Meet Victoria Simmons | CEO

We had the good fortune of connecting with Victoria Simmons and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Victoria, what’s one piece of conventional advice that you disagree with?
That you need a big team or physical office to succeed or scale. I lead a high-performing fully remote team across multiple states and we’ve never shared physical office.

It’s ok to stay small and scrappy if that works for your business and expand only when it’s needed, not because that’s what you’re “supposed to do”. I’ve learned from experience that you don’t need headcount, you need horsepower. A team that takes initiative, real ownership in their work, and a culture built on trust and a shared vision.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My career path is far from traditional. I became president of my sorority in college and leading an organization of 200+ women will sharpen your toolset real fast. That experience taught me how to lead with empathy, make decisions under pressure, and get things done by working with a team. That year of my life ignited a fire in me to pursue a leadership role or an opportunity to be a real asset.

After college, I jumped into a fast-paced startup environment and was never stuck in a single lane. I was thrown into everything: customer service, operations, logistics, marketing, HR, and management. One day I was handling order issues. The next I was running executive meetings for a print-on-demand facility and building out the infrastructure to support a wealth management firm. I said yes to EVERY opportunity under the company’s portfolio. It was intense but I loved it.

That kind of hands-on experience shaped who I am and how I operate today. I built my career by saying yes before I had all the answers and then working my ass off to figure it out. I’ve always loved the saying, “It’s always hard until it’s easy” because the more I’ve challenged myself, the more I’ve seen that the things that once felt impossible now feel like second nature.

I’m most proud of taking the leap to run Sock Fancy, a decision I didn’t have a blueprint for, but I jumped on the opportunity and kept learning, leading, and moving forward to restructure and build the business into what it is today.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
We’d kick off the weekend with a Solidcore or Bodyrok class and then head to Hyde Park for brunch.

We’d have lunch at my go-to spot Fresh Kitchen and grab dinner at Bern’s Steak House, a staple in Tampa with a killer French onion soup and dessert room to die for.

But honestly, I’m a homebody at heart and love spending time at home with my husband and our French bulldog, Theo. I’m the biggest fan of a night-in binge watching reality tv with a glass of wine.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I have to give a huge shoutout to my brother who gave me my first real opportunity right out of college. He believed in me, challenged me, and let me grow by throwing me into the fire. I learned more working alongside him than I would have at any “traditional” job.

I worked closely with a business coach who helped me navigate the chaos with clarity. She gave me the perspective and belief in myself to keep pushing, face my imposter syndrome, and become stronger personally and professionally.

And I can’t leave out my husband for his unconditional support over the last ten years. I wouldn’t be where I am without a partner who respected and supported the long nights and grind that got me here.

Website: https://sockfancy.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/victoriaesimmons/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoriaesimmons/