We recently connected with Dr Terrance Ruth and have shared our conversation below.

Dr Terrance, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Do you wish you had started you own firm sooner?

During 2021, I began to explore healthy leadership frameworks for local issues. This sparked the launch of my podcast, Illogical by TRUTH (https://www.youtube.com/@drterranceruth), in partnership with Earfluence. I realized that we are watching people walk away from toxic leadership, either in politics or on jobs. So, in the podcast I explored leadership through Ella Baker and her view on creating leadership that is responsive to the “people”. I teacher leadership as a professor at NCSU. Leadership, as a concept, was core to my research and my focus. Eventually, I launched my own Leadership Coaching firm through Vistage. I realized that there are so many leaders trying to navigate the rough economy and fluctuating social changes that impact the work environment. I wish that I would have launched sooner to provide a space for leaders who feel as if they are making decisions alone.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Hey Raleigh…I am a husband, father, professor, and student of the community. I am a Vistage Chair, where I coach leaders. I was the national VP of Programing for Repairers of the Breach and advisor to Dr. Bishop Barber. I held the NAACP State Executive Director role. I was the national community development director for Forward Cities and an Assistant Professor at NC State. I spent my early career in public education as a teacher and principal. I am a 2024 candidate for Mayor of Raleigh. www.truthforraleigh.org

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

I spent a majority of my time in education. I recieved my BA in history, my Masters in education, and my PhD in Public Affairs. For the most part, I was prepared to be an educator and exist in one lane. However, my skill set moved me across industries and I began to be associated with leaders, research, and innovation. However, it was still diffcult for potential clients or investors to narrow me down to a particular area. Then I began to brand my abilities and that helped me narrow my focus to leadership. I then began to take steps to merge my skills under the umbrella of leadership. This offered me the opportunity to say YES or NO to opportunities that did not fit my primary focus. I used the help of those who rest in marketing, branding and design to narrow my focus and purpose.

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

The best source of new clients for me has been the referral of customers from previous projects. Producing great quality will lead to recieving great praise from former partnerships. Also, your production will help you make a reputation that guides individuals to you. The best source is the quality of previous projects.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.truthforRaleigh.org
• Instagram: @truthforraleigh
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/terranceruth
• Linkedin: @drterranceruth
• Twitter: @terranceruth
• Youtube: @Drterranceruth