About Paul Terry
Paul Terry brings more than 40 years of experience working with established small business owners, community-based nonprofit organizations, and emerging entrepreneurs. Before founding Paul Terry & Associates (PTA), he owned and operated two retail food businesses, a wholesale distribution company, and a training seminar business. These hands-on experiences continue to inform his practical, grounded approach to consulting.
Since founding PTA in 1983, Paul has provided entrepreneurship consulting, business planning support, and guidance through partnership transitions and business exits. Over the course of his career, he has advised hundreds of for-profit and nonprofit organizations and taught and coached thousands of students, helping business owners strengthen their organizations and navigate change effectively.
Paul Terry brings more than 40 years of experience working with established small business owners, community-based nonprofit organizations, and emerging entrepreneurs. Before founding Paul Terry & Associates (PTA), he owned and operated two retail food businesses, a wholesale distribution company, and a training seminar business. These hands-on experiences continue to inform his practical, grounded approach to consulting.
About Paul Terry
Paul Terry brings more than 40 years of experience working with established small business owners, community-based nonprofit organizations, and emerging entrepreneurs. Before founding Paul Terry & Associates (PTA), he owned and operated two retail food businesses, a wholesale distribution company, and a training seminar business. These hands-on experiences continue to inform his practical, grounded approach to consulting.
Since founding PTA in 1983, Paul has provided entrepreneurship consulting, business planning support, and guidance through partnership transitions and business exits. Over the course of his career, he has advised hundreds of for-profit and nonprofit organizations and taught and coached thousands of students, helping business owners strengthen their organizations and navigate change effectively.
About Paul Terry
Consulting Approach
Paul’s work is rooted in careful listening and a deep respect for each client’s unique context. He serves as a thoughtful accountability partner, offering clear constructive questions and practical guidance informed by real-world experience. His focus is on helping clients assess business realities, evaluate options, and make sound decisions that will support long-term sustainability. His current practice is centered on partnership transitions and business exit planning
What Guides The Work
Paul Terry & Associates works with a network of trusted associates who provide PTA with specialized expertise in management facilitation, business operations, leadership development, strategic planning, communications, and community engagement:
- Andrea Baker, Executive Director, En2Action
- Dr. Monika Hudson, Associate Professor of Management, University of San Francisco; Director, Gellert Family Business Center
- Ken Stram, Owner of 2Bridge Communications; founder of the world’s first LGBT Economic Development Program
- Jenny Ren Trotter, Co-owner, Kibo Farm; Board Member, FEED Food Cooperative
- Claude F. Whitmyer, Writer, teacher, consultant, and coach specializing in research and guidance for small businesses and entrepreneurs
Experience-Based Insight
Practical, real-world experience shapes clear and effective decision-making.
Clarity In Relationships
Partnerships and transitions are approached with an emphasis on communication, alignment, and trust.
Long-Term Perspective
Decisions are guided by their impact on future stability and sustainability.
What Guides The Work
Paul Terry & Associates works with a network of trusted associates who provide PTA with specialized expertise in management facilitation, business operations, leadership development, strategic planning, communications, and community engagement:
- Andrea Baker, Executive Director, En2Action
- Dr. Monika Hudson, Associate Professor of Management, University of San Francisco; Director, Gellert Family Business Center
- Ken Stram, Owner of 2Bridge Communications; founder of the world’s first LGBT Economic Development Program
- Jenny Ren Trotter, Co-owner, Kibo Farm; Board Member, FEED Food Cooperative
- Claude F. Whitmyer, Writer, teacher, consultant, and coach specializing in research and guidance for small businesses and entrepreneurs
Experience-Based Insight
Practical, real-world experience shapes clear and effective decision-making.
Clarity In Relationships
Partnerships and transitions are approached with an emphasis on communication, alignment, and trust.
Long-Term Perspective
Decisions are guided by their impact on future stability and sustainability.
