Marilyn Tam	The Week of February 12th, 2006

Executive Sweet

1. What’s in your wallet right now?

About $280, two credit cards, ATM card, driver’s license, a few other cards/IDs, and a blessing.

2. What do you wish your parents taught you about money?

My father taught me how to manage money in my early teens. I was responsible for the household budget, and had to post a financial ledger for all expenses which he reviewed twice a month. It was years after I started working before I was handling as much money of my own as I was when I was a young teen!

3. What is your worst habit around finances?

I am more careful with other people’s money than my own.

4. What makes you happy?

Being out in nature, hiking or swimming in warm ocean water and meditating in a quiet space; it’s wonderful alone and even better sharing the experiences with friends.

5. Personal philosophy around money?

Spend less than you make and share what you’ve got with people less fortunate than you.

6. Where does money come from?

From providing a service/product of value to others; money is energy, it has to circulate to be useful.

7. What would you do with a million dollars?

Give thanks for the bounty and spend some, save some and most importantly use a good portion of it for my causes: creating harmony and understanding between people and between people and the planet. That is the mission of my foundation, Us Foundation.

8. What is your most prized possession?

My integrity.

9. Who is your role model?

When I grew up there were no role models for little Chinese girls in Hong Kong who were interested in making a positive impact in the world. I took snippets of various people whom I admired and combined them into what I aspired to become: my paternal grandfather, the Renaissance man; my grandmothers, the compassionate humanitarians; my father, the brilliant entrepreneur; my maternal grandfather, the suave worldly gentleman; it was a lot to live up to!

10. What is your greatest achievement?

That is yet to come. I know that there is much more to come after I finished my first book, “How to Use What You’ve Got to Get What You Want.” I received much heartwarming feedback from readers all over the world who were inspired to achieve their highest dreams; I want to do more to help them! The book is now in English, Spanish, Japanese, Chinese and will be in Indonesian, Greek and Thai by end 2006. It is so rewarding to be able to combine my business with my humanitarian experience and use it to help even more people and organizations.

11. What are you up to these days?

A lot of fun things! I consult and speak globally on leadership, change management, diversity and how to integrate social & environmental concerns into businesses profitably. I am a director on the national board of SCORE Foundation, which is a partner to the U.S. Small Business Administration dedicated to entrepreneurial education and the development and success of small businesses nationwide.

I also co-chair the content development, marketing and promotions for Universal Forum of Cultures, Monterrey 2007. Our mission is to gather people from all societies globally to participate in creating a better planet based on the principles of cultural diversity, economic and environmental sustainability.

Of course I’m still executive director of Us Foundation which I co-founded to facilitate global action plans and dialogue to address social, economic and environmental issues. Another project I’m blessed to work on is with the country of Bhutan to propose their country’s measure of wellbeing, Gross National Happiness, to the United Nations. And yes, I’m writing my second book in my spare time, ha, ha.

12. What contributions to society do you want to make?

To awaken the whole world to realize that we are interrelated and that each person’s wellbeing is connected to our own. I wrote my book, “How to Use What You’ve Got to Get What You Want” as a way of sharing what I’ve learned on my journey to achieving more than my wildest dreams so that others too will attain their aspirations.

13. If you could buy one thing right now what would it be?

I feel so fortunate that I really don’t have any huge craving for anything. Well, except I would love to have my own plane and pilot to take me everywhere I want to go without the hassles of commercial flights!

14. Favorite activity that doesn’t cost a dime?

Hiking in the hills behind my home and enjoying the beautiful ocean views as I climb up.

15. How do you indulge yourself?

Taking time to be still, to be in nature, read for pleasure…. being with kindred souls.

Marilyn Tam is a corporate consultant, speaker, author, executive director and co-founder of Us Foundation. Marilyn was the President of Reebok Apparel and Retail Group; CEO of Aveda Corp. and Vice President of Nike Inc. She is also a successful entrepreneur, having developed and built a corporate consulting & training company, a web portal company and a supply chain software company.

Marilyn speaks and trains with humor and from experience, on the opportunities and challenges inherent in doing business in today’s diverse global marketplace. Her book, How to Use What You’ve Got to Get What You Want combines her business acumen with her goal of giving back to light the way for others to achieve their dreams. She is featured as one of 50 women in the just released coffee table book, Fearless Women: Midlife Portraits.

Marilyn is a lifetime member of Who’s Who World Wide and is listed in Who’s Who in American Women. She will be honored for her work by the Greek government and the Euro American Women’s Council in Athens, Greece, May 2006 with her likeness on a Greek postage stamp.

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