Steve Simonson is a lifetime entrepreneur having founded, purchased, built, and sold numerous companies over the past 3 decades. Along the way Steve's companies have been publicly recognized with three consecutive years on the Inc. 500 list, multiple listings on the Internet Retailer Top 500, Washington State Fastest Growing Business as well as a multitude of other company accolades. Steve was also a finalist in the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award. Retirement 2.0 is all about Steve focusing on the things he loves and cutting down work to only 40-50 hours a week. Although Retirement 2.0 is anything but traditional it is a mindset that reminds Steve to focus only on bringing value and not doing things for the sake of getting things done. Creating lasting value means more.
Global Sourcing & Supply Chain Mgmt
Systems Create Freedom
Steve's Ready for most anything!
Chairman's Circle
TESTIMONIALS
Entrepreneurs Sharing Stories
BIO & Media Kit
Steve Simonson's entrepreneurial journey spans over three decades, during which he has founded, acquired, expanded, and divested multiple ventures.
His endeavors have garnered significant accolades, including three successive appearances on the Inc. 500 list, multiple recognitions on the Internet Retailer Top 500, Washington State's Fastest Growing Business award, and a finalist position in the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award.
Steve's profound expertise as a leader and operator has been demonstrated across numerous enterprises, driving them from their startup stages to prosperous exits. Currently, his business operations are orchestrated through his holdco entity, SYMOGLOBAL.com which includes, but is not limited to his free entrepreneurial support platform & podcast, awesomers.com
and the exclusive executive training resource group Catalyst88.com
In the near-term, Steve's entrepreneurial focus is channeled towards companies aimed at empowering fellow entrepreneurs.
Parsimony.com serves as a comprehensive ERP system tailored for distribution, CPG, and e-commerce focused entrepreneurs.
The Empowery eCommerce Association, accessible via
empowery.com operates as a labor or love to support ecommerce entrepreneurs around the world.
Among his various projects, Steve has also been instrumental in propelling SOPBox.io, a platform engineered to foster organizational efficiency through the streamlined creation of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). SOPBox.io integrates AI technology to auto-generate SOPs, and has been lauded for its user-friendly interface which simplifies the onboarding and training processes
Steve's enduring passion for entrepreneurship is encapsulated in the timeless quote by Zig Ziglar: “You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help other people get what they want.”
This ethos, coupled with his aptitude for assembling brilliant teams, navigating an evolving business landscape, and his proactive approach towards embracing technological advancements, poises Steve as a distinguished figure capable of thriving amidst the uncertainties and the dynamic nature of the modern business world.
FAQS
Steve Simonson boasts over 25 years of experience in the global supply chain and sourcing sector, showcasing a rich history of adeptness in navigating the intricacies of international commerce. His global journey began in 2001 with exploring opportunities in product sourcing from various countries, a venture that proved pivotal in honing his expertise in the domain. As the Managing Director at Symo Global since 2008, Steve has displayed a remarkable aptitude for orchestrating ventures from conception to successful realization, with a notable emphasis on sourcing products at scale, a critical aspect for burgeoning e-commerce establishments. His knack for sourcing, particularly from China, is underscored by his dedicated team operating across diverse geographies such as the USA, EU, ASEAN countries and Hong Kong, ensuring seamless service delivery to clients. Through his endeavors, Steve has significantly contributed to alleviating the challenges faced by entrepreneurs, especially in e-commerce, by offering insightful strategies and solutions tailored to meet the demands of a global supply chain. His seasoned understanding of international market dynamics, coupled with a pragmatic approach towards operational efficiency and product sourcing, makes him a distinguished expert in the global supply chain and sourcing domain.
Steve Simonson has made substantial contributions to the e-commerce sector and business education through various platforms and initiatives over the years. His insights into global product sourcing, business growth, large scale operations have been particularly valuable for e-commerce, distribution, manufacturing, and consumer package goods entrepreneurs.
One of his notable ventures is Parsimony.com, a comprehensive business management platform designed to help entrepreneurs streamline their operations by centralizing business tools within a single database. The platform reflects Steve's philosophy that well-structured systems should drive businesses, thereby allowing people to efficiently manage these systems.
Moreover, Steve has shared his wealth of knowledge through the Awesomers.com podcast, where he delves into a range of topics crucial for e-commerce and business growth. He also initiated the Chairman's Circle program, through which he offers structured assistance to entrepreneurs, providing a platform for sharing his insights and experiences in a more personalized manner.
Through public speaking engagements and conferences, Steve has been able to reach a broader audience, sharing his experiences and insights on global sourcing, supply chain management, and e-commerce strategies. His involvement in events like the Catalyst88.com mastermind group further showcases his dedication to educating and assisting other entrepreneurs in navigating the complex e-commerce landscape.
Additionally, his active participation in industry forums like Empowery.com, OnlineMerchantsGuild.org and other online communities highlights his commitment to continuous learning and sharing of knowledge, making him a recognized figure in the e-commerce education realm. Through these various channels, Steve Simonson continues to enrich the e-commerce community with his expertise, helping entrepreneurs navigate the challenges associated with online retail and global sourcing.
The Chairman's Circle program, as conceptualized by Steve Simonson, is a structured initiative aimed at systemizing the assistance he provides to individuals seeking his expertise in business matters.
The program emerged from a desire to offer more structured help, especially as requests for assistance from respected individuals became more frequent. Before the program's inception, capacity constraints hindered Steve from extending the level of support he wished to provide.
However, the Chairman's Circle program has enabled him to engage in supportive roles such as a board advisor, board member, or even chairman of the board for those seeking a level of accountability.
The primary ethos behind this program is not to offer traditional mentorship or consultancy but to provide strategic input to companies, particularly those with significant potential and founders planning an exit.
The concept is rooted in whether Steve believes he can add substantial value and help in propelling the companies forward. It's structured in a way that Steve can provide this assistance without incurring financial strain, requiring a small financial compensation to cover his team's assistance.
The Chairman's Circle program is more than a decade old and was crafted to ensure that Steve could provide meaningful assistance, especially at strategic decision-making levels, to help companies navigate challenges, make bold choices amidst economic turbulence, and secure a stronger market position.
Through this program, Steve extends his expertise to help companies not only adapt to change but thrive amidst economic uncertainties, embodying a practical approach to aiding businesses in a changing world.
Despite the Retirement 2.0 announcement, Steve remains focused on a mission to help empower entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs are often misunderstood by their friends and family. Not everyone understands what drives an entrepreneur. In Steve's world entrepreneurs are ALWAYS welcome and never alone.
Due to time limitations Steve does not offer one to one mentoring in person. But check out the specially created AI mentor bot trained on Steve's podcasts and training materials. Only those companies eligible for the Chairman's Circle program from Catalyst88.com are able to schedule time directly with Steve. However, for all entrepreneurs lots of free content remains available at awesomers.com and empowery.com are available to those who want to learn more.