About Simon

Simon’s Path

Simon’s journey to this juncture has been anything but straightforward; it has meandered through countless twists and unexpected detours, spanning every imaginable corner of the globe.

Across multiple continents, covering the gamut from academic halls to boardrooms, his path is a mosaic of experiences, each adding a unique shade to his evolving perspective.

This rich tapestry of experiences, combined with an insatiable appetite for knowledge and a desire to better the human condition by helping others, has endowed Simon with an invaluable sixth sense and a repertoire of distinctive mental models, uniquely positioning him to guide and support others on their individual professional and personal journeys.

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The Formative Years

Like many young families, Simon’s family struggled financially during his early years. His father, a former British Naval officer, had difficulty adjusting to life as a pub landlord, leading to a scarcity of not only money but also the basic necessities such as running water and electricity. Luxuries were non-existent in Simon’s early years. 

In pursuit of a better life, the family relocated to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and later to Djibouti, French TFAI, on the horn of Africa. During this time, Simon attended Alliance Francaise schools, where french became his primary language.

During his youth, Simon lived in or visited numerous countries, including England, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Djibouti, Spain, Portugal, France, Germany, Greece, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Pakistan, Italy, Indonesia, Austria, India, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Cyprus, and others.

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Boarding School

Just before he turned 11, Simon’s parents relocated to Indonesia, and Simon was sent to attend a strict British boarding school in West Yorkshire, England, thousands of miles away from his parents. He would see his parents once or twice a year for a week or two between the ages of 11 and 16.

For all intents and purposes, Simon left home and became independent in many respects at the tender age of 11. These circumstances had a profound impact on his emotions, mental make-up, and forced him to think critically about his options and survival.

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Young Adulthood

By age 16, Simon achieved full independence, living alone, working multiple jobs, and owning a car. The transition from a strict boarding school to an independent lifestyle brought both challenges and personal growth opportunities. In search of direction, Simon attempted to join the British Royal Marines, but his eyesight did not meet the required standard, leading him to focus on education as the best alternative for a better life. He studied for and was awarded a Bachelor of Honors Degree 1st class in Hotel & Restaurant Management from Huddersfield University in the United Kingdom.

During his undergraduate studies, Simon immersed himself in nightlife management, overseeing nightclubs, restaurants, and entertainment centers in Blackpool, England. The vibrant atmosphere and entrepreneurial spirit fueled his success in the unconventional entertainment industry. 

Despite his impressive academic credentials, he came to realize that formal education had severe drawbacks in terms of limiting one’s thinking and degree of innovation.

During this time, an event occurred that deeply impacted Simon’s worldview and influenced how he chose to live. In the early 1980s, he received a terminal illness diagnosis with a life expectancy of 9-12 months. Fortunately, a few months later, it was discovered that the initial diagnosis was incorrect, and Simon did not have a terminal illness. Nonetheless, the experience of believing his life was limited, fundamentally changed his perspective and approach to life moving forward.

But here’s the twist: Simon’s education didn’t exactly set him up for the modern world. In many ways, it equipped him for a life in the 13th century. 

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20’s and Beyond

Simon moved to the USA and went on to be awarded a PhD with an emphasis in marketing and strategic management from Virginia Tech. 

By the time Simon was 27, he assumed the role of an Assistant Professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Guiding undergraduate and graduate students became his passion, as he had the privilege to shape young minds and ignite their intellectual curiosity.

While he loved to teach, it was all but impossible, as a university professor, for him to earn the amount of money he required to support the lifestyle he desired. 

In his late 20’s, he entered the world of sales and marketing operations in the resort industry. He spearheaded initiatives for various companies, leveraging his expertise to drive both top-line and bottom-line growth.

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40’s and Beyond

At the age of 44, Simon took on the role of President & Chief Operating Officer of Diamond Resorts International, arguably the largest independent vacation ownership company globally at the time.

This allowed him to oversee a network of 160 affiliated resorts spanning 14 countries. He twice sat as a board member of the American Resort Development Association’s Board of Directors and also held a seat on the Board’s Executive Committee.

As his career progressed, he ventured into new territories, embracing opportunities in Mexico. In his late 40s, he assumed the role of President at Tesoro Resorts on the west coast of Mexico, and he took on the mantle of Chief Sales & Marketing Officer at Royal Resorts on the east coast of Mexico.

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50’s and Beyond

The digital era beckoned, and in his 50’s, Simon embarked on a new adventure as a Partner & President of a cutting-edge digital advertising agency specializing in social media. This role allowed him to tap into the ever-evolving landscape of digital marketing, harnessing the power of social platforms to create impactful campaigns and connect brands with their target audiences.

And then, at the ripe old age of 52, Simon was bestowed with a precious gift—a child with special needs. Parenthood, with its endless joys and challenges, pushed his life into an entirely new dimension. It became a profound lesson in resilience, empathy, and unwavering devotion.

In the face of adversity, he discovered the depths of his own strength as he learned to navigate uncharted territories and embrace the beauty of the unconventional.

His journey with his extraordinary child has unlocked a reservoir of love and independent thinking within him that he never knew existed, forcing him to reevaluate and redefine his notions of self, his own cognitive flexibility, and societal norms.

To establish a connection with his son, he simply had to adapt his thought process and mental models to be on the same thought plane as his son.

Conventional views of the world were no longer an option for him as they quite literally did not allow him to communicate with his son in his early years. Adaptation of new mental models was a prerequisite for survival and a caring, loving, nurturing, and fun father-son relationship.