For Marrico Simpson, the road to entrepreneurial success was paved with adversity from the earliest days. Growing up in the small town of State Line, Mississippi, Simpson faced relentless bullying due to his severe stutter – a challenge that took a devastating toll on his self-confidence and self-worth. “It was an extremely difficult experience that deeply affected my self-esteem,” Simpson recalls solemnly. “I felt embarrassed to speak up and became withdrawn from others.” Yet, it was his unwavering faith in God that provided him with the inner strength to persevere through those trying times.
Amidst the torment of bullying, Simpson found refuge in an unexpected passion – the art of barbering. At just 11 years old, he developed a profound interest in cutting hair, honing his skills by practicing on family members, friends, and even himself. This newfound love offered an escape from the taunts while providing a creative outlet for self-expression that his stutter could not hinder.
Through prayer, determination, and sheer force of will, Simpson gradually overcame his stutter throughout his youth. While the impediment initially restricted his verbal communication, it forced him to cultivate remarkable qualities – resilience, patience, empathy, and the ability to listen attentively. “I learned the immense value of perseverance and grit,” Simpson shares. “I had to work harder than most kids to express myself, but it taught me to embrace challenges as opportunities for growth.” This formative experience laid the foundation for Simpson’s mental fortitude and unwavering resilience – traits that would prove invaluable in his future military service and entrepreneurial pursuits.
After high school, Simpson enlisted in the U.S. Navy, serving honorably for a decade before being medically discharged due to kidney damage, which resulted in a chronic kidney disease diagnosis. However, this devastating setback did not deter Simpson’s indomitable spirit. During his military service, he had already set his sights on pursuing his lifelong passion for barbering, obtaining his barber and cosmetologist licenses, as well as instructor licenses in both fields. With steadfast determination, Simpson opened his own barber shop, “Cut N’ Shears,” and a Barber and Cosmetology School, “4MAS Barber Academy,” in Suffolk, Virginia.
Rather than allowing his health condition to dishearten him, Simpson viewed it as a motivating force – a driving impetus to create solutions for others facing similar struggles. “The kidney disease diagnosis was difficult to process, especially after overcoming the speech issues from my childhood,” he admits. “But those early challenges instilled in me a resiliency mindset. I saw this as an opportunity to develop solutions for people grappling with comparable circumstances.”
One such solution was the genesis of Simpson’s groundbreaking business idea, sparked by a teaching moment with a student at his Barber Academy. “I was instructing my student on how to groom his hair, and he was struggling to understand the cutting direction,” Simpson recounts. “So, I taught him the principle – you cut your hair the same way you brush it.” This simple yet profound realization birthed the concept of the CutBrush, a revolutionary grooming tool that would transform the industry.
Combining his design acumen and entrepreneurial spirit, Simpson pioneered 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, streamlining the grooming process and eliminating the need for separate tools, saving time and effort.
However, Simpson’s path to success was not without its share of obstacles and valuable lessons learned. The initial CutBrush production run experienced quality control issues, with some comb attachments failing to stay securely in place, resulting in uneven haircuts and displeased customer reviews. But failure was not a foreign concept to the former bullied child turned tenacious entrepreneur. “Dealing with childhood bullying and speech therapy instilled resilience in me from an early age,” Simpson remarks with determination. “With the CutBrush issues, I had to tap into that same grit and persevere.”
Leveraging customer feedback as a catalyst for improvement, Simpson and his team at the Black-owned 4MAS Grooming Inc. worked tirelessly to refine the CutBrush design and enhance quality control processes. The revamped version exceeded expectations, earning rave reviews from satisfied customers and driving sales to new heights. In just a couple of years, 4MAS experienced a staggering 7000% growth, earning a coveted spot on the prestigious Inc 5000 list as one of America’s fastest-growing companies in 2022. Today, the brand offers a comprehensive line of clippers, trimmers, and accessories tailored to simplify grooming for people of color.
For Simpson, this remarkable success symbolizes the life lessons born from his childhood struggles – lessons of resilience, perseverance, and the transformative power of embracing obstacles as opportunities for growth. “Having that speech impediment shaped me in ways I couldn’t fully appreciate at the time,” he reflects. “It forced me to build an unshakable resilience and taught me to view challenges as opportunities – keys to any entrepreneurial journey.”
The 4MAS founder hopes to inspire others by proving that adversity can be transformed into achievement through sheer determination and an innovative mindset. A portion of all profits goes towards kidney disease research and youth speech therapy initiatives, reflecting 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 indispensable roles in driving 4MAS’ business operations. 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 amplifying philanthropic efforts to create a lasting, positive impact. His unique ability to persevere in the face of adversity remains a guiding force. “True success means uplifting others and never losing faith, even in the darkest of times,” 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 transforming obstacles into opportunities for growth and innovation.”
No matter what challenges arise, Marrico Simpson’s incredible rise proves he’ll face them head-on with the same resilience that has defined his transformative journey. From a bullied child to a pioneering haircare titan, Simpson’s story illustrates that with courage, grit, and an innovative spirit, anyone can overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles and pioneer game-changing solutions. Marrico Simpson’s journey is a testament to the transformative power of resilience, perseverance, and the ability to turn adversity into opportunity – a true inspiration for aspiring entrepreneurs and leaders alike.
Check out Marrico Simpson and the innovative 4MAS Grooming brand:
IG: @4mas_grooming
FB: @4MASGrooming
TikTok: @4mas_grooming