Wisdom Stones
PTA creates one-of-a-kind wisdom stones for clients and friends. These handcrafted black Mexican river rocks are finished with a single word of inspiration. Wisdom stones reflect a commitment to care, community, and shared values, and serve as a daily reminder to act with intention and focus on what matters most in business and life.
Community Involvement
Community engagement is central to Paul’s work. He believes that well-managed, employee-supported, locally owned businesses strengthen communities and contribute to long-term economic health. Paul is a long-time advocate for small business development in the San Francisco Bay Area and supports socially responsible, transparent, and community-centered enterprises.
He serves on the boards of the
Glen Park Merchants Association, the
Potrero Dogpatch Merchants Association, and
The Good Life Grocery. Paul is a Fellow with the
Gellert Family Business Center and volunteers with the Briarpatch Small Business Network, Bernal Cut Gardeners and Refuse Refuse San Francisco, and is a member of CAMEO, the California Association for Microenterprise Opportunity.
Teaching
Teaching has been a significant part of Paul’s professional work. He has designed and led hundreds of entrepreneurship classes and workshops that emphasize hands-on learning, peer engagement, and practical application. His approach encourages open discussion, peer learning, and real-world problem solving.
For more than 30 years, Paul worked with the Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center in San Francisco, where he helped develop workshops, long-term courses, a small business incubator, and an in-house loan program. He continues to advise Renaissance and support program graduates.
Recognitions & Awards
- Small Business Advocate Award, San Francisco Small Business Network
- Outstanding Service Award, Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center
- Entrepreneurship Educator of the Year, Inc. Magazine, Ernst & Young, Kauffman Foundation, and Merrill Lynch
- Community Advocate Award, Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center
- Financial Services Advocate Award, U.S. Small Business Administration
For more than 20 years, Paul Terry and his wife, Leslie, have created and shared what are known as wisdom stones—small, handcrafted black Mexican river rocks imbued with meaning. What began as a simple gesture at an annual holiday gathering has evolved into a longstanding tradition within the Paul Terry & Associates community.
Each stone is thoughtfully crafted to encourage reflection and focus. Designed to serve as a quiet
reminder of purpose and intention, the stones support meaningful engagement in both professional
and personal life.
Every piece is unique. The process is intentionally hands-on, from selecting and cleaning each river rock to finishing it with oil and layered, handmade materials. Each stone is completed with a single word of inspiration chosen for its lasting personal resonance.
Over time, the stones have found places in offices, homes, and professional settings. Some serve as subtle reminders; others are actively used as tools for reflection and connection in consulting sessions or group discussions.
At their core, wisdom stones reflect a commitment to care, community, and shared values—reinforcing that meaningful work is shaped not only by results, but by the relationships and principles that guide the journey.
Associates
Paul Terry & Associates works with a network of trusted associates who provide PTA with specialized expertise in management facilitation, business operations, leadership development, strategic planning, communications, and community engagement:
- Andrea Baker, Executive Director, En2Action
- Dr. Monika Hudson, Associate Professor of Management, University of San Francisco; Director, Gellert Family Business Center
- Ken Stram, Owner of 2Bridge Communications; founder of the world’s first LGBT Economic Development Program
- Jenny Ren Trotter, Co-owner, Kibo Farm; Board Member, FEED Food Cooperative
- Claude F. Whitmyer, Writer, teacher, consultant, and coach specializing in research and guidance for small businesses and entrepreneurs
Paul Terry & Associates has a network of trusted associates who provide PT&A with expertise in management facilitation, leadership development, strategic communications, and community engagement.
- Andrea Baker, Executive Director, En2Action
- Dr. Monika Hudson, Associate Professor of Management, University of San Francisco & Director of the Gellert Family Business Center
- Ken Stram, Owner of 2Bridge Communications; Founder of the world’s first LGBT Economic Development Program
- Jenny Ren Trotter, Co-owner, Kibo Farm; Board Member, FEED Food Cooperative
- Claude F. Whitmyer, Founder MeaningfulWork.Com and Coordinator of the Briarpatch Network.