How Grandma’s Wisdom Built a Coaching Movement

You don't have to reinvent the wheel, but it matters how you show up. It matters what your behavior is.

Matters that you are authentic to yourself first, because when you are.

Terri Nathan is a speaker, coach, best-selling author, in the CEO of Strong Girl Enterprises. Inspired by the belief that perspective can change everything. She empowers people to reframe adversity, unlock possibility, and create meaningful change one step at a time.

I believe that we impact people one person at a time. It's a multiplier effect, it's ripple effect, it builds momentum. This is what we are doing. We are connecting with people when you connect with people in a right kind of way. It's a win-win technology is great,

and we have all these great resources for us, but we have to be able to slow down in those moments of distractions. And it's going to stop us from moving forward and growing and growing our business, and be in the person, the leader, the entrepreneur, that we can be,

“that's why we have to kind of step back sometimes in the world.”

It spans the globe, like a super high school, internet elders. Today, Apple is going to reinvent the globe. It's not over, I'm telling how we are. The living your legacy podcast for those who live to leave a legacy. That is sensational to open.

Check out what's the link you say, Paul, in the box, is not on the planet. You can live your dream. Welcome back to another episode of the Living Your Legacy podcast for Insights of Success, for Insights of Success. I am Riggs of Terrorism.

I apologize for stumbling through my intro, but we're keeping the sound theftic. Joining me today is Terry Nathan. She is the CEO of Strong Girl Enterprises. Gosh, welcome to the show.

Thank you, thank you for having me. Of course, this is welcome to Miami. I apologize that the weather's not here. This is what it looks like to wear a blazer and a sweater. Yes.

I have become one of those now. Well, it is cold.

Man, you look amazing, your purple blazer, your button.

What did we just do? We filmed your episode for Women in Power. What are folks going to learn about you?

“I think they're going to learn about a little bit more about me.”

And what I'm about because there's a lot of coaches out there. And there's a lot of distractions. But what maybe I can do for them, or maybe how they can think about things a little bit differently. Not everybody's going to be a good fit for me,

or I for them. But this was about just getting in front of the camera to expand the mission. I was going to say, you did a great job. I was her host, and you were very natural.

I know you do speak on stages, and you were actually a little apprehensive of your video experience, or filming experience. Talk about your perspective before and after. My perspective, yes.

So my perspective before was, oh, my goodness. And I think it's natural to feel that way.

But then, I always say, I have to use your words for you.

I just said to myself, this isn't anything you can't handle. It's just minus the stage in place for a chair, which is a lot more comfortable, honestly. Right, it's great for the back. Yeah, it's great experience, really easy.

Well, I'm glad you are enjoyed your experience. Where do you begin? Like, we want to get into your coaching about changing your mindset and your perspective. But where does that journey truly begin for you?

For me, about changing your mindset? Yeah, was it grandma? It was grandma. Yes, it was grandma. And you know, you think about all the choices,

and all the things you've made in your life, all those lead up to that. And sometimes, not making a choice is making a choice. And so we have to be careful.

“That's why we have to kind of step back.”

Sometimes, and look at the big picture. That's what perspective is. Is looking at the big picture, not the chaos right in front of us, but else is going on around us. For sure, for sure.

Emotional maturity comes to mind. All sorts of key words, uh, generational trauma. It all really is part of the same stew the same ballpark, if you will. But you kind of chosen your lane.

You're like, yes, there is an issue here. But your, your, your north star is perspective. Right. Talk about how you landed on that and how it's changed, not your just your life, but the lives of folks that you coach.

So perspective and you think, well, that's a set. You know, it's a big word. It carries a lot of things. But really, it boils down to perspective is emotional intelligence.

If you will and emotional intelligence is first and foremost, self-awareness. So am I self-aware enough to know what it can and can't do? And and how I move and behave and show up as an individual.

How do I manage myself in those moments? Am I reactive? Am I emotional? Am I charged at something?

“Or am I able to sit back and take that breath and answer?”

And think about it in a different kind of way. And then it's, it's also social awareness, awareness of the people around me. Oh, yeah. And how I talk and how I behave. And then also relationship management.

How I manage myself with others.

And like I say, you're always on stage.

You're on stage. When you're on stage and you're on stage of your new family and you're on stage at the coffee shop in the grocery store. Yes. For always for stage.

We talked about this in your interview. I was born and raised by my grandma. They're very old fashioned Cuban and I always say she retired at 60. I'm a Tuesday or adopted me at four and a Thursday. But she always dressed me up to present, to always be in play,

to always be something greater. And now later on in my life, I'm catching on to well, grandma was right there, grandma was right over here, grandma was right about that. But it hasn't always been that way.

