Terrence Taylor on storytelling and turning your knowledge into teaching
Terrence Taylor is the Founder and Owner of TALKS TOO MUCH International Speaking & Coaching—a professional development, training, and consulting business focused on storytelling.
To tell the story of his business, Taylor starts with his personal story. “I was born and raised in Las Vegas, moved to Nova Scotia in 2004, played basketball, went to university, and didn’t really know what to do after basketball,” he says.
Entrepreneurship was a natural move for Taylor, who started his first business at age five making bracelets at Kwanzaa. “I did a bunch of odd jobs, then stumbled into business,” he says. “I started my first real, grown-up business, a food business, and then made videos to promote that business.”
This led Taylor to working as a freelance video and podcast producer for several years. “Eventually, I realized that it was impossible for me to build a real business if I had to constantly be the one creating video content,” he says. “So, I shifted away from offering production services. I stayed in the storytelling space, but I found a new way to do it.”
That’s when TALKS TOO MUCH was born. “Through my work, I learned how to tell great stories, and I’ve now turned that into a business where I share storytelling information, experiences, resources, and knowledge,” says Taylor.
In addition to topics like video and podcast production, Taylor offers workshops in storytelling across mediums—from job interviews to mental health to report writing. “My main focus is storytelling, and it’s been amazing to see how it’s blossomed into new spaces I never even anticipated,” says Taylor. “For example, I previously did an event on storytelling and mental health. We communicate with ourselves more than anyone else, and the stories we tell ourselves deeply affect our mental health.”
Taylor has expertise in working with people in the employment space, especially youth entering the workforce. “I talk to aspiring entrepreneurs about the non-linear path of entrepreneurship and what the real-life experience of entrepreneurship has looked like for me,” he says.
Taylor also coaches young entrepreneurs one-on-one. “I’ve worked with students in communications, helping them figure out how to package their services, set reasonable rates, and build their portfolios,” he says. “I’ve connected these students to businesses looking for branding and social media help. It’s been really rewarding to help students learn how to leverage their creativity and skills to gain career opportunities.”
In the coming years, Taylor plans to shift his focus. “TALKS TOO MUCH is developing a model for speakers, creatives, and experts who want to turn their knowledge into a coaching, speaking, or consulting business,” he says. “I’ve crossed paths with so many people who have skills but don’t understand how to turn their knowledge into something digestible and engaging that can be packaged and offered for sale.”
In the meantime, Taylor has created a lineup of books to supplement his talks and workshops, expanding his focus from digital to physical media. “As someone with a teaching background, I’ve been given handouts and pamphlets at conferences that never made an impact,” he says. “I wanted something high quality and tangible that people would use and revisit.”
In addition to books, Taylor created a line of apparel featuring the word “change” in reverse. “When you look at it in the mirror or from someone else’s perspective, it reads differently,” he says. “It symbolizes how change can be seen and felt differently depending on where you are.”
Taylor credits his son for helping to create the design. “During COVID, my son came over and flipped the logo sideways,” he says. “I thought, ‘Wow, what a metaphor for change.’ A 5-year-old helped me see change in a new way.”
Taylor now designs and sells merchandise with his son. “He gets a percentage of the sales, so he’s learning about business and creativity,” says Taylor. “All of the artwork is hand-painted, and the products are 100% Canadian-made. It’s an amazing opportunity for both of us, and it’s also a fun creative outlet for me.”
Learn more about TALKS TOO MUCH International Speaking & Coaching by visiting:
