EP 179 Aaron interviewed  Dia Simms CEO of LOBOS 1707 Tequila & Mezcal & CO-FOUNDER, PRONGHORN. Dia is Morgan State University Alum, she resides  in Columbia MD. We discuss her journey from living in NYC and moving to Baltimore. Dia  worked for over 15 years with Sean "Diddy" Combs or P.Diddy  with his Ciroc Brand. She discusses how she became the CEO of LOBOS 1707 Tequila & Mezcal that is invested by Lebron James. We talk about being a CO-FOUNDER for PRONGHORN and how the company will help minorities get into the SPIRITS game.  I've told you enough go listen to this amazing episode. 

Dia Simms is co-founder of PRONGHORN, a stand-alone business established to create a  scalable template for diversifying an industry. The initial aim will be to cultivate the next  generation of Black entrepreneurs, employees and executive leaders within the spirits industry  through sustainable investment, incubation and recruitment. The pronghorn is the fastest North  American land mammal and can endure speeds for miles. Inspired by its namesake, Pronghorn  believes creating real change is a marathon, not a sprint. 

Dia Simms also serves as the CEO of Lobos 1707 Tequila & Mezcal, an independent spirits brand that launched in November 2020. Simms leads Lobos 1707 alongside Founder and Chief  Creative Officer Diego Osorio, with early backing by sports and cultural icon, LeBron James.  Lobos 1707 Tequila & Mezcal is named after the Spanish word lobos, meaning "wolves", and  dedicated to celebrating the strength of the pack. Simms brings an impressive track record of  building successful brands, combined with her entrepreneurial spirit and deep expertise in the  spirits industry to Lobos 1707.  

Simms spent almost fifteen years working alongside Sean “Diddy” Combs at Combs Enterprises,  starting in 2005 as his executive assistant. She grew within the company while building multiple  brands and businesses under the Combs Enterprises umbrella. In 2017, Simms was named  President of Combs Enterprises, making her the first president in the company’s thirty-year  history other than Sean Combs himself. In her role as President, she oversaw multi-billion-dollar  brands under the Combs empire, including: CÎROC Ultra-Premium Vodka, Blue Flame Agency,  AQUAhydrate, Bad Boy Entertainment, Sean John and Revolt TV. Of note, Simms led the  transformation of CÎROC Ultra- Premium Vodka taking the previously unprofitable brand to a  $2 billion retail value.  

Simms was listed as “One of the Most Powerful Executives in the Industry'' by Billboard in both  2017 and 2018, as well as named to the Ebony 'Power 100' list. In April of 2018, she was an  honoree of the Matrix Awards from New York Women In Communications (NYWIC), as well  as named to the 2018 Ad Age ‘Women to Watch’ list and Variety’s ‘Power of Women New  York Impact List’. Simms serves on the board for the Maryland organization THREAD, which  provides underprivileged Baltimore-area high-school students resources to help foster their  academic advancement and personal growth. She often speaks on the importance of diverse  leadership and accelerated brand building.  

Simms graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Morgan State University. She  obtained a master’s degree in Management from the Florida Institute of Technology. Simms now  resides in Maryland where she lives with her husband, daughter and dog.

www.pronghorn.co

www.lobos1707.com

Sponsors of NoPixAfterDarkPodcast