The culture needed to kind of shift right back. I was like to say, guys, it's the 80s again. Yep. Yep. We're going back in time.

“Yeah, but it's the movies that we saw on the 80s of our future.”

Now we're in the future of those movies

and we're looking back and going, so this is what the future is in the 80s. If you understand my meaning, it's a whole... Back to the future. Yeah, exactly exactly.

We're just right back to where we begin. And it's funny because you catch on to those little messages through the source, God, whatever you like it, even believe you are the source of this energy around you. We catch on to these little McGuffins.

These back to the future, these little moments that kind of align us and say, hey, you're on the right track. If you see numerology a lot, you know, you love an 11. These are little hints. Right.

Perspective. But I thought a Jedi named Darth Vader killed my father. Well, a certain point of view, your father is Darth Vader. And it's not what's written for a beta. It's more of a philosophy.

Yep. It's 2026, hello. New age is hip.

Everyone's new age, foofoo in the early 2000s.

What was that? foofoo. Now it's law. Talk about that shift and how an entrepreneur needs to kind of ride that wave and stay up to date.

Yeah, you do need to stay up to date. And unfortunately, right now, there's a lot of technology is great. And we have all these great resources for us. But we have to be able to slow down in those moments of distractions because they can be distractions.

And it's going to stop us from moving forward and growing and growing our business and being the person, the leader, the entrepreneur that we can be because we can get caught, you mentioned an earlier in fear of what's going on. Oh, I don't know. I've been on a walk into that building, but I don't do that.

I don't know that stepping up stepping on on my comfort zone. The comfort zone's there for a reason. Oh, yeah. To keep you there. And so perspective backs you out of that box that comfort zone.

So you can take a look and go. This isn't all that bad. Maybe this is the universe. Maybe it's serendipitous. And maybe it's time for me to step outside that box and take a chance on me. And see what happens.

We don't know what and we can't, we're not, we cannot see the future or tell what's going to happen. But if we don't break out of that fear of fear keeps us happy in this little circle. And you're not going to grow your business or get where you need

to be in this circle. You need growth. You need to widen your perspective. Correct. Talk about how folks stay in that fear mindset.

And it won't realize the moment you kind of break free from that mindset. And you are experiencing joy. The world reacts to that. And you'll start to see that you no longer need to stop bullets. Yeah, you're right.

The world reacts to it. We carry energy. Anyway, you want to lay that down. We carry energy. You know who there's.

You walk into a room. And there's people you're naturally drawn to or there's not your energy is everywhere that you go. And it's really important to understand, like, what kind of energy am I bringing into this project?

Is this a project that's not right for this season in life? I don't know.

“But these are questions you have to ask yourself.”

What am I so afraid of? Is it really? Or is, you know, am I sending this out into the world at the right time? And you can talk astrology, a numerology and all those things. What is your gut telling you?

The world's big out there. And what we can hide in the box should we choose or we can take the step out of it and see what happens. If you don't like what happens, you can go back to the box and try again, there are doovers.

There are on Mulligan's. We can do things over. For sure. I love this perspective shift. A lot of folks give it their own name, but this is, this is very much a real practice.

Mm-hmm. That's why, you know, you've submitted the seasons of the human experience.

I always like to preach where it's like you're assigned to a music label back in the

days. And you know, there's 20 A and R folks, so one label and there was 20 labels and there's just what? Three or two. But back in the days, you got assigned to a music label, you were an artist in the

rise. And then you were assigned to this tribe that developed you incubated you and you became Katy Perry four different ways until you started kissing girls and you liked it and made a fortune. But before Katy Perry became Katy Perry, she went through Christian walks, she went

through all these, these, these, these, these larking, these role-playing sessions and labels couldn't quite figure that out. And now you're seeing that with coaches on stage, they build their tribes, you know, the 20 robins is the world, you know, the less browns of the world, the Rudy Moore's of the world, the rigourteres of the world, they're building their tribes.

But it's something that we've been doing since the beginning of time. And now you kind of see that as they just do a very much tribal folk need a leader, folks need the who raw. And how does it feel to be part of that energy of leaders now of a women and power that we said together, you know, there is seven point, some been building people on this earth,

but all you need is that first 100, they start building your tribe. Talk about that. Yeah, it is, I mean, it's, you're right, there's that tribe, and not everybody's going to dig my vibe. That's okay.

Yeah. I'm okay with that. But there's because there's other options for you, this, I'm not the only person out there.

“And that's what makes entrepreneurship so great is like we live in a time where options”

are like on a tree. It's insane. And you can pick and choose what it is you want or what works for you, you know, the Tony Robbins are not. Yeah.

