"There is always a solution.”
Meet Ted Simons. 20+ years of executive-level experience in sales and marketing. 18-years devoted to developing world-class ‘branded’ sports facilities around the world including high-performance academies for Jack Nicklaus Golf, Mark Spitz Swim, Jim Courier Tennis, and Mia Hamm/Brandi Chastain/Julie Foudy Soccer. Each project required developing ‘solutions to unknown challenges’ to achieve both short- and long-term results.
Gained real-world experience in a number of diverse settings beginning with foundational experience in the ski and tennis industry with Rossignol Ski Co., which lead to engagements in golf, fitness, soccer, cycling, and more. Founded a boutique marketing firm with a focus on “Sports & Resorts”. Produced award-winning projects and events for Wilson Sporting Goods, ICON Health & Fitness, FreeMotion Fitness, American Express, US Ski Team, Deer Valley Resort, and more.
Currently driving the international expansion of Synergy Group Consulting providing expertise and insights into various markets such as “Golf-Performance-Entertainment” centers, innovative golf and sports assessment and training products, high-performance mental training projects, international branding, athlete/coach representation, and Go-To Market strategies.
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Table of Contents
Let’s learn a little about you and really get to experience what makes us tick – starting at our beginnings. Where did your story begin?
Ted Simons: Growing up, I participated in all sports (as well as music). When I started college, I wanted to work in the worst way for a specialty sporting goods retailer in Salt Lake City. This was my dream job – and I got hired. As I grew organically in the business, I was provided the opportunity to learn every aspect of the business starting in Men’s Skiwear and growing as a ski technician, racquet stringer, manager, and eventually, buyer, I realized next goal was right in front of me. And that was to be a manufacturers rep in the ski industry. My mentor was ‘one of the Gods’ in the business and I wanted to follow in his footsteps.
I got hired to be a sales representative for Rossignol Ski Co. when they launched their tennis division. This proved to be a great experience in learning how to grow a business where no one in tennis knew what Rossignol, or Diadora, or our other related brands and products were. Traveling a large 4+ state territory in the Rocky Mountains, pre-cell phone, required a great deal of driving (+120,000 miles per year), stops at pay phones to confirm appointments, and less than quality hotels to grab a few hours of sleep after making the 16-hour drive to El Paso, Texas, taught me perseverance and the value of connecting with people/clients/players/pros. Later, the ski and tennis divisions were combined, and eventually I was solely responsible for the ski division for my territory – the state of Utah. Being the Rossignol Rep in ski crazy Utah was quite the ride… Connecting with my customers, the on-mountain professionals, and the sales personnel on the retail floor was my singular focus. These are the people that will make one a success. I wanted to dominate the ski wall (and I did)! In my infinite wisdom and at the ripe age of 33, I decided I did not want to be only known as “Mr. Rossignol” and become ‘an old ski rep’. I transitioned and began a career in the film and video industry, which lead me to founding my own marketing firm, Synergy Group Marketing Communications, in 1992.
Synergy Group specialized in ‘Sports and Resorts’, a natural choice based on my background and location (Park City, Utah). In time, I landed an impressive list of clients including Wilson Sporting Goods, ICON Health & Fitness, Deer Valley Resort, FreeMotion Fitness, American Express, US Ski Team, Yonex Golf & Tennis, Freestyle Watches, EDO Sports, NASM, Yamaha Golf, Dartfish, Destileria 501 Tequila and more. From Telly Award winning video productions to product design, patents, print creative, event activations at the US Open and Rogers Cup, logo development, product brochures, packaging, tradeshow booths, employee training and certifications, as well as PR were all under the Synergy Group umbrella.
