We were lucky to catch up with Terra Pickett recently and have shared our conversation below.

Terra , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Do you think your parents have had a meaningful impact on you and your journey?

My parents are not only my parents… They are my biggest supporters, encouragers, and friends. It’s easy to be loved when you’re easy to love, but they never gave up on me even when I wasn’t.

I followed in my dad’s footsteps when I began a 15 year career in luxury fashion. He was a role model to me, and a living example of what a successful career in the industry could look like.

After 20+ years working for others, he ventured off and started his own business. Many of them actually. I never thought that could be me. Someone that leaves a secure corporate job to create my own dream.

However after the loss of my son Weston full term, a fire was ignited in me that I never knew existed. My career path, priorities, and my whole self- quite honestly- changed. 10 months ago I started a rapidly growing nonprofit called Gloves For Grief. To this day, my parents continue to be a backbone to the organization and me. Even at 37, they propel me forward with this dream, their belief in me, and unwavering support. I understand and recognize that many people don’t have that kind of support. I do not take any of it for granted.

We really appreciate you sharing that with us.  Your parents sound incredible!

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My name is Terra Pickett, and I am the Co-Founder and Executive director of Gloves For Grief, an Orange County based 501C3 created to help others navigate the uncharted waters of grief.

My entire life I have always been a driven person, and entrepreneurial by nature. I went to college for Fashion at Cal Poly Pomona, and worked for 15 years in the industry for various luxury brands in California and New York.

I thought fashion was my destiny, until I become a mom of my first son Wyatt in 2018. That moment truly redefined my priorities, and what meant most. My life changed again with a second pregnancy of my son Weston. I was so ready to expand our family, and raise two boys. But everything I dreamed of shattered on March 26th, 2022. At 39 weeks pregnant, and only 4 days away from my due date, my son Weston’s heart stopped beating. That was truly the worst day of my life.

Most moms plan elaborate first birthdays and smash cakes. I wasn’t able to make those memories with my son, so I created something in his honor instead. Gloves For Grief was launched in March of 2023 by me and my Co-Founder Ashley.

It was in the trenches of our own pain we became aware of the shortfalls of available resources. Through this organization, we aim to be the gateway to changing that. We provide much needed resources, experiences, and community for healing from any type of loss.

I never predicted my life to turn out this way. However Gloves For Grief has allowed us to honor our sons Weston and Zane, and support other families as well.

Putting training and knowledge aside, what else do you think really matters in terms of succeeding in your field?

The nonprofit sector is led by intelligent professionals that seek to change the world- one charity and mission at a time. In the for profit world, it’s all about margins, profitability, and the bottom line. Those factors are still important to the longevity of a nonprofit organization, however the mark of success weighs more in the number of people you serve, and the people you help. The sustainability of your nonprofit relies on the generosity of donors and grants. You must be able to organize and articulate your program goals, and have the ability to back that up with financials, a business plan, and clear vision. Although I do not work in the Fashion Sector anymore, I feel that many of the skills I learned are transferrable, just with a different metric of success and goal in mind.

Also, find a board and team of people that believe in your organization and what it stands for. There is no I and team, and there is no way to carry out your mission alone.

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start?

When we started Gloves For Grief, it wasn’t an ideal financial time to launch a business. However I knew this dream was something God put in our hearts and he would deliver. I took out a personal loan- later turned startup donation-  to fund our consultant for the 501C3 application, website creation, and videographer to tell our stories. I wanted to lead with the WHY of what we do as opposed to leading with our hand out.

Coupled with my own financial investment, we connected with our personal contacts, business relationships, and utilized digital fundraising vehicles: Gofundme, Social Media, and online raffles & auctions. Because of our amazing partnerships and early supporters, we were able to achieve our Year #2 target in Year

Thank you Thank you Thank you! We could not have done this without you.

If you would like to know more about this amazing organization and be part of their movement see below:

Contact Info:

• Website: https://gloves4grief.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glovesforgrief/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089651958085&mibextid=LQQJ4d
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/glovesforgrief/
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@glovesforgrief?si=sHX8taqfkdsSvATy

Image Credits
Braven Carver B-Roll Productions BH Photo