Today we’d like to introduce you to Teresa Sivak.
Teresa, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I always say that this life chose me — I didn’t choose it.
My entrepreneurial mindset began early, as early as five years old. I came to the United States at that age to live with my dad, while my mom and brother were still in the Dominican Republic. In 1998, when I arrived in the States, my dad was working 80+ hours a week with my uncle at our family-owned hardware store. On weekends, he sold apparel out of the trunk of his car to anyone he could.
We lived in the Bronx, New York. After school, I would go straight to the store to be with my dad and uncle — and you can imagine, a little girl surrounded by “men’s labor.” By six or seven, I already knew how to use a drill, identify different types of screws, and even make keys. By ten, I was the store’s cashier.
Once my mother and brother joined us in the States, I started to have more of a “normal childhood” — going home after school, playing, doing homework. But those early years stuck with me.
Fast forward a bit, my mother began her own business as a Mary Kay beauty consultant. From her, I learned even more about entrepreneurship — especially how to gain customers and build relationships. I would watch her sell thousands of dollars in products each week, walking more than ten miles a day to meet her clients. I watched how she handled objections, sold expensive skincare products, and positioned herself as the go-to person in our city.
She would also send large care packages back to our family in the Dominican Republic so my aunt could sell the products there — an international business before I even knew what that meant. My aunt would sell a $2 deodorant for $5, and that taught me negotiation, confidence, and value.
When we moved to Weston, Florida, my dad opened our very own family business — a Caribbean supermarket called Julian’s Meat & Fish. I was fifteen at the time. Every day after school, we all went to work together, and on weekends, we worked full days.
This is where I learned even more about running a business: my dad’s attention to detail, how he treated customers, how he remembered their stories, and how he treated employees and vendors. Once again, I was the primary cashier, learning firsthand how every part of a small business connects.
Eventually, my dad retired. Around the same time, I was finishing high school and facing the question everyone gets: “What do you want to be?” I had an interest in psychology, so I started studying it — but I didn’t finish. I figured working would be better.
I was too prideful to take a typical first job, so I began working as an administrative assistant, moving up to executive assistant. Those roles taught me a lot about organization, meeting deadlines, and structure. But after a while, I got bored. I was in my late teens, early 20s, and no matter what job I took, I couldn’t stay more than three months. I wanted freedom. I didn’t want to work for anyone.
That mindset led to early financial hardship. The big wake-up moment came when my BMW was repossessed. That’s when I realized — something had to change.
I started my first business thinking it would solve everything, but I didn’t yet have the structure or maturity to sustain it. Around that time, I was dating a sailor. One day he mentioned joining the military. I didn’t know much about the U.S. military, but I had family members in the Dominican Republic who served, and I was intrigued — especially when he told me how many women were thriving in the service.
I’ve always been a risk taker, so within that same week, I started the process. Funny enough, he was a Navy recruiter — but I didn’t join the Navy. I joined the Army. We broke up shortly after, and three months later, I shipped out for Basic Training.
I became a Military Police Officer — what they call a “high-speed soldier.” I was always the first to volunteer, first to lead, and the one who wanted to push further. I loved it. But around my fifth year, things began to shift. My military career wasn’t aligning with my long-term vision anymore.
During that time, I met my now-husband, who promised to take care of me. I was about 24–25 years old, and honestly, I was ready for that new chapter. I left the Army with an honorable discharge — and soon after, I found out I was pregnant with my first child.
The first year after getting out was what I call my “freedom year.” I didn’t work, I did whatever I wanted, I was a stay-at-home mom, shopping every day, sleeping in. It was great — until it wasn’t.
Eventually, I fell into a deep depression. We were living in North Carolina, and my family was still in Florida. My husband was working 90+ hours a week, and I was doing life alone.
By 2017, I started trying to find purpose again. I began sharing my daily life online — going to Ross, Marshalls, and T.J.Maxx and showing what I bought. I posted everything on Instagram Stories, and that’s how I started gaining a small following — people who connected with my realness. Some of those people are still my internet friends today.
After about a year, I grew my social media but made zero dollars. For someone who had worked all her life, that was hard. I knew I needed something more stable.
That’s when I started my second business — Tasslux, an e-commerce store where I sold jewelry I sourced from DHGate. It lasted six months. I realized I didn’t just want to sell products — I wanted community and impact.
Then one day, I saw an Instagram post from an old church friend about “an opportunity.” It was a beauty direct sales company (an MLM). I joined — and this is where almost everything began.
I became what you’d call “high speed” again — within a short time, I was in the top 3–4% income earners of the company. I built a large team because people trusted me. I could sell a $50 bottle of shampoo and have customers repurchasing monthly. But more than that, I was teaching others — how to sell online, how to build trust online, and how to grow through consistency and storytelling.
By late 2020, I was at a crossroads. I could keep climbing the MLM ladder or take everything I had learned and build something of my own. Around December, I told myself, “You know what? I’m going to start a marketing agency — and I’m going to start a podcast too.”
