Russell Simmons Rush Communications

for his powerful example

At the ripe old age of 21, Russell Simmons flew coach to Amsterdam with a rising rap star named Kurtis Blow--on a mission to share with the world a little thing called hip-hop. When they landed, the college dropout turned would-be impresario stepped off the plane and found himself being addressed as Mr. Simmons. "That was the best payment," says a man who can touch down on the tarmac in a private jet these days. "It reminded me that I deserved it, that I was doing something worthwhile. I haven't gotten anything better than that since."

For many bootstrappers, the seminal, I-know-I've-made-it moment comes when the company they built from scratch enters the black for the first time. For Simmons, the turning point came much earlier, with a small sign of respect that convinced a kid from Queens, N.Y., that he could chart his own course in the business world. A quarter century later, having built a half-billion-dollar music and fashion empire, it's a message he's delivering to young entrepreneurs, particularly young black entrepreneurs, simply through his very presence in corporate America.

Forget Def Jam, the pioneering record label he co-founded, which brought hip-hop to urban and suburban teenagers alike and made household names of Run-DMC and LL Cool J. Forget Phat Farm, whose sweaters and jeans now share shelf space with Polo and Tommy Hilfiger. Forget the energy drink, the debit card, and every other venture bearing his stamp. Forget even the charity and political outreach. Perhaps the most enduring legacy of Russell Simmons will be something he never set out to do. Simmons has emerged as an entrepreneurial role model, providing guidance both directly and indirectly. If nothing else, he serves as the very case study that was missing when he started out. "All of the businesses that I've gotten in," he jokes, "I got in because I didn't know I couldn't."

The Russell Effect has spread elsewhere in hip-hop, with a new class of serial entrepreneurs led by the likes of Sean "P. Diddy" Combs. But even more significant is Simmons's example for entrepreneurs in industries with little or no connection to music.

"It plays a great role having an African American figure who has taken business and entrepreneurship to the next level," says T. Lynn Jones, co-founder of Dallas-based Ethno Images. "Many of the role models right now for the community are athletes and celebrities, but Russell is saying, 'Hey, you can be successful, you can be in business.'" Jones and her husband, Troy, both veteran advertising executives, decided to hang their own shingle after noticing a dearth of multicultural stock photographs that they could use in their ad campaigns. Today the company provides access to more than 500,000 images for giants like McGraw-Hill and is looking to spread into ethnic-driven greeting cards and commercial voice-overs as companies place a greater emphasis on diversity. "Russell Simmons saw a need, and once he became established, he moved on to other areas," says Jones. "And that's key for entrepreneurs--you need to realize it doesn't stop with one idea."

Simmons is reluctant to wax philosophical on his role as an accidental motivator but is happy to be playing a part in what he calls "the dramatic shift in consciousness." "I'm not telling people anything that's a shock," he says. "Maybe I'm telling them things they've already heard before. But maybe because of my luck and success, they believe me."--Rod Kurtz

Rod Kurtz is a staff reporter.

1. Jeff Bezos, Amazon.com
   because "optimism is essential"
2. Betsey Johnson, Betsey Johnson
   for her stylish life
3. Russell Simmons, Rush Communications
   for his powerful example
4. Scott Cook, Intuit
   because he learns, and teaches
5. Sergey Brin & Larry Page, Google
   for their integrity. And, well, for Google
6. David Neeleman, JetBlue
   for creating an airline fit for humans
7. Tom Stemberg, Staples
   for doing it exactly right
8. Jack Stack, SRC Holdings
   for going naked
9. Judy Wicks, White Dog Enterprises
   because she's put in place more progressive business practices per square foot than any other entrepreneur
10. Davin Wedel, Global Protection
    because he's a lifesaver
11. Pat McGovern, International Data Group
    for knowing the power of respect
12. Steve Jobs, Apple Computer, Pixar
    because we like to be seduced
13. Lance Morgan, Ho-Chunk
    because a man must make his own arrows--Winnebago proverb
14. James Goodnight, SAS
    for saying no to Wall Street (repeatedly) and yes to the people who really matter
15. Stella Ogiale, Chesterfield Health Services
    for doing good while doing well
16. Rhonda Kallman, New Century Brewing
    for seizing opportunity-- again and again
17. Laima Tazmin, LAVT
    because she's a lot like other kids--and then again...
18. Laura & Pete Wakeman, Great Harvest Bread
    for living a little --no, a lot
19. Andra Rush, Rush Trucking
    for rolling up her sleeves
20. Kathleen Wehner, Cirrus Aviation
    for refusing to quit
21. Frank Venegas, Ideal Group
    because he parlayed a little bit of luck into a lot of good fortune for others
22. Dan Wieden, Wieden + Kennedy
    because he's a true independent
23. John Sperling, Apollo Group
    because he stirs the pot, and apparently always will
24. John Stollenwerk, Allen-Edmonds
    for his commitment to U.S. workers. We also love the shoes
25. Mel Zuckerman, Canyon Ranch
    for showing the way

Try a RISK-FREE Issue of Inc. Today!

Renew | Contact Us | Current Issue

Select Services