An introduction to Mike Malaska, 2011 PGA National Teacher of the Year, lead to writing, directing, and producing his instructional video/DVD series. This relationship led to an introduction to the new partners of the Jack Nicklaus Academy of Golf. And this relationship with the Nicklaus Academies team expanded to where I was developing Nicklaus Academies around the world for as the Executive VP/COO. In the course of visiting over 40 countries looking for the right partners to work with, we ended up with 28 locations in 14 countries at some of the most iconic developments and locations imaginable. From negotiating contracts, designing facilities, developing integrated coaching studios, hiring and training staff, creating programming and curricula, and directing marketing and events, each location was unique and a rewarding challenge. I also was charged with developing complimentary sports academies for Mark Spitz Swim, Jim Courier Tennis, Mia Hamm/Julie Foudy/Brandi Chastain Soccer, and FreeMotion Fitness as key components of master planned communities.
Fast forward to the onset of the Pandemic and it became time to shift focus and re-energize Synergy Group. Synergy Group Marketing had transitioned into more of a Social Media agency with multiple clients in the US and internationally. Website design and management, social media content and publishing, branding and marketing strategy, and providing support for various non-profits generated most of the business for Synergy. To maximize a lifetime in the sports and marketing world, and a vast experience in developing ‘best-in-class’ training facilities, Synergy Group Consulting was born.
Synergy Group Consulting provides a range of services to clients around the world. An emphasis of Synergy is providing 18-years of experience designing, developing, and marketing world-class driving ranges, learning and training centers, and high-performance academies to owners, developers, and professionals. The advent of ‘golf-entertainment’ has changed the golfing landscape in many parts of the world. However, a missing component is how to engage the more serious golfer into the new social driving range experience. Synergy Group Consulting had added that missing element, ‘performance’, into its concepts. “Golf-Performance-Entertainment” Centers are scalable to match the size and goals of any driving range. Strategic Partnerships with leading technology providers and equipment manufacturers improve the owner’s Return-On-Investment. New programming and dynamic pricing change the old standard driving range into a fun, busy, and profitable enterprise that attracts never-evers, companies, members, guests, and serious players alike.
And not forgetting past success in developing new products, concepts and brands, and bringing them to market, Synergy Group provides its consulting services to innovative new technology products, high-performance mental evaluation and training protocols, world recognized players and coaches and more. Each client, each project, requires a combination of vision and execution to provide the ultimate solution.
Tell us a little bit about your current projects. What exciting milestone would you like to share with our readers? (Don’t hesitate to delve into your achievements, they will inspire the audience)
Ted Simons: I am currently involved in new projects in Vietnam and India – in spite of the ongoing pandemic.
In Vietnam, I am developing a series of golf academies with Hank Haney for a very successful multi-national corporation. From negotiating the branding agreement for Hank Haney to being hands on for the design of the academy and learning center, selecting the cutting-end technologies and training aids, to developing the programming for their intended market, Synergy will be involved throughout the process.
Another recent addition to the portfolio is in India where the client is re-designing their golf course and Synergy will be charged with the design and development of the new driving range, practice areas, indoor training center, and a high-performance golf academy.
The new challenge in today’s world is managing projects from afar. With travel restrictions changing weekly, if not daily, much of the work that used to take place on-site is now handed via video calls, WhatsApp messaging, and email. Site visits will still occur as I am a hands-on person, but the trips will be fewer and further between.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?
Ted Simons: That’s a tough one. There was not a clear path that brought me to where I am today. I have a lifetime of experience, a very large network – domestic and international, and an unwavering attitude that any project can be accomplished. If I don’t have the expertise, I find the best available expert in that field to contribute to the project. This has always been the philosophy behind Synergy Group. Contract with the best talent available to deliver what the client expects – and produce it On-Time and On-Budget.
A phone call or email tomorrow may bring a new opportunity to become involved in a project or business that I have never touched before. Regardless of lack of personal experience does not mean the project cannot be produced at the highest level.
Can you tell us a story about the hard times that you faced when you first started your journey? Did you ever consider giving up?
Ted Simons: As a ‘still wet behind the ears’ 24-year-old, I jumped at the opportunity to work for the #1 Ski Company in the World – Rossignol. Instead of becoming a ski rep, I was charged with introducing new, unheard of French tennis rackets to the Mountain West. Rossignol was a house-hold name in ski country, which did help to open some doors to ski shops that sold tennis, but to specialty tennis shops and tennis clubs, few could even pronounce Rossignol let alone our complimentary line-up of products including Diadora shoes from Italy and two lines of tennis strings from Europe.
