We recently had the chance to connect with Terry Pappy and have shared our conversation below.
Terry, we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: What do you think others are secretly struggling with—but never say?
I have found that solopreneurs, especially in a service business, struggle with confidence. Many who I work with come from stellar careers in corporate America and have a lot to offer as a solopreneur consultant, trainer, coach, or public speaker. But being a one-person business is new to them. They often find that they have to rely 100% on their own ingenuity, gumption, and perseverance and there are no resources like there were in corporate.
When you lose sounding boards, the walls come down, the resources go away, you have to figure things out on your own when you’re out on your own. There’s an elegance to that state, when you’re first starting and figuring things out. However, it can be very intimidating hearing “No, thank you,” or “We don’t use consultants,” or whatever the fill-in-the-blank reason a prospect gives you after you’ve delivered a proposal that would solve their problem.
That’s why it is so important to create your own community, network, and mentor to help you navigate the loneliness that is often associated with solopreneurism, especially in the beginning stages. Confidence is critical to the success of a solo operator. That was one of the biggest lessons I learned in my early years and what I see most often my new clients wrestle with. But it’s also the easiest one to shore up by being in action and getting the right guide.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My dream is to help make possible the business success dreams of others. I remove the barriers of communication, focus, strategy, and messaging for my clients so they can blossom into their own brands and ways they deliver results for their customers. There is no one size fits all in business or in life; you win when you follow your heart and do what you love and provides you the greatest satisfaction and joy. And I love helping people do that through my talents as a creative, strategist, and biz dev coach.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. Who taught you the most about work?
Family, of course. There is a lot of entrepreneurial DNA in my family, and being in the environment of business owners helped me respect business. I was also raised on a farm and had a lot of chores and responsibilities as a young person and I enjoyed completing things. Still do to this day—I love completing projects! Execution has been modeled by my family and through my upbringing and I’m grateful for it.
Is there something you miss that no one else knows about?
I miss my husband Chuck who passed away in 2004 from a 6-year battle with melanoma. He was my true love and always believed in me and what I could do.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. Is the public version of you the real you?
Wholeheartedly. I have no problem talking to perfect strangers just to make someone’s day. Whether in the grocery store, the parking lot, doctor’s office, doesn’t matter. I trust my instinct to know who needs a smile, a joke, or a gentle touch. I have no filter, and some say I wear my heart on my sleeve. That’s me.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. If you knew you had 10 years left, what would you stop doing immediately?
It may be true. I may only have 10 months left. That’s something no one really ever knows. I have no legacy, no children of my own, and I know that my time here was spent well being me, throwing smiles, and inspiring others to their true creativity to be happy, regardless. I plan to squeeze as much juice from the blessing that has been my life until that day arrives as I’m filled with appreciation for it all.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://tpappy.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tpappy/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/terrypappy/
- Twitter: https://x.com/tpappy
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtV1x7hxWQudwJjfSH_JN5g
- Other: Podcast on YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLhrhPSthaEscNLZHKkehsH3ADwFTcQd3n&si=dqj3OMuC9YkV6wpG
