Theresa , Tease Marketing1

Santa Monica - CA United States

The big idea: In 25 words or less, please tell us how this Fast 50 Nominee is helping to address the planet's problems.

Fast, furious (and one of the few Asian females) in the sports industry taking professional athletes into the next generation of marketing and branding.

Please describe how this nominee is using business as a force of positive change. What technology, idea, or strategy is the nominee using -- and what problem, such as global warming, poverty, or pollution, does it address? (suggested length: 100 words)

Tease Marketing was formed by taking all the knowledge that I had learned from 14 years in corporate America, working for some of the world's most well-known brands - Nike, BMW, Disney, Donna Karan - and applying that same marketing discipline towards the sports industry by working directly with athletes on their overall branding. My company was created at a time when more and more athletes were starting to realize that they had to personally invest in their image and marketability as if they were a CONSUMER BRAND needing A LONG SHELF LIFE (off-the-field/court, and beyond their sport).

The other piece of my business is to consult for brands and companies/corporations who are looking for marketing insight and expertise from someone who is very plugged into pop culture - across sports, fashion, film, TV, social networking, urban and youth.

The ultimate synergy is when I am able to match an athlete client with a corporate client - and see the magic come in the form of a business partnership or transaction between both parties that helps take their respective brands to another level.

What are the results, both financial and social? How has the nominee's business performed, and what impact has it had on the problem it addresses? (suggested length: 100 words)

My start-up business is only 1.5 years old but I am extremely hopeful and ambitious - especially considering that when I left my senior management position at Nike, without knowing where my first client/paycheck was coming from, that I managed to bring in double my salary's worth of new business in Year One.

I have also been able to hire two full-time staffers (both young women, a few years out of college, extremely hard working and business savvy) and I have been able to land clients in every major sport - from the NFL to MLB to NBA to action sports.

Business is continuing to grow and clients are coming to me via word of mouth (I am so very blessed, considering our current economy).

In the end, I want to make my family proud, my Asian community proud, and my fellow female colleagues proud - as I believe that who I am, the services that I offer, and my approach in doing so is very unique in this industry.

Eventually, I would like to start my own foundation/non-profit someday that combines everything that I've done in the corporate and entrepreneurial space and be able to give my time, service and money to others in this meaningful way.