Well before the internet existed, the challenge became how to learn who were the top tennis retailers and influencers in my territory that encompassed Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Eastern Idaho, New Mexico, and El Paso, Texas, Being the son of a lifelong traveling sales and service guy, I hit the road with my maps, my radar detector, and a bag of tennis samples rolling around the back of an empty Chevy Van logoed with Rossignol, The Name Means Performance (the tag line for their ski products).
At each town, city and resort I drove through, I managed to ‘borrow’ a local phone book. I say ‘borrow’ as there could have been a chance I would return it, someday… I collected phone books large and small throughout my territory, returned to my home base in Utah, and set out calling each and every one of them asking if they carried Rossignol Tennis Rackets. The obvious answers was “no”. Every few weeks I would return to my phone campaign and call again with a similar question but tossing in the name one of the professional players from Team Rossignol-Peugeot to lend some credibility to the playability of the racquets! I believe there were some unique accents tossed in there to attempt to disguise my voice. Within a month or two, depending on the location of the tennis retailer, I would reach out for an appointment with the buyer/professional, and sure enough, they would mention they have received calls asking if they carried Rossignol racquets. An appointment was confirmed, and I headed off to far away El Paso, Texas with stops throughout New Mexico and Southern Colorado on my return to Utah — with orders in hand.
A similar phone campaign created ‘buzz’ behind Diadora shoes. Bjorn Borg, the #1 player at the time, wore Diadora shoes, just no one knew it in the US. Soon, one sales call turned into multiple orders including our tennis strings because I showed up every month or two regardless of the location or size of order. Persistence does pay off.
This became my career foundation for “providing a solution” whenever presented with a challenge. In time, Rossignol was commanding rack space on the tennis wall with the likes of ‘the Big Three’; Wilson, Head, and Prince.
What are the most common mistakes you see entrepreneurs make and what would you suggest they do?
Ted Simons: One of the most common mistakes entrepreneurs make, and I can attest to making the same, is not asking a 3rd party with experience in a particular field of interest for their advice and input on your latest and greatest idea. The amount of time wasted, money squandered, and loss of sleep could have many times been reduced or eliminated all together by just ‘asking’.
Assuming you can figure it out on the fly does not always bring the best results. Yes, you will learn a great deal through trial and error, but is that how your time is best spent? Don’t be afraid (or embarrassed) to ask for advice from others that are in a similar business or have attempted to launch a similar service or product. Many, as I do now, freely offer up opinions, recommendations, direction when asked.
Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lessons you learned from that?
Ted Simons: One of the most common mistakes entrepreneurs make, and I can attest to making the same, is not asking a 3rd party with experience in a particular field of interest for their advice and input on your latest and greatest idea. The amount of time wasted, money squandered, and loss of sleep could have many times been reduced or eliminated all together by just ‘asking’.
Assuming you can figure it out on the fly does not always bring the best results. Yes, you will learn a great deal through trial and error, but is that how your time is best spent? Don’t be afraid (or embarrassed) to ask for advice from others that are in a similar business or have attempted to launch a similar service or product. Many, as I do now, freely offer up opinions, recommendations, direction when asked.
Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lessons you learned from that?
Ted Simons: As a ‘still wet behind the ears’ 24-year-old, I jumped at the opportunity to work for the #1 Ski Company in the World – Rossignol. Instead of becoming a ski rep, I was charged with introducing new, unheard of French tennis rackets to the Mountain West. Rossignol was a house-hold name in ski country, which did help to open some doors to ski shops that sold tennis, but to specialty tennis shops and tennis clubs, few could even pronounce Rossignol let alone our complimentary line-up of products including Diadora shoes from Italy and two lines of tennis strings from Europe.
