“You have to employ winners, and then allow winners to do what they do,” says Simmons. “You have to give them autonomy, which means, in a lot of cases, the opportunity to make mistakes.”
Simmons has a reputation throughout the business world for having a very low staff turnover rate. Filled with longtime loyalists, Simmons’ businesses represent his personal philosophy of treating people equally and with respect. Simmons encourages his workers to act as entrepreneurs themselves, recognizing that not all great business ideas are going to come from just himself. He maintains an open-door policy, allowing his workers to develop their own projects that they feel passionately about and bring their business plans to Simmons for approval.
“The key is to properly incentivize people,” reveals Simmons. “You’ve got to make sure that, at the end of the day, you both have a good reason to go to work, and that there are no good reasons – for them or you – to move.” According to Simmons, a happy worker is a hard and a loyal worker. “I try to incentivize people fairly – with opportunity and money.”
While Simmons is often the brainchild behind his new products or lines, he gives his executives the independence to execute his vision as they see fit. They are given the time to develop a working business plan, and then come back to Simmons for the final endorsement. Simmons’ staff also tends to be as passionate about the hip-hop culture as he is himself, which further encourages the entrepreneurial spirit throughout his businesses.
Simmons claims that the second key to having efficient workers is “to let everyone fill in the holes that they’re good at filling in.” As an effective manager, Simmons recognizes his own strengths and weaknesses, as well as those of his staff, and compensates accordingly. Not only does this create a more satisfied workforce, but a more cost-effective one as well. This is why Simmons surrounds himself with highly educated people, who can perhaps fill in some of the business acumen that he lacks from not having a business degree. “I learned that I have a lot of talented, smart people around me,” he says. Confident in his abilities, Simmons is not afraid to admit where he could use some help, especially if it means improving his potential for success. “All my businesses run better when I’m working with people who are smarter than me.”
Simmons’ management style is said to be a disorganized, entrepreneurial free-for-all, but one that has worked with astounding success for him. His workers are always kept motivated and inspired both by Simmons’ own work and by the opportunities he provides to them. He opens the door for them to launch their own new ideas and share in his success; they just have to seize the chance and walk through. In doing so, Simmons is helping to guarantee the longevity of his companies, since a content and loyal workforce is the backbone to any healthy business.
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