We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Terri Sterk a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Terri, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

I am a two-time breast cancer survivor, health and wellness coach, and author. After spending seven years facilitating face-to-face support groups and coaching women diagnosed with breast cancer, I took my experience online. I now use my story to serve women who have experienced trauma, including breast cancer and family discord, by nurturing them to thrive by healing their bodies, mind, and spirit.

I support women as they strive to stick to a treatment plan from their healthcare provider, encourage them to set their health and wellness goals, and offer support as they progress. I guide women who seek wellness to understand their motivation for change and find strength and confidence. I aim to empower women to see themselves as the experts of their own health and circumstances and to be the heroines of their own lives. I offer support as women build their best lives by developing self-management strategies to make sustainable changes.

I became excited about the venture during the pandemic when women could not attend face-to-face support groups. I began contacting women to offer guidance as they maneuvered treatment schedules alone. As with many of us dealing with traumatic situations, financial strains prevented many women from funding coaching initiatives. I began offering online classes and group coaching at reduced costs. That morphed into a weekly Facebook Live in the group and offered to the public on YouTube.

I began writing books utilizing the same content shared in the group. So far, three books have been published, and others are in the works. You can find the books on Amazon and many other retailers.

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

With a dedicated Facebook group, Thrive Not Just Survive, I created a safe space for members to work at their own pace, find renewed strength, and design a path to thrive. The group offers Facebook Lives, including coaching on topics impacting the group members. I also offer inspirational posts, videos, workshops, and challenges tailored to provide inspiration and support. I use my knowledge and experiences to guide and support women as they learn to recognize their values, internal strengths, and insights and mobilize those assets to help them reach their goals. Together, we discuss goals, progress, and challenges to create a path to wellness and a journey to renewed health.

I also host a Facebook Page offered to help women with emotional healing. I created it for readers of my book, Nurture Emotional Well-Being for Women. I wrote the book because I recognized its importance in today’s world. This book is a beacon of hope for women who have experienced trauma. It is here to help women heal and thrive.⁣ The FB page serves women dealing with trauma, inspiring them to thrive by nurturing their body, mind, and spirit.

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560464774385

I developed online coaching classes, beginning with the “Thrive During and After Breast Cancer” master class. The masterclass is a go-at-your-own-pace online class with three modules to help the client create her wellness plan. It also includes one live coaching session with me after she completes the course. I added more online courses on various topics to support women’s healing from trauma. The online courses can be accessed at this link.

https://app.mastermind.com/directory/search/?query=Terri%2520Sterk&team_name=Terri%2520Sterk

I began writing books utilizing the same content shared in the group. So far, three books have been published, and others are in the works. You can find the books on Amazon at this link. amazon.com/stores/Terri-Sterk/author/B0CJKMT266?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

After a successful career in Financial Services, I retired early to honor my passion and purpose. I’ve been through many traumas, so I spent much time healing myself. I also benefited from additional healing as I began helping other women with my story. I talked to many survivors who are content to push their experience to the back of their minds and get on with their “normal” life. I’ve also talked to many who struggle to move forward years after their journey ends. I realized the secret was finding a better normal!

I offered online coaching classes and group and individual coaching for breast cancer survivors. However, most were unable to financially justify the expense of a coach. Knowing I had solutions to many of their problems and concerns, I began writing books. The books offer many concepts I utilize in my coaching business. Offering free eBooks helps women to appreciate all I have to offer to help them find a better normal and thrive.

I have been a writer all my life, so venturing into the publishing arena felt very natural. I’ve published three books and am currently working on the next one.

We’d love to hear the story of how you turned a side-hustle into a something much bigger.

I began helping survivors while I was still working full-time. I spent years facilitating face-to-face support groups and helping women online. Eventually, I was able to retire early and fulfill my purpose of helping women dealing with trauma, including breast cancer and family discord. My last book is focused on emotional healing for women, no matter the circumstances holding them back. We all deserve to heal and thrive.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://app.mastermind.com/directory/search/?query=Terri%2520Sterk&team_name=Terri%2520Sterk
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/terrissterk/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tsterk/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/terrissterk/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP3qb00sXaTl9Ls103Vzk2w
• Other: https://www.facebook.com/groups/breastcancerthrivenotjustsurvive

  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560464774385

  amazon.com/stores/Terri-Sterk/author/B0CJKMT266?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true