Well before the internet existed, the challenge became where and how to learn who were the top tennis retailers and influencers in my territory that encompassed Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Eastern Idaho, New Mexico, and El Paso, Texas, Being the son of a lifelong traveling sales and service guy, I hit the road with my maps, my radar detector, and a bag of tennis samples rolling around the back of an empty Chevy Van logoed with Rossignol, The Name Means Performance (the tag line for their ski products).
At each town, city and resort I drove through, I managed to ‘borrow’ a local phone book. I say ‘borrow’ as there could have been a chance I would return it, someday… I collected phone books large and small throughout my territory, returned to my home base in Utah, and set out calling each and every one of them asking if they carried Rossignol Tennis Rackets. The obvious answers was, no. Every few weeks I would return to my phone campaign and call again with a similar question but tossing in the name one of the professional players from Team Rossignol-Peugeot to lend some credibility to the playability of the racquets! I believe there were some unique accents tossed in there to attempt to disguise my voice. Within a month or two, depending on the location of the tennis retailer, I would reach out for an appointment with the buyer/professional, and sure enough, they would mention they have received calls asking if they carried Rossignol racquets. An appointment was confirmed and I headed off to far away El Paso, Texas with stops throughout New Mexico and Southern Colorado on my return to Utah — with orders in hand.
A similar phone campaign created ‘buzz’ behind Diadora shoes. Bjorn Borg, the #1 player at the time, wore Diadora shoes, just no one knew it in the US. Soon, one sales call turned into multiple orders including our tennis strings because I showed up every month or two regardless of the location or size of order. Persistence does pay off.
This became my career foundation for “providing a solution” whenever presented with a challenge. In time, Rossignol was commanding rack space on the tennis wall with the likes of ‘the Big Three’; Wilson, Head, and Prince.
Resilience is critical in critical times like the ones we are going through now. How would you define resilience?
Ted Simons: Resilience, to me, is a combination of determination and positive thinking. In our world today, it is a challenge to remain positive when much of the news bombarding us is negative. Negativity can creep into our minds, and into the minds of our co-workers, clients, relatives, significant others, and friends. Being able to remain positive when not everything is going as planned or hoped, is critical to remaining resilient.
Without a commitment to being determined to succeed, it can become easy to accept less than stellar results. The changing landscape today in terms of Covid, vaccinations, travel restrictions, quarantines, political opinions (at home and internationally) all play a role in our chance for success. One setback today may well disappear next week, or not. Who thought Covid would still be raging after 2-years? Not me…
The ability to always be looking for solutions to the unforeseen challenges that exist around every corner, provide the framework for determination, and ultimately, success.
In your opinion, what makes your company stand out from the competition?
Ted Simons: Flexibility plus a commitment to being On-Time and On-Budget. In my world, if one is not flexible, they will fail. How you manage challenges with clients, suppliers, legal departments, government agencies, deadlines, and more help to create successful outcomes. By being flexible, you can overcome the many challenges that will fill the road ahead.
I consider myself (and company) as “Free Agents”. We are not tied to a specific brand, supplier, design, pricing structure, relationship or deadline. We provide the best option(s) for each project and client to deliver a successful project. Yes, we have preferred vendors, but not exclusive relationships. What is the best match for one client will be death for the next. It is our responsibility to be flexible, to select the best option in terms of performance vs. cost, even when it may not be the product or brand the client was set on. That’s why they hire us – to be their outside expert to save them from making wrong and costly decisions.
Once a contract is signed, we immediately start to work backwards in terms of the budget and the deadline. Managing both are a challenge, and becoming even more so with supply chain issues, rising costs of goods, lack of labor, and transportation challenges. When I/we make a commitment to our client based on trust and our reputation that their project will not cost more than the contract and will be delivered by the deadline, we plan and act accordingly.
What do you consider are your strengths when dealing with staff workers, colleagues, senior management, and customers?
Ted Simons: I am a relationship person. That is how I sell. That is how I manage clients. That is how I strive to deal with my staff and colleagues. Relationships are naturally different with each group.
