Prior to founding Paul Terry & Associates, Paul owned and managed a wholesale distribution company, two retail food businesses and a training seminar business. In 1983, he founded Paul Terry & Associates to offer entrepreneurship consulting, business action planning and guidance in transition management. For over three decades, Paul has helped design and implement business solutions for hundreds of for-profit and non-profit clients and has taught entrepreneurship classes to thousands of students.

When working with a client, Paul draws on his years of experience from working with small business owners and also on his own experience as a small business owner. Paul is a results-oriented business consultant and an excellent accountability partner. He listens carefully, asks clarifying questions and gives sound and practical advice for addressing key issues. His warm style, sensible approach, and consistent follow-up gives clients the support and the “push” they need to create lasting positive change for their businesses.

Paul is a dynamic teacher focused on helping entrepreneurs build their business skills and their confidence. Humor is a central component to Paul’s teaching style. He quickly puts students at ease and gets them talking and engaging with one another. Paul believes that we learn best through hands-on, practical experience. He encourages students to get out of the classroom to talk with people and test assumptions. His focus is helping students build their entrepreneurial skills and their confidence, and connecting new entrepreneurs to Bay Area small business mentors.

Paul has dedicated his career to helping clients and students build successful and sustainable enterprises that succeed financially, create positive relationships with all stakeholders, and contribute to the well-being of the community.

Paul is a strong advocate on behalf of small business issues in the San Francisco Bay Area and promotes a socially responsible and transparent approach to business ownership. Paul is on the board of directors of the Potrero Dogpatch Merchants Association and The Good Life Grocery. He is also a member of CAMEO (California Association for Micro Enterprise Opportunity).