Vanessa Simmons on Reality TV, Entrepreneurship, Rejection, and Building Success Beyond Run's House

In this episode of From Vision to Creation, Alexander sits down with actress, entrepreneur, and television personality Vanessa Simmons for an inspiring conversation about creativity, resilience, entrepreneurship, and building a career beyond reality television. Known for Run's House, Vanessa grew up in one of hip-hop's most iconic families, watching her father, Rev Run, turn vision into reality while learning firsthand what it takes to build a lasting career. But while her family name opened some doors, it also created expectations that forced her to work even harder to prove herself as both an actress and entrepreneur. In this conversation, Vanessa reflects on growing up in the spotlight, filming Run's House at just 21 years old, and how reality television shaped her personal growth, business ventures, and creative journey. She shares what it was like becoming one of reality TV's earliest breakout personalities while staying authentic in front of millions of viewers. We also dive into the realities of entrepreneurship, from launching successful brands like Pastry to navigating business failures, pivoting after setbacks, and overcoming perfectionism. Vanessa explains why rejection is often the greatest teacher, how she's learned to embrace failure as part of success, and why simply taking the first step is often the most important one. Throughout the interview, Vanessa opens up about transitioning from reality TV into acting, dealing with industry stereotypes, finding mentors, protecting her energy, balancing motherhood with multiple careers, and learning to trust her intuition when making life-changing decisions. Whether you're an entrepreneur, creative professional, aspiring actor, or someone chasing a dream, this conversation is packed with practical wisdom about resilience, perseverance, authenticity, and creating a meaningful life on your own terms. 🎙️ Hosted by Alexander Schmieding In this interview, you'll learn: - What it was really like growing up as Rev Run's daughter - How Run's House changed Vanessa Simmons' life - The biggest lessons she learned from reality television - How she built successful businesses beyond television - Why entrepreneurship requires resilience and constant adaptation - How to overcome rejection and use failure as motivation - Why perfectionism can hold you back from success - The importance of mentorship and surrounding yourself with wisdom - How Vanessa transitioned from reality TV into acting - Why she had to prove herself despite growing up in the entertainment industry - The mindset that helped her overcome thousands of "no's" - How faith, journaling, and self-awareness guide her biggest decisions - Why protecting your energy is essential for long-term success - How she balances acting, entrepreneurship, and motherhood - Why authenticity will always outperform perfection **Episode Resources:** https://www.instagram.com/vanessajsimmons https://www.instagram.com/fromvisiontocreation https://www.tiktok.com/@fromvisiontocreation https://www.instagram.com/alexschmieding Subscribe for more conversations with visionaries turning ideas into reality. This podcast is brought to you by **Proper Placement** — a full-service marketing agency helping businesses grow through social media, paid advertising, website design, email campaigns, and more. Learn more at www.properplacement.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices