Terry Tillman

Terry Tillman has beencalled a cross between Merlin and Peter Pan. He likes that.

Terry lives on purpose.While other people talk about pushing the edge, Terry just goes there. But itwasn't always that way. A "recovered businessman", he exchanged hisType A, entrepreneurial workaholic behavior for a life of service, spiritualdevelopment, coaching, facilitating the growth of individuals andorganizations. He supports them to reach their goals and reconnect with theirdreams. This is the focus of the professional and personal development seminarshe designs and leads and the inspirational talks he gives.

Terry's life purpose is tobe a scout; to be on the edge, ahead of the pack, to bring back lessons fromthe frontiers he's explored, and to turn his many experiences into lessons.From years of running marathons he learned to go the distance and run throughthe finish line. Being a pilot taught him to get a high altitude perspective onthe opportunities life offers. He knows how to produce material success, butalso how to detach from the world.

Every summer, he takes offhis suit, turns off the electronic gear, and heads for the wilderness. There,the work and play of the 22/7 Company continues in a learning experiencefacilitated by a band of journeyers and adventurers who scout uncharted placesinside and out. Terry’s the kind of guy who spends his time climbing two kindsof mountains. The big ones in places where the weather can change in a minute,that demand reliable ropes and gear, and promise a wild rush when you get tothe top. And the other kind, the ancient mountains of hope and wonder insidethe soul. In between treks, he teaches how to climb and to know the majesty ofthat territory within.

When the Berlin Wall camedown, he went there the next day to photograph the graffiti and history, totalk to people, to find out what mattered to them, to touch the rubble that hadbeen a prison. He brought back photographs and stories about hope andpossibilities, about winning a life of freedom. His best-selling book andphotojournalistic essay, “The Writings on the Wall”, tells the story.

Terry makes his own rules,like in the very early 1990s when he was invited to conduct leadership seminarsin Siberia for military generals and industry bosses as Communism was falling.But the destination of Omsk (a center of Soviet military manufacturing) was aclosed city, meaning residents didn’t leave and unauthorized people didn’tenter. In James Bond style, Terry smuggled himself and his team in on militarycargo planes and became one of the first ten non-Russians to visit and work inOmsk in seventy four years. Participants in the seminars included RussianGenerals, KGB Bosses, Political Leaders, teachers and students.

The entrepreneurial Terrycreates. He's made a lot of money, lost a lot of money, and says it was anamazing ride both ways as he racked up a huge variety of experiences. Hestarted in business at fifteen, manufacturing track hurdles withinternationally famous track coach Bill Bowerman, founder of Nike. After adegree in economics and finance from Stanford University, he joined the Grammyaward winning New Christy Minstrels band as their original banjo player. Hisbusiness ventures after graduation in 1964 included membership in the MillionDollar Real Estate Sales Club, a real estate development and construction firm,ownership in TV stations, a satellite cable business, a mobile home sales andservice company and a video production company. And in between, he found timeto be a whitewater rafting guide and a ski instructor. Today he gives seminarsand talks around the world (ninety-four countries so far) for groups of 50 –15,000 participants; produces, designs and facilitates leadership trainings fororganizations and the general public; and coaches executives. Over 250,000people have shared experiences and partnered with Terry in experiential,transformational learning.

Terry's mission is tosupport and mentor people in answering their call, discovering their value, andrealizing their dreams. Graduates of Terry’s work gain the reference points tosay, “Now I know that I can do anything!” He asks questions like, “What wouldyou be doing in your life if you were not afraid?” “If you looked back frombeing ninety years old, is there anything you would regret or change?” and"Who are you and why are you here?" His clients find their answers.

Terry holds a Master’scertification in Neuro-Linguistic Programming from John Grinder, one of thefounders of NLP. He’s a member of the Transformational Leadership Council (fromwhich came the movie “The

Secret”) and one of theco-founders of the Association of Transformational Leaders Southern California.He has two grown daughters, who he says are among his best friends. He has heldoffices with his local Rotary Club and is active in many community and churchservice projects.

You can look for Terry inthe movies The Answer and Discover the Gift.

He’s currently busycompleting his next book, The Call.

And he still asks, “Iwonder w