Russell Simmons path to success

How Did I Get Here?

Russell Simmons

Producer and entrepreneur

• Education
• August Martin High School, Jamaica, New York, class of 1975
• City College of New York

• Work Experience
• 1979–84

  Music manager
• 1984–98

  

  We signed Beastie Boys and Kanye West

  Co-founder, Def Jam Recordings
• 1992–2004

  Founder and chief executive officer, Phat Fashions
• 1995–Present

  Co-founder and chairman, RUSH Philanthropic Arts Foundation
• 2003–Present

  Co-founder, UniRush
• 2007–Present

  Author
• 2007–14

  Founder and chairman, Global Grind
• 2007–Present

  Founder, Simmons Design Group
• 2013–Present

  Co-founder, Narrative
• 2013–Present

  Operating chairman, All Def Digital

• Life Lessons
• “It’s fun if you say it is.”

  TWEET THIS
• “You can’t fail till you quit.”

  TWEET THIS
• “Block out 20 minutes every morning for meditation.”

  TWEET THIS

• • Argyleculture bow tie
  • “I have a lot of fun designing clothes for Argyleculture and Tantris, our yoga line.”
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    With daughters Aoki and Ming Lee during the Bombay Sapphire Art for Life event, 2014