Meet Derek Terry

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Derek Terry. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Derek below.

Derek , thank you so much for joining us today and appreciate you talking about a sensitive topic. It’s unfortunately relevant to so many in the community as layoffs have been on the rise recently, and so we’d appreciate hearing your story and how you overcame being let go?

I was working for a moving company for almost 20 years. I was a dedicated employee with aspirations of climbing the ladder, but realized that company really didn’t care in the ways they claimed. After being passed over for a few opportunities I started dreaming of being my own boss. I had always wondered if I could actually take that leap into self employment, but was insecure and full of doubts. It was a week or so before Christmas that I was approached by a supervisor that I was being let go. I had begun to resent that dead end job, but was still hurt from all those years of dedication. The job market was a nightmare trying to start fresh at 40. It was after months of trying to find employment that my Fiance gave me the confidence to dive in to trying my own thing.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I’ve always been someone who wants to be known for being a kind person. I want to be available for my family and friends and be able to give them a comfortable life. I love working out at the gym and training Jiu Jitsu when I have the time. I’m a father of two boys 18 and 10 years old and I’m engaged to an amazing and beautiful woman Alexis.

So I am the owner of Terry Roof & Gutter Cleaning LLC and my main focus is cleaning moss and mold off roofs. During the holidays I install professional Christmas lights fitted specifically to that house. If a job needs to be done on a ladder where most customers will be uncomfortable and it’s in my range of skills, I’ll do that too.

I take pride in every job I do, and it brings me so much joy when I see the look of satisfaction on a customers face. When the holidays come around and I’ve done a light installation, seeing the excitement on kids faces and how much more excited for Christmas they are means everything. All in all knowing that what I do is genuinely helping people, is what keeps me excited. It doesn’t seem like much, but clearing a roof of moss or mold knowing it has added years of life to that roof, in turn saving that customer from needing a new roof, is why I do it.

I hope to one day expand into other services and maybe have my children working with me. Any excuse for quality time with them, I will take it.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Starting off, I wish I would had taken the leap sooner. I believe being friendly or as we say a “People Person” is huge. Networking is so much easier with people who respect and genuinely like you. Not being afraid to ask questions is also a key to growth, because you don’t know what you don’t know.

Alright so to wrap up, who deserves credit for helping you overcome challenges or build some of the essential skills you’ve needed?

One of my good friends Regina has been living the entrepreneur life for years, and has built herself a rather large client base. Seeing how she had so many years of experience in paperwork, filing, and bookkeeping I knew she could help me and teach me things I wouldn’t know or have ever known. She has been one of many people that I stay in contact with and a brain I pick when I see something new. Her and her Husband Michael both bounce ideas my way and I, them. I truly believe that to be successful, you need to surround yourself with like minded and yes successful people.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: Terry Roof & Gutter Cleaning LLC
• Facebook: Terry Roof & Gutter Cleaning LLC
• Other: Website coming soon