The Team

The Blink Tank provides business insight and strategic guidance from an esteemed and diverse group of professionals. Our fully integrated business services model accelerates the near and long-term growth opportunities, while creating enormous value for socially responsible brands and partners.

John Cesario – Founder/Partner
John brings a wealth of knowledge, experience, and know how to The Blink Tank and it’s clients. He’s worked in the media and technology sectors for over 15 years, executing roles in executive management and strategic business development, with extensive knowledge and expertise in online advertising, multi-platform media development and delivery, and the music and entertainment industries.

As an entrepreneur for the past 3 years and Founder of The Blink Tank, John has focused his attention in the hybrid nexus where media, art, commerce, community, and technology meet. He’s co-founded GoodStorm, an eCommerce venture purchased by Zazzle in 2008; co-founded and launched Mission AdWorks, a socially responsible online advertising company; and launched Noise Pop Industries, an event and lifestyle brand company.

From 1993-2000, John was Vice President of EDR Media, a 125-person media development company servicing the broadcast, advertising, and music industries. There he initiated relationships and negotiated contracts with broadcasters, advertising agencies, content developers, and producers to develop programming for delivery via traditional and Internet broadcasting.

In 2000, the Internet broadcasting pioneer iBeam Broadcasting recruited John to be their Executive Manager of Production, and then their Customer Care Executive / Channel Partners Relations, where he developed the business strategies for the company’s deployment of strategic initiatives for their premier accounts, maintaining relationships with companies such as the Disney Internet Group, MTV, CNET Networks, CNBC, and EMI Records.

In 2003, he became General Manager of Skyline Public Works, a company that provided funding and incubation support for social venture enterprises.

Michael Clauss – Partner
Michael has been building marketing and business development groups for companies for 20 years. He specializes in strategy and highly focused consumer oriented programs. Michael started his career in real estate and investment banking acquisitions consulting. At MCI Michael managed major account teams for new business services and marketing programs like Proof Positive and MCI Marketplace; one of the first online shopping venues. Michael then started Ostream, which was a Remedy reseller, where he served as COO in the Seattle area. Ostream also had a division focused on software for remote ticketing and sales force automation. Ostream developed some of the earliest and most sophisticated remote wireless applications and the division and technologies were sold to Remedy.

After the acquisition he spent several years at Microsoft working on the early marketing strategy for wireless and mobile devices within Windows CE. Michael also managed Microsoft's three largest retail accounts (Comp USA, Circuit City and Best Buy) as well as large manufacturer relationships in this capacity. Michael negotiated Windows CE and Windows software presentation at retail online and off. Combined these are some of the largest contracts in the software industry.
Later he was recruited away by Amazon.com where he managed All Product Search - which is responsible for 70% of Amazon.com's revenue. Michael also helped acquire, build and run Amazon Anywhere for wireless shopping.

Afterward, Michael served as VP of Marketing for Xiptel. Xiptel is a business oriented VOIP Company. Since then he co-founded Splashlife and advises many Fortune 500 companies as well as startups (as well as starting his own) on strategy, social media, product development and marketing initiatives. Michael also serves on many corporate and non-profit boards.

Andrew Hoppin - Emeritus Partner
Andrew provides The Blink Tank and its clients with online strategy, business development, and management consulting. As an entrepreneur, Andrew has co-founded and directed business development for GoodStorm, an eCommerce venture that helps organizations raise money to support themselves, purchased by Zazzle in 2008; Trellon, a leading open-source software consulting firm for online community building; and Moonfront, an aerospace design consulting firm. He also directed business strategy for CivicSpace Labs, a developer of software and communities for online organizing and advocacy.

As a consultant, Andrew has executed marketing campaigns for leading technology startups such as mobile messaging provider Jaiku, purchased by Google in 2007, and online geographic data provider N Space Labs. He also co created the RootsCamp political meeting series in Second Life in 2006, and the Yearly Kos virtual convention in Second Life in 2007. Most recently, in his consulting work with NASA, Andrew co-founded the NASA CoLab project at NASA Ames Research Center, which builds online and offline partnerships between NASA and external communities of practice such as the entrepreneurial technology community of the San Francisco Bay Area, the global open source software movement, and space advocates in the virtual world of "Second Life."

 Chris Wiltsee – Emeritus Partner
Chris has worked for more than 14 years developing innovative community-based projects and organizations in the non-profit sector. He sits on the San Francisco Carnival Entertainment Committee and the San Francisco Recording Academy’s Education Committee. Chris received his masters degree from the University of Michigan and undergraduate degree from UC Santa Cruz. Chris is the founder and Executive Director of Youth Movement Records, a non-profit youth run recording company and youth development project in Oakland, California, and is a co-founder of the AMP Network (All-Ages Movement Project), which is developing a national resource for the rapidly emerging youth media field. Chris was instrumental in developing the co-publishing deal recently signed by The Blink Tank between songwriter Gennessee and Brill Building.