A fierce female and serial entrepreneur, Kathy Terry has been making waves since starting her first business over 20 years ago. In 2005 she co-founded P. Terry’s Burger Stand with her husband Patrick and quickly established its presence as a socially and health-conscious fast food alternative. With fifteen P. Terry’s locations and counting (and a hot new fast casual Mexican offering called Taco Ranch) there’s no denying that Kathy Terry has helped change the way Austinites do “fast casual.” Kathy and Patrick have a heart for philanthropy, and giving back has always been a core principle of the Terry’s business model. Through their stewardship, the restaurant chain has donated over $800,000 to date, all benefiting local nonprofits. But Kathy didn’t stop there—in 2017 she launched an all-new mobile app called inLieu: the first social giving app where users can make donations and share a personal message with a friend, anytime, anywhere. Kathy’s mission to change the way we think about giving is a reflection of a lifetime of charitable giving and service. Her goal is simple—to make it easier for people to make the world a better place. Kathy and Patrick live in Austin Texas with their two children, Kate and Caroline.
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August 6, 2018
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What inspired you to start inLieu:
Kathy
I felt like we were living in a world where material gifts were the norm: birthday gifts, hostess gifts, thank you gifts, you name it—we are all just checking off a box. I wanted one place where I could make a donation and send a meaningful gift to a friend or loved one, anytime, anywhere. I also wanted the donations and messages to live in a social feed for others to see, like, share and gift as well—a gift that keeps on giving. Flowers die in a week, but a gift to a cause they love can last a lifetime.
R&S
Biggest challenge you’ve faced in developing and launching a start-up:
Kathy
EVERYTHING! Since I launched a technology company that built a social giving app and I didn’t have a technology background nor any kind of social media account you can image how many challenges I faced! I asked a thousand questions and never took “no” for an answer (“no” just means you have to find another way of doing something). It made me very resourceful.
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Your motto in life:
Kathy
Show up, work hard, think big and be kind.
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Share your biggest guilty pleasure:
Kathy
OMG, of course it’s around food… anything chocolate or salty and the ultimate would be both!!
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Your most recent beauty or fashion discovery and obsession:
Kathy
Cle de Peau’s cream eye color. I LOVE IT. It goes on so easy and blends perfectly. For someone who doesn’t wear a lot of makeup it’s a game changer.
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What’s currently on your nightstand:
Kathy
Travel magazines. I love to travel and explore especially with my girls so I’m always adding to our list of places we need to go.
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Most treasured piece of clothing in your closet:
Kathy
My orange mule shoes that I purchased at a tannery in Fez Morocco. My youngest daughter picked them out… she is the fashionista in the family. I LOVE THEM!
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Favorite Instagram account to follow:
Kathy
Michelle Obama. If anything, she reminds me to stay grounded and be true to my story. She is definitely a classy lady!
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Your current Netflix addiction:
Kathy
The Crown. If you don’t watch it, start now!
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A secret talent we should know about:
Kathy
I love to draw and paint and I’d say I’m a pretty good artist. I’m also a mean roller skater!
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