About Simon

Summary
BS, Economics (Ohio State University – Columbus, OH USA); Economics PhD (Candidate); Founder, Chairman and CEO of Groot Suisse, and my overall responsibilities include the long-term strategic planning, development, and management of the Groot Industrial Ecosystem in Namibia, which is comprised of multidimensional light-and-heavy industrial projects development, ranging from a 10-million tons of annual output capacity steel mill (Groot Steel), 900 MW combined cycle gas turbine power plant (Letisia Jacob Power Plant), Africa’s largest dynamic glass manufacturing plant (Groot Glass) and more, all specifically designed to rapidly transform Namibia into a first world economy within 10 years. Learn more about Groot at grootgroup.com.

My Favorite Quotations
“Early hardship produces hidden strength”.

“If I have seen further than other men, it is because I have stood on the shoulders of giants”. Sir Isaac Newton

“If you’re not doing everything needed to maximize your potential is simply because you chose not to.”

“Real peace is not just the absence of war and violence but the presence of justice for all.”

“In Feudalism, money flowed to the power, but in Capitalism, power flows to the money.”

“The African Continent is Not Poor, but Simply Poorly Managed”

My Formula for Success

hi = β1ti + β2ti2 + . . . + β3ti3 + (β1t2pi – β2t3ni) + Ei
[Limitless Possibilities = Productivity + Determination + Resilience + Risk Tolerance + (Persistence – Procrastination) + Other Factors]

My Vision
To develop innovative products and solutions that help make a great impact in the lives of people in the world.

Quick Facts

– Entrepreneur
– Economist
– Analyst
– Strategist
– Business Consultant
– Audio Engineer
– News Junkie
– World Traveler
– BS, Economics, The Ohio State University
– Ph.D (candidate) Economics and Finance

Personal Interests

I have high keen interest in entrepreneurship, philanthrocapitalism, political economy and macroeconomics, political and financial analysis, international affairs, experimental economics, econometrics, economic development, market research, business development, marketing, and branding, business modeling, motivational speaking, sound recording and engineering, TV, film and music production, computing, technology and web development, traveling, reading, financial market and investing, current events, news, and politics.

Education

I have a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from the world’s largest campus, and one of the finest research universities in the world, The Ohio State University and I’m currently studying towards a Ph.D in Economics and Finance.

What’s Economics?
It’s the science that observes and records the actual human behaviors in the production, exchange and consumption of wealth – Arthur

Audio Engineering and Music Production

FOH Sound board

I have over 20 years of professional experience, I was hands-on trained in Denmark, South Africa, the UK, and USA, by some of the best sound engineers in the world, with the help of some really good people, in Denmark, USA, UK, South Africa, and Namibia, and I have a certificate in sound and music production (engineering, recording, mastering, and studio troubleshooting and maintenance)  from the world renown school for the recording arts, The Recording Workshop in Chillicothe, Ohio USA.

I’ve had a chance to work with the best people in the world, doing live concerts with some of the biggest names, from MC Hammer, Seal, U2, to Paul Simon, live TV news and interviews with the greatest personalities such as Nelson Mandela, Sam Nuyoma, George Bush Sr., and in-studio music production projects.

In the early 90s, I paved a way for a group of then young teens, which include Martin Morrocky (“The Dogg”, Namibia’s multi-award winning musician, producer and actor) and his sisters Diamond, Magano, and brother, Doe, by introducing them to the world of music and taught them how to sing and play music from my then 3-bedroom house in Okuryangava, Katutura, Windhoek, Namibia.

Business

I am the founder and CEO of Leticia Industries Ltd. I’m also the founder of Welate, a service that alerts you in real-time if your mate cheats on you with anyone at a anytime, anyplace, anywhere. I have three U.S. patent pending, with each of these represents significant milestones for my ingenuity. I have a vivid passion for helping the less fortune and those who crave to achieve their very best.

Economics

I am CEO of Groot Suisse, a world-leading infrastructure company focusing on developing and managing self-sustained advanced industrial ecosystems and system dynamics for the slow-developing and stagnant economies.

Background

I was born on October 10, 1970 in Oshimwaku, in Namibia under the South African apartheid system, where the majorities were oppressed and denied equal rights by the minorities, and I worked really hard in primary and secondary school with one goal; to help improve the quality of my family’s life.

Fueled by passion to explore beyond the norm and exploit whatever challenges life has to offer, after high school, I left Namibia and came to the USA to pursue my dream. As it might be known by some, that for someone to come to America from most developing countries; must be one of the four things that someone either has to;

1. be prominently wealthy
2. be academically smart
3. has a family member(s) or friend(s) in the USA with lots of money, or
4. a refugee.

For me, I fell under #2.

Thus, after high school, I went to further my education in the US, but unfortunately, my scholarship got cut off, so I didn’t finish college, but I refused to fail, and with the help of some great people, I went on to do other things; fueled by my passion to excel and succeed, I fortunately fell into the world of TV, music and film production, I became a sound engineer, working on many films, music recordings, and TV production, and ended up with NBC.

I bought my first 3-bedroom/2-bathroom house, and adopted my oldest daughter, Maria, before I turned 21, and my second 6-bedroom/5-bathroom house at 22. I had my daughter, Leticia, before I turned 23, and left NBC at 23, co-built a recording studio in Dayton, Ohio at 23, founded Simok, Inc. my first company at 24, and my second company, Kapenda Corporation, at 25.

As a sound engineer, I engineered several TV news interviews including with Elder Pres. Bush (41) (USA), Former Prime Minister Tony Blair (Britain), Former President Sam Nujoma (Namibia), Former President Nelson Mandela (South Africa), and a photo-op with Queen Elizabeth, dining at Buckingham Palace dinner hosted by Queen Elizabeth, working on numerous concerts with Seal, MC Hammer, Paul Simon, U2, Lucky Dube, and more.

Nearly for the past 27 years, I’ve made and live in the U.S. as my home. My autobiographical, titled “For the Love of My Family”, is in the works and is due to be out soon.

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Disclaimer

The views expressed on this blog are my personal views and do not necessarily represent or reflect in any way, shape or form those of the companies, groups, and or projects I have developed, founded or which I am employed, serve as director, board member or privately contracted as a consultant.