They, you know, the less Browns are not. And I mean, I love all these people I grew up on these folks. Oh, yeah. And, but you've got to find your, what, what does it for you? Yeah.

They are them. And you are you. And, and so what drives you what motivates you, again, I'm not going to be for everybody. Tony Robbins isn't for everybody, but he's for somebody and I'm for somebody. And it's just kind of finding that stage, if you will, you belong in.

And it's okay if somebody doesn't fit into that stage, there's a lot of people in this world. And we, I believe that we impact people one person at a time. For sure. For sure.

I mean, it's, it's a multiplier effect. It's ripple effect. It builds momentum. Yep. And it's something you can sense that momentum, you can just feel it, like it, little things,

like sitting in traffic. You'll start to see, the green lights are more frequent, no. Absolutely. You know what I mean? Yeah.

And then you're just like, of course, that car, you just have to understand, like, traffic

of Miami is a perfect example of that, because it's so violent and always in rage and just

about the pub. Fizzy. Yeah. And LA traffic is the same by Miami is a little more textured. So you can, I have actually had, I've actually had an entrepreneur, that's a police officer

“and I sat here and go, so what did you learn about human patterns?”

He goes, oh, no question. I go. So let me tell you, you know that you're going to have a shitty day because of the human patterns and traffic. Oh, they go absolutely.

We can tell where people are angry, where they're going to be hapset, just by the time of day, we can measure traffic patterns and we can tell how hot and angry these people are in this Miami traffic and we'll start to station officers, the pending on the temperature of the mood of the day. Wow.

It was just like, yes, I knew it because we learned about, you know, officers who, you just, why do officers talk to you a certain way? And it's because the mind is, well, wait, it's triggered to like, this person's talking to me in a certain way, that is not congenial and nice and operational to be humans. No, you are now civilian and I speak to you in a way because I know that you're

bring those, that's, that's neat, but also scary to know. So what's the perspective shift on that to monetize that? Because a lot of folks, there's a lot of noise and even I get hit with the ads. Get on stage and just pay me $10,000 to learn to do this crap or join my school if you want to do one of them.

One guy's got the muscles with this, the other guy's Gary V, like everyone's got a character. Yeah. So talk about developing that character. You're wearing purple.

It's almost, like, we've come to a day and age where, yes, there's reality, but you also have to be part of your own soap opera. Agreed. Yeah, it's, it's not, you know, about creating a character as much as it is.

“I think you show up what's comfortable for you.”

Great. I like purple.

And so purple's probably always going to be in my dress pattern.

I like black because I'm messy. Yeah. And it's talk about your hair. It's magical. It's magical.

I like to wear fairy hair because it sparkles and it makes me happy. It brings me joy to walk by the mirror and go, oh, I just cut that sparkle there. So it's not, like, sometimes on stage, I wear jeans and a t-shirt. But I wear tape. I, yes, I show up for who I am and you're either going to like it or you're not.

But I'm not going to change to fit a mold. My, I'm tearing Nathan. I'm who I am. Purple's my, my color.

But I'm always going to be tearing Nathan.

I like sparkly tennis shoes. It's mothing. You know, Rudy likes red. That's his thing. We're all different.

And, and it's not really, it, you, it kind of creates a round you. But I show up how I show up if I'm in jeans.

“That's how I am and, and I'm not going to apologize.”

I'm unapologetically me. Awesome. The folks that are watching a listening and they are on the verge of being unapologetically themselves. What, what's some words of advice, some words of wisdom?

I think some words of wisdom are that in this fast-paced world that we live in, it's easy to want to be somebody else because it, it's, it looks neat. It's like the, you know, the flashing lights or the, you know, taking you back to, came art, the blue light, special. Good, okay, more.

Yeah. You don't know more camearts, right? But it is, it is just about understanding that you just be you and be okay with that. And you don't have to reinvent the wheel, but it matters how you show up, it matters

what your behavior is, it matters that you are authentic to yourself first.

Because when you are the audience, the people know that, they, you can tell when somebody's used car sale and, yeah, you know what I mean? And, and that is, if I got a, and no offense used car salesmen, not at all, I'm thinking used car salesmen of the funny 70s shows, okay, just so we're clear there. But it, it, if I have to have that approach, then I don't want to do it.

Yes, ma'am. I don't want to do it. I don't want to do it. Steven Spielberg uses that analogy because he shot Indiana Jones, the reboot with Shia LeBuff, and now Shia LeBuff is a controversial figure, which is great for him.

But he was on a, on a tie, they were doing the press tour, and Shia LeBuff was shitting on Indiana Jones, and I'm like, dude, so Spielberg gave him a good weapon and goes, yo, sometimes you just kind of learn how to sell cars. That's it. You got to, you can't just sit there and shit on us, and if Harrison Ford can do it,

still can you kid, and that boy got blacklisted because of that. So you've got to learn how to sell cars, though.

