Theresa Goh - Singapore

We first met Theresa when she was nominated to appear in a special edition of our book 'Sponsorship for Athletes', and it was clear that Theresa was more than an athlete. More than a champion. She was and is an incredible ambassador for a range of human-rights based issues.

Born prematurely, Theresa with the support of her incredible family, has embraced her disability and become a Paralympic medalist and world champion swimmer, with a career spanning over 16 years.

Theresa, with her sometimes pink, sometimes blue hair, her quirky and fun loving social media posts, and her absolute commitment to being an advocate for disability rights and awareness, is also an official  spokesperson for Singapores LGBTQIA  organisation Pink Dot, and of course, an incredible athlete having competed at 4 Paralympic Games.

Theresa, with the full support of her sponsors and sports organisation, publicly 'came out' in a media article in Singapore's most popular newspaper. This was a huge statement, not just for Theresa, but for the people of Singapore where homophobic views are still fairly widespread.

We love that Theresa has achieved for herself and the positive impact she has created in the lives of many others, and the perception of people living with a disability.

Shantelle Thompson - Australia

Shantelle Thompson is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu World Champion and Indigenous educator and 2019 NAIDOC Sportsperson of the Year.  As an Aboriginal woman, with 3 beautiful children, and a fierce determination to make an incredible life for herself and her kids, Shantelle has put everything on the line for her sport...because she knows sport is the vehicle that will allow her to create the life and impact she is destined for.

With her connection to Country, culture and self, Shantelle has developed her own business, and is busy working with football clubs, in prisons and detention centres, schools and with corporate organisations, teaching on trauma healing, leadership, and storytelling (as was passed down from her ancestors).

A talented and accomplished athlete, an engaging public speaking, an an exceptional connector of traditional culture with modern Australia, Shantelle is going places. She is living proof that your sport is important, but it's not everything, and that you can create a life outside of sport while you're still compting at a high level.

Shantelle shares her journey on social media, including LinkedIn, in a way that shows her successes, her flaws, her thoughts, and how she is navigating this pathway with purpose, passion and absolute belief that she can contribute something truly valuable to the people of Australia, and beyond.

Trevor Hirth - Australia

Trevor Hirth was 29-years-old when he was spotted by an ex-Paralympian table tennis player at his local club and was told that he should try out for the Australian team. He did just that, and even became the Australian National Para Table Tennis Champion in an extraordinary rise through the para table tennis ranks.

Hirth was 12 or 13 when he started playing in local clubs across Melbourne and only saw it as a hobby, but in his words, it's been life changing.

Trevor isn't your typical table tennis athlete. His passion for rock music, and playing in a band, reveal themselves in his wild long hair, and beard (though he shaved this off for a charity fundraiser recently). He is hilarious, and if you follow him on social media you'll find yourself laughing and smiling frequently at his witty and interesting posts.

When he's not being a rockstar, cracking jokes or competing in table tennis, Trevor can often be found giving back through his involvement in mentoring and coaching in developing countries in the Pacific, teaching young, disadvantaged people about the sport he loves. He believes sport has the power to change lives, especially for those living with a disability, and that if you find your passion it will drive you towards amazing things.

Damon Jaenke - Australia

Damon Jaenke is a wheelchair basketballer and mental health advocate.  We first came across Damon in our free group for athletes seeking information about sponsorship. He stood out because of his passion, tenacity and willingness to share his story and do good in the world. 

Damon is a cancer survivor, mental health warrior and an incredible athlete too. He's had his fair share of ups and downs in life, but Damon is determined to create positive impact for a cause close to his heart—mental health. 

In 2019, Damon participated in a push up challenge to raise awareness and funds for mental health. Over 21 days he completed 3, 128 push-ups to represent all the people who died by suicide in 2017, the year of his breakdown. He says it was difficult, because it was a reminder that he easily could have been one of those statistics. But it paid off in the end and he's proud of the impact he created with just a single challenge (the muscle gains were an unexpected benefit as well).

This is just one example of how Damon puts his brand into action. He consistently promotes a positive message around mental and physical health on social media and encourages others to follow in his path. He also regularly helps people currently navigating their own journey with mental health online and offline. 

For Damon, brand is pretty simple. He wants to do his bit in breaking down the stigma around mental health by sharing his message and story. 

Damon is an incredible example of how brand can be used to create positive impact for a cause you're passionate about or a community you want to benefit. 

Glenn Paul - Australia

Glenn is a Professional Golfer, Coach, Mentor and Presenter with the Brand Builders and the PGA of Australia. We have been working with Glenn on his Brand and Sponsorship journey for a number of years.

Inspire, Educate and Achieve sum up Glenn’s Brand. As a Professional Athlete, he ensure his actions inspire others. As a Coach, he aims to educate the people he works with to allow them to become self-sufficient. As a Mentor & Presenter, he uses the skills and knowledge he has obtained throughout his career to help others achieve their goals.

Glenn is very strategic in how he communicates his brand, both online and in-person. Doing so has allowed him to strengthen existing sponsorships and obtain new partnerships on and off the golf course. With a passion for inclusivity in sport, Glenn became 1 of only 100 Accredited PGA All-Abilities Coaches in Australia. He has incorporated this into his Brand to deliver coaching and to promote the benefits of sports participation to golfers of every ability, in every community.

As an athlete, success comes from staying committed to a process in order to achieve your goals. Building your brand is no different and Glenn is benefitting from following a process and always re-evaluating the opportunities that exist for his brand.