Inspiring Paths with Terri Broussand Williams
We are highlighting Terri Broussard Williams, author, leader, speaker, and all around bad ass.
Terri Broussard Williams has built her career on a solid reputation as an authentic, courageous, and impactful change agent. Throughout her journey as an award-winning corporate lobbyist, non-profit executive, and public speaker, Terri has transformed public and community service into a professional art form, positively impacting the lives of millions of people. During her two-decade-plus career as a lobbyist, Terri realized her dream of creating significant, community-shifting outcomes. Her most distinguished accomplishments include passing key pieces of legislation, such as The Louisiana Smoke-Free Air Act. She achieved this game-changing career milestone as part of an all-female lobbying team at the promising age of 27.
As one of Austin Business Journal’s Most Influential Women in Central Texas, Terri’s commitment to creating meaningful, groundbreaking, and systemic change is clear. Having worked for household brands such as Amazon, American Heart Association, and Edward Jones, Terri has established herself as a respected leader in corporate and nonprofit sectors, driving impactful initiatives and advocating for positive social change. She also provides inspirational and philanthropic leadership to advisory boards, including the Annette Strauss Institute for Civic Engagement, the Louisiana State University Diversity Advisory Board, and the LBJ School of Public Policy – Women’s Campaign School Advisory Board. Terri continues to “pay it forward” with thought leadership around change as the founder of the Movement Maker platform www.movementmakercollective.com.
Terri graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a Master’s of Non-Profit Leadership with an emphasis on social impact strategy. As the student commencement speaker and winner of the Excellence in Social Impact Award, she demonstrated her authenticity as an approachable, courageous, and refreshing thought leader fully capable of inspiring her classmates to create change and turn moments into transformative movements. Previously, Terri graduated from the University of Pennsylvania’s Social Impact Strategy Executive Education Program, where she served as a Teaching Fellow, and received a Graduate Certificate in Diversity and Inclusion from Cornell University.
She is also a member of the University of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy and Practice Dean’s Alumni Advisory Board. Terri also served as the inaugural instructor for the Social Justice Graduate Certificate Program at The Bush School and Center for Non-Profits and Philanthropy at Texas A&M. She holds a Bachelor’s degree from Louisiana State University and is the proud chair of The Reilly Center for Public Affairs and Media National Advisory Board. Join us as we dive into the inspiring journey of Terri Broussard Williams for our next edition of In the Crossroads: Inspiring Paths Series!
Was there a pivotal moment that inspired you to take your creative pursuits more seriously?
For me, that moment happened on Facebook, of all places. I wrote a long Facebook post that seemed to resonate deeply with people. That made me realize I had an important, and unique, perspective to share through writing.
How has pursuing your creative passions alongside your career enriched your life?
There are so many ways! I’ve formed new relationships and deepened others. I love hearing from people who have been affected by the work I do through Movement Maker Collective. And I love the feeling that I’m honoring all the different aspects of who I am.
How do you manage your time between your career and creative pursuits?
I’ll be real with you: It’s not easy. It means setting the alarm clock even earlier, recording blog notes while I’m driving to the airport and blocking out time on weekends. This isn’t what pursuing creative interests will look like for everyone, of course. But the common thread for all of us is that we have to get very intentional about devoting time to our creativity. It’s not going to “just happen.” If a creative project is important to you, it needs some significant real estate on your calendar.
How has your perspective on success changed since embracing both your career and creative interests?
My perspective on success has broadened. It's not just about career achievements, but about the lives I'm able to touch and the positive change I can create in the world.
Can you describe a project or achievement you're particularly proud of that combines elements from both your career and creative pursuits?
My book “Find Your Fire” really brings together everything that I’m all about. I love writing and telling people’s stories, and I got to tell some remarkable, inspiring stories in this book. I also got to share what I’ve learned from years as a lobbyist. Writing the book made me think about the question “How do I do what I do?” I distilled my approach into what I call the Firestarter Formula, which I explain in “Find Your Fire.”
What role has mentorship played in your journey, both in your career and creative endeavors?
I’m profoundly grateful for mentors at every step of my journey. One of the greatest gifts we can give someone is seeing their potential and then helping them see it, too. One of my former co-workers did that for me: She asked me to present information during a session and told me this was because people listened to me and took action based on what I said. I had never known this about myself. The seed that she planted with those words bloomed into my blog and, eventually, my book.
How do you stay inspired and motivated, especially during challenging times?
Faith, family, friends, Firestarters. I consider myself both religious and spiritual, and that’s what always grounds me. I’m also blessed to have a family tradition of service to others, which helps me stay inspired and resilient. I’m grateful for friendships in which we support each other’s growth, whether those relationships have come from work, my nonprofit involvements or my master’s program. Finally, the people whose stories I tell — I call them Firestarters — through my book and my blog. I learn something from every single one of them, and they motivate me to keep leveling up my work and my impact.
Looking back, what would you tell your younger self about following your passions?
Don’t try to do everything, or find all the answers, at once. Be brave enough to show emotion and vulnerability. Focus not on your to-do list, but on the impact from the things you do. Realize that some people just won’t “get” you or what you’re doing, but that doesn’t matter. Your path just has to make sense to YOU.
Can you share a failure or setback you've experienced and how it shaped your path?
How’s a traumatic brain injury for a setback? One moment I was networking at a reception in a hotel lobby; the next moment I had a concussion. A guy lifted up a couch to look for his lost phone, and it fell. Right. On. My. Head. So all of a sudden, I went from a packed schedule to weeks of doing nothing but recuperating. The ironic thing is I had just promised my mom I would slow down — later. But God had other ideas. While I was recovering, I got back in touch with what was really important to me and what I really wanted to do in my time on this Earth. So when I returned to “normal life,” I was a different person. And the “setback” turned out to be a blessing in disguise. It led me to some of my most meaningful experiences – like delivering a TEDx Talk.
If you could give one piece of advice to our readers who are at a crossroads in their lives, what would it be?
We’ve all heard the advice to “listen to your inner voice” when you’re at a crossroads. But that’s only helpful when we can actually hear that inner voice. The outside world can get really, really noisy. So you have to be deliberate about turning down the volume sometimes so you can pay attention to what your soul is trying to tell you. That’s what recuperating from my concussion did for me, but there are definitely easier ways to give yourself some quiet time! Start by doing something as simple as picking up your journal next time you have a break in your day instead of grabbing your phone to scroll social media.
