Ross Simmonds: The Hustler
HALIFAX—This guy knows how to hustle.
Ross Simmonds is only 28 but he’s already launched multiple successful businesses, written books and generally kicked ass as an entrepreneur.
Yeah, he’s hustling.
His love of the hustle started early. “I’ve been an entrepreneur my entire life, I grew up with a grandfather who ran his own paving company. Watching him have the flexibility with his schedule really inspired me a lot.”
Simmonds’ first business came in high school. When most kids are focused on trying to fit in, he was standing out as an entrepreneur, selling “do-rags” from his locker. It was a hit.
“I made a good chunk of money for a high school student. l was the cool kid who could buy everyone poutine at lunch because I was making money,” he says with a laugh.
“That’s when I was like OK, this is cool, this is fun.”
As a student at Saint Mary’s University, he launched a fantasy football blog that drew visitors from around the world. By setting up affiliate marketing links, he was able to pay for most of his tuition and books.
“I quickly realized that I could live in Preston, Nova Scotia and connect with people in the US, in Europe, all over, and all I needed was wifi and a computer.”
Simmonds joined a Halifax advertising agency after graduating, but the call of the entrepreneur’s life was too strong to resist. Three years ago he set out on his own, and he hasn’t looked back.
“I’ve always been driven to show people regardless of where you’re from or what you look like, you can achieve success,“ he says.
He started his own marketing consultancy, helping guide clients through the fast-evolving world of social media and content marketing. It’s something he continues to do, but he’s also founded two other companies.
“What I always wanted to do was launch products,” he says. The first is Hustle & Grind, what Simmonds calls a lifestyle brand aimed at, “helping entrepreneurs, go-getters and anyone who is really driven to create value for the world.”
Hustle & Grind offers monthly curated packages of coffee, including their own blend, as well as t-shirts, hoodies, posters, mugs and other “swag” that speaks to the entrepreneurial lifestyle. It’s found customers all over the world.
Trying to build a product company in a global market isn’t easy. So Hustle & Grind sets itself apart through three core pillars, says Simmonds: commerce, content and community.
That online community brings people back again and again. Simmonds says Hustle & Grind and its social channels, including its very popular Instagram account, are places “where people can talk about entrepreneurship, connect with one another, share the struggles, talk about the good and the bad of the hustle mentality.”
Simmonds latest product is Crate, “a social media platform that helps people share better stories online.” It finds relevant content that brands can share on social media channels like Twitter and Facebook. That saves social media managers and content marketers a lot of time. So far the company has 1,200 users.
“We’re learning from our users every single day,” says Simmonds. “We have an impressive road map. We’re going to keep learning and keep growing.”
While Simmonds has built successful companies from a base in the Maritimes, he acknowledges the draw of Silicon Valley and other entrepreneurial hotspots.
“I have a deep connection to Nova Scotia and I am not planning to make the leap anytime soon. My goal is to build a very successful company here in Atlantic Canada. When I feel that I am being limited in terms of growth that’s when I will consider leaving,” he says. “My journey is really just beginning. I’m 28 years old. I still have a long ways to go. I haven’t achieved all of my goals that I’ve set for myself.”
In fact, Simmonds is bullish on the future prospects for the startup community on the East Coast. “I think the startup community is strong, it’s growing. When you compare Startup East to other markets, we have some maturing that needs to take place. But that’s going to happen in any new ecosystem. I’m excited for the Startup East movement. There are some great companies that have come out of here. The future of Atlantic Canada can be very positive.”
Simmonds has two key pieces of advice for the people who are pondering the entrepreneurial leap. “Remove fear from your mentality,” he says. “A lot of people stop because of fear. And surround yourself with great people, and great things will happen to you.”