“You always don't, that's why you got to stay in character.”

You've got to stay in some sort of perspective, and then understand your SOP to thrive and be alive.

You always gotta, don't walk around and say, yes, everything.

That's what I do. It's great. But you also get yourself in a lot of trouble. You got to stay positive. You got to learn how to sell cars, and that is a, if it's Spielberg can sell cars, it's so

can you. Yeah, it's, and it is, it's just about really staying, doom what you need to do, but understanding that you're not, I mean, you don't have to be the person down the road. And you know, if you, and there's a lot of people up there judging or doing things like that, hold your job, hold your judgment.

You, I mean, you work on you first, I think Renee Brown says it best, where she's like, until you're in the arena with me, you don't, you can't tell me, how to fight that lion. You're not in the circle with me. You're not in that arena.

And it's good advice because it's like, get all these people, all all off, but so get in the arena with me, and then you can have an opinion, and you've got to be able to block that. When I interviewed, we back for, for to work for a really more, I basically said, just put me in the arena, just put me, I just want to see to the table.

Tell me in. Yeah, because I just held back all my experience, all this stuff, I'm like, yeah, I'll take that right. I'll do this. I know I got to prove my worth here back in the East Coast, because I have everyone

on their mother, no, who I am in San Francisco, but I built that. And I, I disappear. I, this is it about me. I'm sorry that I'm on this rate. But your energy is very comfortable, but, but it's true, you've got to put in your

dues, you've got to understand who you are at that point, but at that moment, you can't

“just have a bright idea, and sure, some stars become overnight, but you have to understand”

how time works, how you have the ability to just be patient, and center yourself, center your perspective on life. And the moment you start to shift and understand the signals, you'll start to see positivity. And then you'll start to understand that life isn't life happens for you through you, and that, that it's your brain and your heart, your heart is in control of the soul and spirit,

your brain is just mimicking the experience of public health. This public call, this brain is working so fast, it's tried up to catch up to the heart. You have to understand that this is just pentamony, man. This is just, this is just, this is just, this is just, yeah, dude. Yeah, I mean, if you can take the, if you can think less about you know, go back to

car salesmen. Yes, yes. It's not wrong with car salesmen, but it, you know, podcasts are much worse. We're not selling cars who are connecting with people. Yes.

This is what we are doing. We are connecting with people. When you connect with people in the right kind of way, it's, it's a win-win. And so, but if you can take that first mindset out of it, you know, it's an apple does a good job with this, you know, you rarely see the item that's in the commercial, but

you see the experience. Oh, it pepses in the lens.

Yeah.

“There's lots of companies doing this now, where, what's the experience?”

Because, yeah, we know what your product is.

But, how am I going to feel? Yeah. How am I going to feel? And then when you hit them with the fields, you just kind of wrap it up with the, the crazy shot of the cheeseburger, what, and then you hit them with the bomb PlayStation, and then

it's just like auditory signals and then you realize, oh, yeah, we are just puppets and, and so folks, their job is to wake up grumpy and sit in traffic and slow us down. That's their job. And they can have it. They can have it.

We just got to be patient through it.

“And it's just like, sometimes I do sit there and steam, but I don't shout out anymore.”

I just understand, I am driving through everyone else. This is negative energy and I just need to get to my destination. Well, right. And you don't know what's going on in their life either, so you can get hold a little space in grace for the person that's maybe they ran over their dog.

I don't know. Yeah, dude. But, you know, we don't know because we don't know what's going on in their life.

So, all we are is red lights in a license plate.

Exactly. We can be pissed, but we don't know what's going on. Rock the road. Might as well just, listen to your good radio station broadcast. Yeah, if you're listening.

Watch out. Yeah. Work your people, learn more about you and discover more about you. Well, they can follow me on Facebook, Instagram, then go to my way. I have two websites, TerryNathen.com and TerryNathenLive.com.

That's my speaking website and yeah, you'll find me out there, I'm out and I sure appreciate being here. Thank you. Oh, gosh. It was such an honor.

Love the conversation. Love the interview. Love all about this. It's definitely shifted my perspective and it has ascended me even more.

“That's what perspective is a gift we give ourselves.”

Right on. Anything else to do? All right. That's it. Perfect.

Thank you. This is TerryNathenLive. Strong girl enterprise. And with the thumbs. I love it.

I know my husband makes fun of my thumbs, but I dig him. I'll do the thumbs and the guns. This is Terry. I'm Ray and we are inside success. (upbeat music)