Who is Ross Simmonds?

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The Early Days

I have been active in developing online communities before the term Social Media ever existed. I can remember starting my very first blog and online forum immediately out of high school. The topic was Fantasy Football and I wrote a column every day for the entire football season. From there I was able to quickly leverage these tools to build a reputation for myself online and jump-start a variety of different online businesses that for a snotty nosed kid did quite well. As the visits to my sites went up, the marks went down so I was forced by motherly love to put them on the backburner until I was finished my degree.

Between all of this, I had a chance to work as a Camp councilor and find my love for being outdoors and grow an appreciation for the concept of staying forever young. While many of my friends took internships with big companies, I made one of the best decisions of my life. I decided to work at these camps during the summer, meet new people and have some unforgettable experiences. Upon graduating from Saint Mary’s University, I then followed my interest in the internet and was hired by the CBC to develop and implement a social media plan across the Maritimes. During this time I found my love for business and went from a Camp Counselor to a digital strategist.

The Hustle

After my stint with the CBC, I started another business providing digital and social media consultation for local businesses. Roughly a year into that venture I joined the digital team at Colour to advise businesses, organizations, and individuals on how to use social media and digital channels to achieve their goals and objectives. While working at Colour I had a chance to work closely with a variety of clients including but not limited to High Liner Foods, Nova Scotia Tourism, Nestle Canada, Cambridge Suites and Trade Centre Limited. Since then, I’ve left Colour to work on my own with a core team supporting me and work with a handful of clients who are looking to level up as it relates to social media and digital marketing as a whole.

My time at as a Digital Strategist has presented me with an opportunity to hit the road and speak at a variety of different events. Whether it’s a keynote or a workshop, presenting ideas and educating people is one of my favourite things in the world. The process of knowledge transfer and communication is something that I’m truly passionate about and love to do. Some of my previous speaking and social media training sessions include:

• -TIANS 2010/11 (Recipe for Social Media Success & Show me the Money – Social Media)
• TIANS AGM Conference (Recess is Over: Make Money from Social Media)
• Halifax Chamber of Commerce (Understanding Blogging & Business)
• SMU – Small Biz Essentials (Recipe for Social Media Success – X2)
• NSCC – Guest Lecturer (Analytics & Social Media Metrics)
• African Diaspora Trial Conference (How The Web Impacts Cultural Tourism)
• TourismTechnology.com – Atlantic Canada (Six Social Media Workshops)

While I play full-time as a digital strategist & marketer for a handful of clients, I spend my nights fighting crime and building this thing called dreamr. Dreamr is a business with the goal of inspiring people to stay young and stay curious through a portal that helps awesome people meet each other while doing awesome things. The dream team and I believe that life is about the people we meet and the experiences we have together. Our hope is to inspire people to break out of the traditional hustle and bustle and live life to the fullest with no regrets. Thus, we deliver, design and develop unique social experiences that will not only help people cross items off their bucket list but also ensure that “boredom” is removed from their vocabulary.

This blog is a place where I share thoughts and ideas on a variety of different things. You’ll notice that it’s a blend that includes everything from tips and tricks for providing workshops to personal reflections surrounding my own life and experiences. At the end of the day, I hope my blog provides you with inspiration to do what you love and achieve the goals you’re chasing. Whether that’s the first page on Google or simply a kick in the butt to do something you love.

May the odds be ever in your favour and if you ever want to chat – Give me a shout!