Published: Saturday March 9, 2013 MYT 1:31:00 PM
Tennis: Sharapova enjoys sweet taste of Sugarpova success
INDIAN WELLS, California: Maria Sharapova says her business ventures have provided the education which her tennis career never allowed time to achieve.
And Sharapova, one of only two women on Forbes Magazine's 2012 list of the world's 100 highest-paid athletes, said no venture has offered as steep or satisfying a learning curve as her Sugarpova candy brand that debuted last year.
"One of the things that I have really picked up over the many years I have worked with different brands and people is that I never really had a solid education in my career, but I have always liked to listen and I have liked to learn," Sharapova said Friday after booking her third round berth at the WTA's BNP Paribas Open.
"That was my way of learning, is through being in so many different types of meetings, whether they were creative ones, whether they were with advertisement agencies."
Sharapova, according to Forbes, made US$22 million in endorsements in 2012.
All of it helped prepare her for her own venture, which she said is still growing.
Sharapova said three new products are to be introduced in the next three weeks and new markets are being added.
"Right now we are trying to get around the world," she said, explaining the intricacies of gaining regulatory approval for ingredients and sorting out label requirements for different countries.
"So many things you don't even think about," she said.
The 25-year-old star, whose French Open victory last year gave her a career Grand Slam, said she has a sweet tooth, but it was the name "Sugarpova" - the brainchild of business collaborator Jeff Rubin - that dictated the direction her business would take.
"It makes me laugh to this day when people say the name," she said. "I just want to giggle." - AFP
- Khairy to look into matters after review
- Chong Wei continues to stay focused despite all the changes
- Denmark’s Hoyer is new president of the BWF
- Pandelela-Mun Yee bag silver in Guadalajara
- The missing link
- Indonesian coach: Individual sponsorship will revive our shuttlers’ fortunes
- Dragons aim to get back to winning ways against Heat
- Izwan steers Sapura to third place
- Apacs extend Chun Seang’s contract for another year
- Kevin smashes 400m freestyle national record to take gold
- Nadal to meet Federer in Rome final, Serena rolls on
- Iron-man Cavendish claims fourth win at Giro
- Kevin smashes 400m freestyle national record to take gold
- Korda holds off charging Webb to seize the lead
- Rizzua set to be the next big thing to come from Sarawak
- Hafizh struggling with new Kalex bike in Le Mans
- Inconsistent and uncomfortable but Bradley still ahead of pack
- Training for young goalkeepers
- Indonesian coach: Individual sponsorship will revive our shuttlers’ fortunes
- Denmark’s Hoyer is new president of the BWF
RSS
