He is a remarkable person! Not to mention inspiring!
And today I am excited to be able to share his story with you!
It began in a small country town Pelham, NC. "There wasn't a whole lot to do," Terrence explained. Poetry was one of his biggest interests. Which of course now I want to hear his poems! He actually still currently writes poetry, though more as a stress reliever. Terrence also had and interest in model cars and hanging out with friends.
Growing up wasn't always easy though. In 2003 Terrence was incarcerated in NC state penitentiary for 15 years and 8 months. For some people that might knock them out. But not for Terrence. He used his time there to "acquire and obtain degrees and certifications," he told me. "It was a blessing and a curse," he explained, "it was a punishment but I learned a lot about myself while I was there. How do I grow? How do I not let this affect who I am today?" Terrence used this time as a time of reflection and personal growth. He said it helped build him to who he is today. Now he concentrates on staying grounded and focused.
Clearly he must have a good eye! Terrence told me one of his favorite moments was at an event where an artist from Limelight was performing and began to chant 'Limelight! Limelight!' "Everyone in our team -and it was about 15 of us- began jumping and chanting 'Limelight' too. Pretty soon the whole crowd was screaming it! That's when I felt like, 'this is it. They see us!" When they say that when you love what you do, you never work a day, rings true! This is another way this job has changed his life. Helping others develop and grow has also helped him develop and grow!
Man! Can I relate to that! I feel that a lot! Hearing him say that, I personally felt validated and understood as well as inspired! Some days are just rough, but you keep going! You can handle it.
Winding up the interview, I asked what advice he would give other people. Without any hesitation he replied, "stay consistent, stay focused, keep grinding. It will all pay off." Hard to argue with that!