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Biography
Marilyn Tam Ph.D. is a Speaker, Author, Consultant and Founder and Executive Director of Us Foundation. She was formerly the CEO of Aveda Corp., President of Reebok Apparel and Retail Group and Vice President of Nike Inc. She is also a successful entrepreneur who has developed and built several global companies.
Marilyn has devoted her life to living and teaching others how to live and thrive in the dynamic balance between doing and being. Her life is an inspiring example of what can be achieved if one followed their dreams. She grew up as an abused and neglected child in Hong Kong. She left home as a teen to come to America alone. Following her internal guide and life mission, she achieved international business and humanitarian success.
With her books, talks and workshops, she has helped people and companies internationally to find success and dynamic balance.
Her first book, “How to Use What You’ve Got to Get What You Want”, is in six languages. Her new book, “Living the Life of Your Dreams – The Secrets to Turning Your Dreams into Reality” won the Global eBook of the Year 2011 in the Inspirational/Visionary category. http://www.marilyntam.com
Industry Expertise (10)
Apparel/Accessories
Wholesale
Corporate Training
Retail
Corporate Leadership
Footwear
Management Consulting
Advertising/Marketing
Women
Consumer Goods
Areas of Expertise (4)
Diversity
Success
Leadership in the 21st Century
Women
Accomplishments (3)
One of Top Four most Prominent Names in Brand Ethics Globally (professional)
Accorded this honor by Brand Channel
Artemis Award & official Greek postage stamp with my image (professional)
Presented by Euro American Women's Council and the Greek government for my Business and Humanitarian work
Lifetime Achievement Award (professional)
Awarded by the global eWomenNetwork; award is known as the Femtor award
Education (2)
Old Dominion University: Ph.D, Humane Letters
Honorary Doctorate
Oregon State University: MS, Economics
Links (2)
Event Appearances (8)
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US Army Aviation and Missile Center Diversity Conference Huntsville AL
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Linkage's annual Women In Leadership Conference San Francisco, CA
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IBM Leadership Conference Armonk NY
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iCan Annual Women's Leadership Conference Omaha NE
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Global Accenture Conference Manila Philippines
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Universal Forum of Cultures Barcelona Spain
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Mercedes Benz/Daimler Leadership & Women's Conference Detroit, MI
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Ernst & Young Global New Partners Conference Washington DC
Sample Talks (5)
3. Women in the Workplace and Marketplace
In today’s highly competitive and interconnected world, women are invaluable to any enterprise. Women have specific strengths that are critical in today’s global economy and environment. Yet there are cultural biases in both men and women, and many structural obstacles that may hinder a woman’s progress in attaining her highest potential. This is a loss, for the company, as much as it is for the women who fail to fully contribute because of this. Marilyn will discuss and share from her personal experience as a corporate leader, woman, business consultant and humanitarian, the development of personal awareness, interpersonal skills, strategy development, decision-making and other key factors in how to be successful as a woman in business and how to support the development of women in business. Much have been made of glass ceilings, Marilyn will also discuss glass walls, which are oftentimes even more confining and hindering of one’s career advancement than glass ceilings. She will share on how to move through them so that each person can excel. Humor, interactive communication, networking, coaching, feedback and reflection are the common threads throughout. The outcome is to increase each person’s ability and comfort in making a more significant impact in the organization and community through immediate application of a wider range of leadership knowledge and skills. Additional benefits include increased employee and company satisfaction, productivity and reduced turnover.
5. Leadership Excellence, How You Can Achieve It
To be a successful Leader in the 21st Century takes new skills and awareness. Fresh managerial tools and talents are needed to deal with today’s global business and the tighter and more visible connections between all aspects of the development, production and consumption cycle. Marilyn shares the secrets she learned from her international business and humanitarian experience - how to be the more effective and productive in business and life while creating collaborative and lasting relationships. She will discuss how to define your mission and the principles and actions steps to ensure a cohesive, productive and energized team. Strategy and outlook into how to plan and lead in today’s tumultuous and interconnected business environment will be covered. Marilyn will help you review your personal leadership style and how to enhance it to increase effective communication and maximum sustainable profitable growth and development of your organization. With real life and practical stories to illustrate the points, you will soak up the information and be able to apply them to greater business success and personal satisfaction.
How to Use What You've Got to Get What You Want
Whatever qualities you have, no matter how limited or broad that they may be in your own mind, global corporate executive, entrepreneur and humanitarian Marilyn Tam will show you how to use what you've got to achieve your dreams. What seemed to be disadvantages in Marilyn's life were in fact her keys to personal and professional success and freedom. As someone who has broken the glass ceiling, she will share the leadership skills and character traits that really work. Starting from where you are now she leads you to assess your own inherent talents and skills and how to utilize them to your benefit. Hear motivational real life stories, determine your life mission, learn the four key Principles, and then apply the action steps to achieve your dreams. She will show you how to maintain Life Balance and personal peace and happiness while achieving professional success. You will learn from someone who has actual experience and can show you how to develop your assets and apply them effectively to your life mission. The talk/session(s) are engaging and timely; and the results are immediate and inspiring.
4. Life Balance: How to Juggle Work, Home, Personal and Spiritual Health
The conflicting expectations and conditioning that people, especially women, have been bombarded with makes them vulnerable to feeling unsatisfied, second rate and confused. The current poor economic times, incessant marketing message of “you can have it all” and the hyper-speed of change is hitting people so hard that they are oftentimes reduced to feeling despair in being able to attain any semblance of a balanced life – and even more critically, economic sustainability. The inner questioning of whether one can ever climb out of the hole of wanting and trying to gain some measure of financial stability, health, fulfilling relationships, inner peace, joy and a meaning for life is pervasive, however conscious or subconscious. This hunger and fear is driving the collective unconsciousness. “Life Balance: How to Juggle Work, Home, Personal and Spiritual Health” is packed with motivation, encouragement, and practical resources for a happier more satisfying life. Marilyn shares from her own experience as well as from the numerous experts whom she has worked and collaborated with in her career and life. The talk/session(s) are filled with stories and practical examples of both success and failures that lead to the development of Life Balance. You will be inspired, relieved and also learn practical actionable principles and tools to be able prioritize, allocate resources and balance your life demands to greater success, inner peace and happiness.
2. Diversity: How to Reap the Rich Harvest of Culture, Creativity and Community
Learning how to benefit from diversity and to be a leader in a more diverse and global world is a challenge and an opportunity. Indeed, embracing and leveraging diversity is the only way to prosper and grow in the 21st century. In Marilyn Tam's interactive style you will hear stories, learn principles, and apply action steps from her global business, humanitarian and consulting experience to become a more successful global leader. A key focus is on helping leaders and employees understand how to adapt and grow their leadership styles to foster a multicultural workplace and attract and engage employees from across the cultural spectrum. How to benefit from the cornucopia of diverse cultures, knowledge and traditions to further the wellbeing of the organization and its standing in the market and community can also be covered. Learn from someone who has actually "walked the walk". Marilyn shows you how to develop your assets and to maximize them to effectively advance your mission. She discusses the four principles that helped propel her to lead several Fortune 500 companies, despite her challenging and unlikely background as a second daughter in a traditional Chinese family from Hong Kong. If she can do it, so can anyone who applies her principles and action steps to achieve greater success and happiness for themselves, their companies and communities.
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- Keynote
- Moderator
- Panelist
- Workshop Leader
- Host/MC
- Author Appearance
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