In January 2021, TGS Marketing was born. TGS stands for my name — Teresa G. Sivak.
At first, I focused on helping moms, introverts, and people who had never been on camera learn how to show up confidently online. It came naturally to me — helping others find their voice.
This time, I was determined to do it right. I invested $15,000 from my direct sales earnings into TGS Marketing to become certified and legitimate. I understood early that people trust professionals. I hired coaches, enrolled in trainings, and even went back to school to finish my bachelor’s in psychology and my master’s in business with a concentration in marketing.
Fast forward to today — TGS Marketing turns 5 on January 1, 2026.
What started with drills, keys, and Mary Kay catalogs became a mission: helping veterans and service-based business owners build structured brands, powerful content, and automated systems — so they can work smarter, not harder.
This isn’t just my business. It’s the product of my family’s legacy, my military discipline, and my personal promise to show others that structure and strategy can change everything.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. As a woman, especially a woman who served in the military, I’ve always had to work a little harder to be seen and respected in spaces that were often male-dominated. Even after transitioning out of the Army, that pressure to prove myself followed me into entrepreneurship — from explaining my value in business meetings to being the only woman in the room during strategy sessions.
Becoming a mother early also added layers of responsibility that most people around me didn’t have. While others could dedicate all their time to their careers or business growth, my time was split between rediscovering myself, caring for a newborn, and trying to figure out how to build something meaningful from scratch.
There were moments when I questioned whether I could balance it all — being a wife, a mom, and a businesswoman — especially when the world around me didn’t slow down. There were late nights, missed opportunities, and moments of doubt, but each challenge shaped my perspective and discipline.
Looking back, I realize those struggles gave me the exact foundation I needed to serve my clients today — especially veterans and service-based professionals who are also trying to balance life, purpose, and entrepreneurship. My road hasn’t been smooth, but it’s been necessary.
We’ve been impressed with TGS Marketing, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
TGS Marketing is a full-service brand and marketing agency that helps veteran-owned and service-based businesses build structured brands, create powerful content, and automate their operations.
We specialize in bridging the gap between brand strategy, marketing systems, and real-world execution. Our work goes beyond social media or websites — we build the backbone of a business. That includes clear messaging, strong visuals, and automated systems that give business owners back their time.
We’re most known for our Smart Website + CRM system, TGSM Solutions℠, which allows service pros to manage everything in one place — from leads and invoices to emails, texts, and scheduling. Our clients often call it their “digital office,” because it handles what most people hire an entire team to do.
What sets us apart is our approach. We combine creative branding and automation strategy under one roof, which means our clients not only look good online but also run like a real, structured business behind the scenes. As a certified brand and marketing strategist, I focus on helping business owners simplify their operations and scale sustainably — without losing the personal touch that made them start their business in the first place.
I’m proud that in just five years, TGS Marketing has helped more than 2,000 individuals through online coaching and group education and 150+ service-based entrepreneurs — including many veterans — strengthen their brands, attract better clients, and build systems that actually support their lifestyle.
At the core, TGS Marketing exists to help hardworking professionals feel confident in how they show up and how their business runs. We believe in structure, strategy, and storytelling — because when those three align, success follows naturally.
Any big plans?
Looking ahead, my vision is to continue expanding TGS Marketing and TGSM Solutions into a national brand that’s known for helping small business owners — especially veterans and service-based professionals — simplify their operations and scale with confidence.
Over the next year, we’re launching new tools and programs that make automation and marketing structure accessible to more people, no matter their experience level. That includes expanding our Smart Website + CRM system (TGSM Solutions℠), growing our referral program, and introducing more done-for-you brand and content packages that help business owners show up consistently online without burnout.
I’m also expanding our reach into luxury golf courses and private communities, offering marketing and directory-style visibility for service providers and local professionals who serve those areas. It’s an exciting direction because it connects high-end markets with trusted local experts — exactly the kind of bridge our brand was built to create.
Long term, I plan to continue hiring and training other professionals — especially veterans and military spouses — to join my agency and create sustainable, flexible careers in marketing, branding, and systems support. My goal is not just to grow my business, but to build an ecosystem that creates opportunity for others.
At the heart of everything, my mission stays the same: to show entrepreneurs that structure doesn’t limit creativity — it gives you the freedom to grow.
Pricing:
- Smart Website + CRM Setup — Starting at $1000 one-time, includes website, CRM system, forms, automations, and onboarding.
- Monthly TGSM Solutions Plan — From $97/month, includes full CRM access, hosting, and software management.
- Brand & Marketing Strategy Sessions — $250–$1000 per session, depending on depth (Niche, Offer, or Launch Strategy).
- Website Design & Development Packages — Range $1,200–$3,500, depending on design level and features.
- Content & Visual Branding Packages — Starting at $450, includes brand photos, graphics, and promotional materials.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.tgs.marketing
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teresagsivak
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/teresagsivak
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/teresagsivak
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TeresaGSivak
- Other: https://nobrainer.tgs.marketing
