REAL paranormal investigations that you won’t get anywhere else. Topical discussions will also be included.
Monthly there is Motivational Metal to get you out of your funk. I break down a favourite metal song that inspires myself to strive forward and hopefully you as well. Then there is Sacred Scribble…which is a monthly look at an unexplained, spiritual or conspiracy based book…fiction or non-fiction. In the future I may find a way for listeners to join in on show interviews live as they happen.
The show runs in seasons. From March-June and from September-December. This makes each show an event and keeps things fresh. I am looking to grow the audience and build a community. The show has seen tremendous growth in the last three years…organically. I still don’t have the biggest audience but I have one of the most loyal. I am more proud of that than any interview or meeting I’ve had through the show (as awesome as those have been).
If you choose to become a True Believer and follow the path of Unexplained Inc. you will get consistency, innovation, dedication and an expansion of consciousness in ways you maybe didn’t expect. In a parallel journey I am looking to transition into my own healing business with shamanism, reiki and spiritual hypnosis which I am all gaining practice with each week. You will look at the world a different way and likely go down some roads that lead to profound experiences. We are all here to become the change in the world that we want to see and that starts by getting a better understanding of the unseen. Stay curious!
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
Starting the podcast itself. In the previous bio I planned to launch the show on the exact day that most of the world experienced the initial lockdown of the pandemic in March 2020. I literally thought nobody would care about what I had to stay given the confused state of the world at that time. In the end I postponed the launch one week and kept going ever since. The opening roadblocks didn’t only come from this either…let me explain…
Initially I wanted to host the show or at least do a monthly episode from a local metaphysical shop. In January 2020 I had a meeting with a shop owner in my area. I was accompanied by a friend who was helping me launch the show that is a psychic medium and initially had a monthly segment on the podcast. The meeting to be polite…’went south’ in a hurry and it was clear the shop owner only met with me in order to get to know my psychic friend. The owner could not be any less excited to speak with me or learn about my vision….but was more than happy to set up a deal to take my money if I rented the space though. I was quite dejected and (I get no joy in saying this) it was just as well because the shop would close its doors during the pandemic but I still decided to go ahead with the show even though this key aspect of it wouldn’t happen right away…which brings me to my final story about recording the first two episodes…
I didn’t think my two-bedroom apartment was an appropriate recording space so I rented some commercial office space to record the first two episodes. They were going to be solo shows while episode #3 would include my first guest. I rented the space via email in Feb. 2020, no problem. I was slotted in just days before lockdown and what nobody bothered to mentioned was that in the meeting room next to the office I rented was a meeting with 20+ people. I specifically rented this space for a ‘quiet’ recording atmosphere (and the manager was aware that I was recording a podcast in there)…and had nothing but chatter on the other side of the wall. Anyway, I soldiered on and got the first two episodes done. With the miracles of modern audio editing software most of the background noise was gone. But I received a compliment from a friend who messaged me after the first episode aired and thought he heard ‘ghostly’ disembodied voices…so I guess it wasn’t such a curse after all! Like the metaphysical shop this space did not survive the pandemic and has since closed its doors…I take no delight in saying that but do you see a recurring theme here? If you’re in business these days you really need to stay on top of your game for potential customers! So two physical spaces went by the wayside but I still soldiered on and put my product out to the world…despite a global pandemic…sometimes you just have to solder on!
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
After the tumultuous start of the show in March 2020 I produced one episode a week (plus the odd bonus show) straight until April 1, 2022. In early 2022 I was editing an interview to be aired later in January and I experienced severe burnout. I just sat at my desk and said to myself ‘I can’t go on like this anymore’…as much as I loved the show I needed a break. Even though I received snippets of help from friends and family this operation is mostly a one man show in all aspects.
Hosting, booking, producing, editing, marketing, promoting…all done by yours truly. Managing that alongside full time working and parenting began to take its toll on me. After that revelation I decided to make new shows until April 1st and then would announce that I was going on a summer break. During that break I received many inspirations and bursts of creativity and I decided to switch to the seasonal format. My downloads took a fairly steep dive in the middle of summer or around Christmas time. So I thought it would make sense to run twelve episode seasons in the spring and the fall.
I just wrapped up my second season in this format on June 9, 2023 and it has worked wonderfully. I feel the interviews and guests are of a consistently higher quality. My creative juices are flowing more openly and my engagement has more intention and purpose behind it. Also more people are tuning in and downloading on a regular basis since this pivot. It could have been real easy to fold the show entirely or keep going and producing what I would consider to be half-assed material. With this pivot I struck the perfect balance and will continue to run this way. The next major pivot will be to find a like minded teammate or co-host to help share the workload while I grow this thing. Pivots never truly end on the quest for greatness.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.unexplainedinc.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unexplained_inc_official/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/phantomphil3
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/PhantomPhil3
- Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/unexplainedinc