We recently connected with Teanna Bass and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Teanna thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Do you think your parents have had a meaningful impact on you and your journey?
My mother’s strength was never just something I heard about—it was something I witnessed every single day. As a single mother, she balanced work, school, and raising me and my twin sister with a resilience that, at the time, I didn’t fully understand. But now, standing in my own journey—navigating a competitive job market with two degrees in hand—I see her sacrifices with new clarity.
She didn’t have the luxury of shielding us from her struggles, and in that transparency, she taught me one of life’s greatest lessons: strength isn’t just about endurance, it’s about adaptability. It’s about knowing when to lean on your community and when to stand firmly on your own. Her ability to push forward, even when the odds were stacked against her, shaped my understanding of what it means to be solid—to be unwavering in my ambition, grounded in my purpose, and fearless in my pursuit of success.
Because of her, I walk into every room knowing that resilience is in my foundation. That challenges are not roadblocks, but stepping stones. That success isn’t just about personal achievement, but about perseverance, about finding a way even when one isn’t given. And for that, I am forever grateful.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I am Teanna Bass, a storyteller at heart, a strategist by craft, and a builder of brands that don’t just exist—they resonate. My journey into digital marketing, brand strategy, and entrepreneurship wasn’t preordained. It was built from sheer will, late nights, and the unwavering belief that I could carve out a space where my voice, my ideas, and my community could thrive.
As a first-generation college graduate, I navigated the unknown with nothing but faith and relentless work ethic. I earned my Bachelor’s in Apparel Management & Digital Retailing from the University of Missouri and later an MBA from Howard University—an experience that deepened my understanding of marketing, strategy, and the power of community. But degrees alone don’t tell the whole story.
The truth? There were moments of deep uncertainty. Struggles with anxiety and depression. Moments where betting on myself felt like the biggest gamble of my life. Yet, in those moments, I found my resilience. I built my own table when doors didn’t open. I leaned into my creativity when resources felt scarce. And I took a leap of faith into entrepreneurship, founding Sweet Tea Cosmetics, a brand that exists to amplify Black and POC beauty voices and redefine what inclusion looks like.
Beyond Sweet Tea, my work has spanned industries and platforms—executing high-impact digital strategies at Spotify, Amazon, and Mastercard. At Spotify, I shaped conversations that reached millions, driving community engagement and digital storytelling. At Amazon, I worked to amplify Black-owned businesses, increasing visibility and retention through culturally resonant strategies. And at Mastercard, I had the privilege of engaging and energizing fandoms globally, creating campaigns that connected consumers to their passions, their people, and the brands they love.
What sets me apart?
I understand both the science and soul of storytelling. I don’t just look at analytics—I decode culture. I don’t just follow trends—I shape narratives. Whether it’s launching digital campaigns that center diverse voices, creating community-driven initiatives, or leveraging strategy to drive measurable impact, my work exists at the intersection of strategy and authenticity.
What am I most proud of?
That I bet on myself—and it’s working. That I built a brand from the ground up. That I’ve worked with and for the brands I once admired from afar. That I’ve turned struggle into strategy and setbacks into stepping stones.
At the core of everything I do, my goal is simple: to create work that matters, builds community, and drives impact. Whether through beauty, storytelling, or strategy, I believe in the power of representation and the importance of using my platform to uplift and inspire.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
For me, the most rewarding aspect of being a creative is the freedom to express myself without limits—to take my experiences, my struggles, my dreams, and turn them into something tangible, something that resonates. Creativity has always been my language, my safe space, and my way of making sense of the world.
There’s something powerful about being able to tell my story in a way that allows others to see themselves in it. Whether through beauty, branding, or storytelling, I create from a place of truth, hoping that my work makes someone feel understood, seen, and a little less alone.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
A lesson I had to unlearn? That I’m not Superwoman.
Black women are often expected to do it all—work twice as hard, carry the load, and never show a crack in the armor. For the longest time, I thought my worth was tied to my output, that success meant pushing through exhaustion, saying yes to everything, and proving myself over and over again. And for what? More work? More stress? More being “the only one in the room” while being expected to fix everything?
I had to realize that tokens get spent—and at what cost? Being overworked, underappreciated, and constantly tokenized isn’t a badge of honor; it’s a warning sign. I had to learn that rest is resistance, boundaries are necessary, and community is everything. Instead of trying to do it all alone, I started leaning into genuine connections—people who see me, pour into me, and remind me that I don’t have to carry the world on my back. And let me tell you, that kind of freedom? That kind of support? That’s where true power lies.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://teannabass.com/creativeportfolio
- Instagram: @teannaneshay
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/teannabass/
- Twitter: @teannaneshay
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@teanna_neshay
Image Credits
Photographer: Karl Ferguson Jr.