The inner makings of a successful entrepreneur and businessperson entail a vigorous journey of lessons, challenges, and obstacles that eventually mold the resilient into victors.

Such was the case for Anthony Rossi, the founder & CEO of Force One Marketing and Force One Capital. Additionally, he holds the position of President & Co-Founder of his newest venture, Cubed BioTech Inc., A newly formed biotechnology company aiming to disrupt mental health care, with a psilocybin extraction facility in Montreal.

Anthony’s track record speaks for itself, having brought his most recent start-up to a valuation of $20+ million within a three-year period and recently being recognized as one of Canada’s top 100 executives by the Canadian Business Magazine.

Anthony’s journey demanded an abundance of labour, exertion, diligence, and perseverance to land him in the position he finds himself in today.

Discover Anthony’s remarkable and distinguished decades-long journey in the business world and the three important tips he has for young entrepreneurs to succeed.

Humble Beginnings

Growing up in the lower-middle-class in a small city in Northern, Ontario, Canada, Anthony had aspirations of becoming successful and providing his family with more than what was available to him.

Infatuated with team sports at an early age and participating in five varsity sports in high school, Anthony was able to develop an early inclination towards competitiveness, teamwork, and creativity.

Cultivating the passion and ambition for what was to follow, the fabric of Anthony’s childhood was a cornerstone in establishing the foundation of his career.

 Early Success in Corporate World

Anthony commenced his professional career with a start in the energy business, working in the deregulation of natural gas and electricity.

A passionate and competent individual with a motivation to thrive, Anthony rose up the ranks within the industry, attaining the position of National Sales Manager within his first three years.

Anthony played a pivotal role in the success of the company during its foundational years, building and controlling 70% of its sales force as well as 70% of sales. Anthony’s involvement eventually facilitated the business to go public on the TSX with a valuation of $220 million.

The business Anthony worked with is now known as Just Energy, a publicly-traded company on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) serving 4.5 million customers.

By the age of 26, Anthony was recruited to the position of Vice President of Sales, at publically traded Direct Energy, overseeing a sales workforce of 200 employees and operating a payroll of $12 million.

Experience and involvement with Just Energy enabled Anthony to acquire irreplaceable knowledge and skills, as well as reap supplementary competencies for being tasked with working in a highly regulated industry.

Anthony inevitably attained a skillset pertaining to building a sales team, building a business, understanding how to negotiate, and understanding how to sell.

Overcoming Obstacles

Attaining success at an early age did not grant Anthony immunity from setbacks, as the Great Recession in the late 2000s left many at the company, including Anthony, unemployed.

The resilient, passionate, and competitive nature which Anthony possessed granted him to view the setback as an opportunity.

Anthony started his marketing company, Force One Marketing, while also taking on consulting work in sales and marketing.

In a pursuit to sharpen his skillset even further, Anthony entered the financial industry, working with multiple financial service companies, including a Director of Sales position with Home Trust and an executive role with Northbridge Financial.

This experience diversified Anthony’s knowledge to encompass B2B corporate sales and corporate management, as well as the opportunity to collaborate with various CEOs within the industry.

What Anthony is Doing Now

Anthony is currently focused on Force One Capital, a division of Force One Marketing. The firm retains holdings in real estate and shares across 23 different companies.

Launched three years ago, Anthony has built Force One Capital with his partner David Farris, up to presently hold a valuation of $21 million, with over 45 clients, $3.5 million in annual sales.

In his spare time, Anthony manages to satiate his love for sports by competing as a semi-professional golfer, on the PGA Tour of Canada, and Great Lakes Tour.  He also enjoys spending time on his boat located Downtown, Toronto, Canada.

Anthony is also currently sitting on the Board of Directors for three separate technology companies.

Advice to Young Entrepreneurs

From all the lessons which Anthony has encountered through his journey riddled with accomplishments and achievements, he has three key tips for ambitious entrepreneurs to take away:

Skillset: Young entrepreneurs and business professionals should prioritize building their skillset of abilities and competencies rather than simply looking to build their resumes, as the former will enable them to be better prepared for challenges that may arise and provide a greater degree of opportunities and ventures.

Diversify: Anthony emphasizes the need for aspiring individuals to get as much involvement and knowledge as they can by diversifying their experiences. Work with different companies in different industries, build a website, build a small business, and ultimately endeavor upon any activity which can enhance your skill set and make you better.

Find Mentors: Building relationships with individuals that have already found success in the path you wish to pursue is vital. Anthony stresses the importance of not only finding the right mentors but also being vigorous in constantly leaning on them and seeking them out for coaching and advice.