Spotlight: Will Perry

1 - Where are you from, and how did you choose to live in Middle Tennessee?

I am from the South -- Southern California to be exact. I was born in San Diego and have lived in Anaheim, Concord, and Pleasant Hill. I moved to Nashville to attend Vanderbilt University.

2 - What is your professional background, and why did you become a coach?

I am a Certified Public Accountant. Throughout my career, I consulted with many business owners and executives on their businesses. The consulting led to me coaching them. As I approach retirement, I'm pivoting from being a full-service accounting provider and concentrating on coaching and consulting. I chose to concentrate on coaching and consulting because they were the most rewarding parts of my career. I love to see people grow and accomplish their dreams and goals.

3 - How did you choose your specialty area?

I do executive coaching, life coaching, and business coaching. I started with business coaching as it was a natural outgrowth of my CPA work. I moved into executive and life coaching as I started working with business owners and executives to help them do extraordinary things.

4 -What are the greatest challenges and greatest rewards of your career?

The greatest challenge of my career has been to work on my growth and to remove my character flaws and limiting beliefs. As I grew up and progressed in my career, I learned rules and procedures that both helped me succeed and held me back. It got to the point that I realized I was going to destroy my life if I did not change myself. That realization began my challenge to change deeply held beliefs and to admit I had flaws. That admission was a tremendous challenge for me. I was taught that people would reject me if I had flaws. Luckily, I was surrounded by people who did not reject me and helped me start my growth.

The greatest rewards of my career were seeing people grow and achieve their dreams and goals. My byline is "I help people do extraordinary things." The dreams and goals my clients chose are extraordinary because they change their lives for the better and impact themselves, their families, and their businesses. My clients grow and become the people they have always wanted to be. For me, there is nothing more rewarding than celebrating my clients' accomplishments. 

5- What is something that most ICFTN members would be surprised to learn about you?

I am an ambivert. An ambivert is a person who has a balance of introvert and extrovert tendencies. I am quiet and very observant when I am around a large group of people. However, in smaller groups, I come alive. Being with people in small groups recharges me as much as being by myself.

6- How do you enjoy spending your free time?

I love learning new things, especially if I am doing it with other people. I like meeting people for conversations over coffee or at meals, playing board and card games, traveling and exploring new places and things, reading, and SEC football and baseball. Does anyone want to meet up for lunch or coffee?