The Complete Business Toolkit: Why the Right Tools, Training, and Community Can Change Everything Success in business rarely comes from one great idea. More often, it comes from having the right combination of tools, proven training, experienced mentors, and a community that helps you keep moving forward. Too many entrepreneurs…
Celebrating 18 Years of TW3
What began during the financial crisis of 2008 has survived the Great Recession, healthcare reform, dramatic shifts in digital marketing, COVID-19, and now the rise of Artificial Intelligence.
Not because we guessed what technology would come next…
But because we learned principles that never change.
“The entrepreneur who understands principles can use any tool.
The entrepreneur who only understands tools is limited to whatever happens to be popular today.”
— Terry Wilson, Episode 683
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 2008 | TW3 launches during the Great Recession. |
| 2010–2012 | Expansion into online coaching, WordPress marketing systems, and CRM technology. |
| 2013–2016 | Affordable Care Act reshapes insurance industry while TW3 expands into broader small business coaching. |
| 2017–2019 | Podcast continues to grow with entrepreneurs, authors, musicians, and business leaders joining the show. |
| 2020 | COVID accelerates digital transformation and reinforces the importance of adaptable business systems. |
| 2023–2025 | Automation, AI, and intelligent marketing systems become core parts of the TW3 platform. |
| 2026 | Episode 683 celebrates 18 years with the Product Challenge and the launch of Laurie Brown’s Lead Forge. |
Episode 683 of the TerryWilson3.com Podcast is unlike any episode we’ve ever released.
Yes, it’s an interview with Laurie Brown, winner of the recent TW3 Product Challenge and creator of Lead Forge, an innovative marketing solution designed to help small businesses improve their social media presence while monitoring how they compare to their competitors in local search.
But this episode is about something even bigger.
It’s about celebrating 18 years of TW3.
When I stop and think about that number, it’s honestly hard to believe.
Eighteen years.
Thousands of coaching sessions.
Thousands of business owners served.
Hundreds of podcast interviews.
More than 680 podcast episodes.
Countless software updates.
Entire industries transformed.
Economic recessions.
A global pandemic.
Artificial Intelligence.
And somehow… we’re still here.
Not only are we still here—we’re stronger than we’ve ever been.
People often ask me, “Terry, how has TW3 survived while so many companies have disappeared?”
The answer surprised even me.
I don’t think it has anything to do with software.
I think it has everything to do with principles.
When TW3 was founded in 2008, the economy wasn’t exactly encouraging entrepreneurship.
Banks were collapsing.
The housing market had imploded.
Businesses were closing.
People were losing jobs at a staggering pace.
The Great Recession wasn’t simply another economic downturn—it fundamentally changed the way many Americans viewed work, business ownership, and financial security.
For many people, it was a season of fear.
For me, it became a season of necessity.
I wasn’t trying to build some revolutionary software company.
I was trying to answer a simple question:
“How do ordinary people consistently find customers regardless of what’s happening in the economy?”
That question has never changed.
Everything else has.
If someone discovered TW3 today, they would likely assume we’ve always been an AI-powered business platform.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
The earliest versions of TW3 looked nothing like today’s platform.
We built on WordPress.
We connected third-party dialers.
We experimented with CRMs that no longer exist.
We used autoresponders that have long since disappeared.
Entire technologies have come and gone over the past eighteen years.
Meanwhile, our mission never changed.
We have always focused on helping business owners accomplish three things:
That’s it.
Everything else is simply the vehicle.
Over the past eighteen years, I’ve watched entrepreneurs chase every shiny object imaginable.
One year everyone believed Facebook was the answer.
Then it was YouTube.
Then Instagram.
Funnels.
Chatbots.
TikTok.
Artificial Intelligence.
Every few years someone confidently announces:
“This changes everything.”
Sometimes it does.
But not in the way people think.
The tools change.
The principles rarely do.
People still buy from businesses they trust.
People still respond to businesses that solve real problems.
People still appreciate authenticity.
People still need conversations before making significant decisions.
Technology simply changes how those conversations begin.
That’s why our philosophy has remained remarkably consistent while the software around it has continually evolved.
As many listeners know, my professional background is in the insurance industry.
When the Affordable Care Act became law, many agents found themselves trying to navigate an entirely new landscape.
Products changed.
Compensation changed.
Consumer expectations changed.
Entire business models disappeared almost overnight.
Many professionals understandably became discouraged.
Others simply left the industry.
But the core business principles remained exactly the same.
People still needed guidance.
Families still needed protection.
Business owners still needed someone they trusted.
Instead of mourning what had changed, we asked a better question:
“How do we serve people using the new tools now available?”
That single mindset has guided nearly every major decision we’ve made since.
Then came COVID.
No one saw it coming.
Practically overnight, offices emptied.
Face-to-face appointments stopped.
Conferences disappeared.
Networking groups paused.
Entire industries were forced online.
Many businesses struggled—not because they lacked talent—but because they lacked systems.
Businesses that depended upon one way of selling suddenly found themselves with no way to sell.
Businesses built upon adaptable systems pivoted much faster.
That’s one of the reasons we’ve spent years teaching business owners to build systems rather than depend upon personalities, locations, or individual platforms.
Systems survive disruption.
