From a Bullied Stuttering Child to a Trailblazing Entrepreneur, Marrico Simpson’s Story Exemplifies the Power of Resilience, Innovation, and Turning Obstacles into Opportunities.
For Marrico Simpson, the road to entrepreneurial triumph was paved with adversity from an early age. Growing up in the small town of State Line, Mississippi, Simpson faced relentless bullying due to his severe stutter, a challenge that took a heavy toll on his self-esteem and confidence. “It was extremely difficult and affected my self-esteem and confidence. I was embarrassed to speak up and became withdrawn,” Simpson recalls. However, his unwavering faith in God provided him with the strength to persevere during those trying times.
Amidst the taunting and social isolation, Simpson found solace in the art of barbering. At the tender age of 11, he developed a profound interest in cutting hair, practicing on family members, friends, and even himself. This newfound passion not only offered an escape from the bullying but also provided a creative outlet for Simpson to express himself.
With prayer, perseverance, and an indomitable spirit, Simpson gradually overcame his stutter throughout his youth. While the impediment initially limited his verbal communication, it forced him to cultivate resilience and hone his listening skills. “I learned the value of patience, empathy, and determination. I had to work harder than most kids to express myself. But it taught me to embrace challenges and use obstacles as opportunities for growth,” Simpson shares. This formative experience laid the foundation for Simpson’s mental toughness and resilience, qualities that would serve him well in his future military and entrepreneurial endeavors.
After high school, Simpson enlisted in the U.S. Navy, serving for a decade before being medically retired. During his service, he suffered kidney damage, resulting in a chronic kidney disease diagnosis. However, this setback did not deter Simpson from pursuing his lifelong passion for barbering. While serving his country, he decided to obtain his barber and cosmetologist licenses, followed by his barber and cosmetologist instructor licenses. Shortly after, Simpson took a bold step and opened his own barber shop, “Cut N’ Shears,” and a Barber and Cosmetology School, “4MAS Barber Academy,” both based in Suffolk, Virginia.
Rather than being disheartened by his health condition, Simpson viewed it as a motivating factor. “The kidney disease was difficult to process after the speech issues I overcame as a kid,” he admits. “But those early challenges taught me to have a resiliency mindset. I saw this as an opportunity to create solutions for others struggling with similar circumstances.”
One such solution was the genesis of Simpson’s wildly successful business idea, which came to him while teaching one of his students at his Barber Academy. “I was teaching my student how to groom his hair when he was having trouble understanding the direction to cut his hair. I taught him the principle – you cut your hair the same way you brush it.” This eureka moment birthed the idea of a clipper and brush combined into one – The CutBrush.
Drawing upon his design skills and entrepreneurial spirit, Simpson pioneered an entirely new concept – the CutBrush, the world’s first combination clipper and brush tool. With its innovative bristles, the CutBrush allows barbers to efficiently cut and brush hair simultaneously without needing separate tools, streamlining the grooming process.
However, Simpson’s journey wasn’t without its share of initial failures and lessons learned. The first CutBrush production run experienced quality control issues, with some comb attachments not staying in place, causing uneven haircuts. Negative reviews poured in from dismayed customers, but failure wasn’t something new for the former bullied child turned tenacious entrepreneur. “Dealing with that childhood bullying and speech therapy taught me resilience early on. With the CutBrush issues, I had to embrace that same grit and persevere,” Simpson remarks.
Using customer feedback, Simpson and his team at the Black-owned 4MAS Grooming Inc. worked tirelessly to improve the CutBrush design and reinforce quality control processes. The revamped version exceeded expectations with raving reviews, and sales rapidly multiplied. In just a couple of years, 4MAS grew over 7000% and landed on the Inc 5000 list as one of America’s fastest-growing companies in 2022. Today, the brand offers a full line of clippers, trimmers, and accessories aimed at simplifying grooming for people of color.
For Simpson, this remarkable success symbolizes the life lessons that began with his childhood stutter. “Having that speech impediment shaped me in ways I couldn’t appreciate at the time,” he reflects. “It forced me to embrace adversity, build resilience, and see obstacles as opportunities – keys to any entrepreneurial journey.”
The 4MAS founder hopes to inspire others by proving that challenges can be transformed into achievements. Part of all profits goes towards kidney disease research and youth speech therapy initiatives, demonstrating Simpson’s commitment to giving back and supporting causes close to his heart. Simpson’s wife, co-founder, and VP, Shash Ann Simpson, along with his mother, Pamela Causey, played crucial roles in excelling business operations for 4MAS. Corey Ellis, the co-founder, VP of Operations, and head of the 4MAS Team, also contributed tremendously to the company’s exponential success.
Looking ahead, Marrico Simpson plans to rapidly expand 4MAS’ innovative grooming solutions while increasing philanthropic giving. His unique ability to persevere despite setbacks is and always will be a guiding force. “True success means lifting others up with you and never losing faith, even when things look bleak,” Simpson states firmly. “My early struggles taught me that embracing adversity opens doors that could never be opened otherwise. I’m walking through those doors with a fresh perspective on turning obstacles into opportunities.”
No matter what new challenges arise, Marrico Simpson’s incredible rise proves he’ll face them head-on with resilience. This leader’s journey from a bullied child to a barrier-breaking entrepreneur shows that with courage and resolve, anyone can pioneer solutions – even to problems that once seemed insurmountable. Marrico Simpson’s story is a testament to the power of perseverance, innovation, and the transformative potential of adversity when met with an unwavering spirit.
Check out Marrico Simpson and the innovative 4MAS Grooming brand:
IG: @4mas_grooming
FB: @4MASGrooming
TikTok: @4mas_grooming