With staff, there needs to be trust both ways to create a solid relationship. Relationship does not necessarily mean friendship. Staff needs to respect rules and decisions that are in place. They need to deliver on expectations. But having a solid relationship means they can also freely communicate their feelings, opinions, recommendations for all of us to create better outcomes for the client.
With colleagues, a strong relationship is built on respect. Each of us have our strengths and our weaknesses. Knowing this and respecting what others do better than I do creates a solid and cohesive working relationship. And that respect works both ways for the good of the project, the good of the client.
Having a strong relationship with customers, to me, is one of my keys to success. From retail customers that came into the shop ‘asking for your personal help’, to international clients requesting you to visit them in Seoul, South Korea, not to discuss business for 3-4 days, but to spend time hiking the mountains of Korea, walking the beaches on the far side of the ocean, eating fabulous meals and consuming outstanding wine and scotch because of the personal ‘relationship’ built over years of trust and fairness. Business conversations occurred, as they needed to. But the lifelong relationship will weather any storms ahead.
How important do you think it is for a leader to be mindful of his own brand?
Ted Simons: I have spent a lifetime in business building brands, mine included. The name on the front of the store is the owner’s ‘brand’, and it was my job to respect that and treat it as if it were my own.
The name on the side of a van is the manufacturers ‘brand’. If you buy into the power of the brand, you become the brand while you have the honor of representing that company.
The name on the front of a golf academy, Jack Nicklaus, the Greatest Golfer of All Time, is a global brand that transcends 18-Major Championships. You are representing the person, the man, the leader, the family, the reputation. Protecting and enhancing that Nicklaus brand was consuming and rewarding.
Transfer the impact of each brand that I have had the honor to be associated with (and there are many, many more) instilled in me the need to develop and enhance my own brand. My personal brand. The brand of my company. The two are intertwined, successfully I hope, to make a lasting and positive impact on the small world I influence.
How would you define “leadership”?
Ted Simons: Lead by Example. Pretty simple, right?
I have always prided myself on this trait. Be on time – and your coworkers, your staff, your business associated will take notice and follow suit. Handle the dirty work, get your hands and knees dirty, sweat or freeze as needed, never complain. Lead by example.
Ask for input. No one is an expert at everything! There is a reason you hire the right people, surround yourself with the right people. Ask them for their opinions, their suggestions, and be open to incorporate those recommendations without an ‘ego’.
A positive attitude goes a long way when you lead. Again, lead by example and the power of positivity will carry to your team, your contractors, even your clients.
Lead by Example is true Leadership.
Do you think entrepreneurship is something that you’re born with or something that you can learn along the way?
Ted Simons: Entrepreneurship can go either way. In some ways, I feel like I was born with this desire to start, solve, and start again. However, I come from a family of ‘less than entrepreneur’s’ that do not quite get me…
There is a passion with most entrepreneurs I run across that does not normally exist with those that take the safer path. Not everyone gets it. Not everyone appreciates it. Not everyone is made for it. I thrive on finding the next challenge, meeting new people, learning (through trial and error many times), and feeling that ultimate sense of pride and ownership when projects and initiatives become a success for all involved.
When failure hits (and it does), it is not devastating, just a time to re-set and look for the next opportunity. There is always another WIN out there waiting to be discovered.
What’s your favorite “life lesson” quote and how has it affected your life?
Ted Simons: “If it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing well.” This was instilled in me from my parents, especially my father. He tackled every project by putting 100% effort into making the end-product the best it could possibly be. Looking back at some of his handyman results, I am not sure he achieved 100% success with the unique solutions he came up with.
From my time studying classical music (violist) to sports and eventually to sales, marketing, production, creative, development and beyond, I have always kept this life lesson quote in my quest for success. Without a commitment to effort, there is little room for success.
Jed Morley, VIP Contributor to ValiantCEO and the host of this interview would like to thank Ted Simons for taking the time to do this interview and share his knowledge and experience with our readers.
If you would like to get in touch with Ted Simons or his company, you can do it through his – Linkedin Page
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