I’ve spent my life building businesses. 

My entrepreneur DNA came from my parents. As a child and well into my adult years, I witnessed them grow a business of their own. They learned new industries and products, formed the right relationships, and prioritized the needs of their buyers and partners. Along the way, they did it with grit and determination. To this day, they have an unparalleled work ethic and entrepreneurial spirit. 

I’ve run my life on risks and resilience. I created and scaled my last company, Ecuity Edge, from the ground up, earning the influence and respect of Fortune 500 clients and influential leaders from within the tech community. I took it from a services company to a software product, knowing I had to digitize to scale. I formed critical relationships within the Microsoft ecosystem, built a team, and earned the coveted Microsoft Gold recognition within just two years while winning Microsoft Partner of the Year finalist award and US Partner of the Year within the first four years. I did it with purpose and conviction. After all, I had a vision for my business from day one: to productize it by building an IP SaaS solution and sell it within five years. 

Vision achieved.

Last year, I sold Ecuity Edge to a Fortune 50 tech company.

My early vision – so crystal clear in my mind – propelled me forward, driving my daily focus, igniting ruthless prioritization, and allowing me to steer the team, not in a zig-zag, but straight up a mountain. When I exited last year to a Fortune 50 tech company, I took a hard-earned pause to reflect. My vision from its earliest days was made into a reality – but not without hard work and dedication.

Creating, building, and growing Ecuity Edge took all of me. On my hardest days, I was tested with moments of loneliness, exhaustion, and even doubt. On my best days, I was overjoyed with gratitude and optimism. Some days, it was both. 

Growing a business is daunting. I would do it all over again in a heartbeat.

Meet my new venture: Brand One.

In fact, I am doing it all over again, only this time, I’m approaching the business with a tried-and-proven playbook for success. 

I couldn’t be more excited to share my next big thing with you: Brand One, a boutique consultancy dedicated to crafting and managing brands for executives and entrepreneurs. My multi-decades of experience as an entrepreneur, CEO and CxO, and frequent C-suite advisor has taught me this: brand is everything – everything! And, if you aren’t managing your personal brand like a business, you’re leaving enormous opportunities on the table. 

Here’s why: We live in a world where people look you up online long before they hear your voice. Where reputation can win (or lose) deals. Where people want to work for leaders who stand for something. Every executive today needs a digital footprint, one that not only speaks to their values and unique perspectives but also aligns with their company’s values and mission. And, above all else, you must own your unique differentiation. Brand One will help executives achieve all of this.

I’m ready to help other executives solidify who they are, what their purpose is, and what their voice is. Every leader has value. It’s a matter of identifying that value and projecting it to the world. Your resume, the way you show up, how you behave in an interview, the way you converse across digital platforms – this is how you will set yourself apart. This is your opportunity to give your audience something to hold onto, to help them understand your value. Executives must change the way they think about personal brands and start managing them like a business. Do you want to control how others view you – or do you want to leave it to chance? 

I’ve witnessed the incredible transition that executives go through when they truly understand who they are, and can speak to their core values, motivations, and experiences – it can be career-transforming. You’re in the driver’s seat, you control the narrative. One executive I worked with, Sherlaender Phillips (Lani), Vice President US Channel Sales of Microsoft, said of the experience: “Brand One is one of the best at personal branding. From their strategic vision to their meticulous execution, working with Brand One has given me clarity and increased my influence. I would recommend Brand One to any executive who is looking to scale their digital footprint.” 

Also on the horizon: helping CEOs scale and differentiate.

When you’re an entrepreneur, you don’t just wear the CEO hat, you wear every hat. I’ve been CFO, CMO, CRO, you name it. I now want to use my hard-earned CxO portfolio to help other businesses scale. I want to help businesses discover their unique differentiator and then use it to unlock massive growth. As a versatile leader, I approach businesses through the lens of each C-Suite seat to help CEOs get granular on their vision and mission – and execute with laser focus.

In particular, I want to help women CEOs scale. I know how hard it is to break into the right networks (especially in male-dominated industries like tech). I know the challenges of holding everything on your shoulders – and juggling caregiving, family, parenthood, fundraising, hiring, etc. in parallel. In the coming months, I am going to be launching a community exclusively for women CEOs – a safe forum for us to share lessons, support one another and strategically problem-solve. 

I couldn’t be more grateful to be in this position to now help other leaders. Please let me know how I can support you and your business. In the meantime…

See you in the C-suite,

Terri