---

Staff post about: Simon Fuller Become an Author

Tweet

---

The Man Behind the Music: The Early Years of Simon Fuller

In the quarter century that he has been doing what he does best, Simon Fuller has become arguably the most successful British music manager in history. He has managed everyone from the Spice Girls to David Beckham, and continues to work on creating new stars in the entertainment industry. With millions of records sold around the world and a burgeoning television franchise under his belt, Fuller has cemented his place in music history.

From Spice to Soccer: Fuller Charts New Territory

In 1996, Fuller created a carefully constructed promotion package for the newly named Spice Girls. Within just a few months of hiring Fuller as their manager, the Spice Girls were an international sensation. Their debut single, Wannabe, became the instant number one hit in not only the UK, but in 36 other countries around the world.

Lesson #1: Build a Brand with No Bounds

Simon Fuller’s specialty is not that he finds particularly outstanding talent and introduces it to the world. Rather, Fuller’s gift is that he is able to take almost anyone and build them up into a brand – a brand that the world cannot resist.

Lesson #2: Make Sure You Are Clear On Your Purpose

It is said that those who know Simon Fuller either love him or hate him. On the more favourable side, his role in the music industry has been compared to the late Brian Epstein, the Beatles’ manager responsible for the great British Invasion. On the other hand, Fuller has his critics who denounce him as someone who has sullied the music business with talentless artists and made fame a characteristic that can come irrespective of talent.

Lesson #3: If Your Job Does Not Excite You, Find a New One

Fuller was born the son of an RAF pilot who later became a teacher who was passionately enthusiastic about founding schools. It was that passion that took the Fuller family to West Africa. Simon, along with his brothers Kim and Mark, spent much of their childhood growing up in Ghana, where their father would establish schools.

Lesson #4: Put Yourself in Your Consumers’ Shoes

In the mid-1990s, Fuller came across a group of five women who called themselves Spice. They had been singing together and trying to get noticed for more than 18 months, to no success. When Fuller approached them, they were not sure what to expect, but anything had to be better than how they had spent the last 18 months.

Lesson #5: Reinventing Yourself is Risky but Rewarding

Some critics contend that there is nothing especially unique about Fuller’s recipe for success. Instead, they say he has simply capitalized on the phenomenon of disposable pop. What they fail to realize however, is that despite all outward appearances, Fuller has time and again reinvented himself.

Making a Success of Reality: How Fuller Created an Entertainment Empire

Simon Fuller’s talents as a businessman have made him a millionaire, something he remains appreciative of to this day. “I'm grateful that my artists and projects are succeeding globally in such a phenomenal way,” he says. Perhaps that gratitude stems from knowing he has come so far from where he started off in the school fields of Africa. Just how did he do it?

Simon Fuller Quotes

Simon Fuller Quotes

Share this article. Fund someone's dream.

Share this post and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.

Tweet