People who understand principles adapt faster than people who only understand procedures.
COVID simply proved that lesson on a global scale.
Today, AI dominates nearly every business conversation.
Some people are excited.
Others are terrified.
Personally?
I see AI the same way I saw websites in the early 2000s, social media in the 2010s, and marketing automation in the years that followed.
It’s another incredibly powerful tool.
But it’s still only a tool.
AI doesn’t replace understanding.
It amplifies it.
If your business strategy is weak, AI helps you execute weak strategies faster.
If your systems are strong, AI helps you scale them more efficiently.
The technology isn’t the competitive advantage.
The thinking behind how you use it is.
That’s why TW3 continues to invest heavily in teaching principles first and technology second.
Technology will continue changing.
Good business thinking never goes out of style.
Continue reading below as we explore the surprising lesson from the Book of Romans that perfectly explains why TW3 has survived eighteen years—and why understanding principles will always outperform simply memorizing techniques.
Just a few evenings before recording this episode, I was teaching through the Book of Romans during our Bible study.
As often happens when you’re studying Scripture carefully, something clicked.
It wasn’t a new verse.
It wasn’t a new doctrine.
It was a new way of connecting something I’d believed for years but had never fully articulated.
One of the greatest gifts a pastor, teacher, or mentor can give someone isn’t simply telling them what the Bible means.
It’s teaching them how to study the Bible for themselves.
There’s a tremendous difference.
When someone only knows what another person says about Scripture, they’re forever dependent upon that teacher.
But when they learn how to read the text, observe it, compare Scripture with Scripture, understand context, and think critically, they become free.
They’re no longer borrowing someone else’s understanding.
They’re developing their own.
That realization stopped me in my tracks.
Because I suddenly realized…
That’s exactly what we’ve been doing at TW3 for eighteen years.
I know that sounds strange coming from someone whose business includes CRM software, automation, AI, websites, voice agents, lead generation systems, and business technology.
But if you look closely, the software has never actually been the product.
The software has always been the vehicle.
The real product has been understanding.
We’ve tried to teach business owners how business works instead of simply telling them which buttons to click.
Because buttons change.
Software changes.
Platforms come and go.
Principles endure.
When you understand why a business grows, you can adapt to whatever technology comes next.
I often think about a master carpenter.
No one hires a carpenter because he owns a certain brand of hammer.
They hire him because he knows what to build.
If his hammer breaks, he doesn’t lose his livelihood.
He buys another hammer.
The skill was never in the tool.
The skill was in the craftsman.
Business works the same way.
Too many entrepreneurs become emotionally attached to software.
One CRM.
One social media platform.
One marketing tactic.
One AI application.
But if your entire business depends upon one tool, your business becomes fragile.
If, instead, your business depends upon timeless principles, every new tool simply becomes another opportunity.
That’s why TW3 has evolved from WordPress websites and third-party dialers to today’s AI-powered ecosystem without losing its identity.
The hammer changed.
The carpenter didn’t.
When I look back over the last eighteen years, I can simplify everything we’ve ever taught into three ideas.
Every version of TW3 has been built around those three ideas.
Whether we were making phone calls from a simple WordPress site…
Building lead funnels…
Teaching social media marketing…
Creating AI assistants…
Or deploying intelligent voice agents…
The objective has remained exactly the same.
Find.
Qualify.
Serve.
Everything else is simply delivery.
One of the things I’m most grateful for over these eighteen years is the opportunity to sit down with incredible people whose stories have challenged, encouraged, and inspired our audience.
Our podcast has never been about interviewing celebrities for the sake of celebrity.
It’s been about discovering principles that listeners can immediately apply to their own businesses and lives.
One of my personal favorites was Episode 436 with Bill Champlin, former lead singer of the legendary rock band Chicago.
As both a lifelong Chicago fan and a musician, that conversation meant a great deal to me personally. But what made the interview truly memorable wasn’t simply talking music—it was hearing Bill describe the discipline, preparation, persistence, and craftsmanship required to build a career spanning decades. Those same qualities apply whether you’re writing songs, leading a company, or serving customers every day. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}
We’ve also had the privilege of sitting down with authors, coaches, entrepreneurs, educators, business leaders, and innovators from a wide variety of industries.
Each guest reinforced the same lesson:
Success leaves principles long before it leaves techniques.
One of the things I’m most proud of is that this podcast has grown right alongside the business community it serves.
In recent months we’ve explored topics such as:
If you haven’t heard them yet, I encourage you to go back and listen to:
Although the subjects vary, they all point back to one foundational truth:
Business growth begins with personal growth.
People who invest in their thinking consistently outperform people who merely chase the latest trend.
As we celebrate eighteen years, I don’t believe we’re reaching the finish line.
I honestly believe we’re just getting started.
Artificial Intelligence is changing how businesses communicate.
Automation is changing how businesses operate.
Digital marketing continues to evolve almost daily.
But those changes don’t intimidate me.
They excite me.
Because every advancement creates another opportunity to apply timeless business principles in fresh ways.
Our mission remains exactly what it was in 2008:
Help ordinary people build extraordinary businesses by understanding principles that never become obsolete.
As we looked for a way to celebrate TW3’s eighteenth anniversary, we wanted to do more than simply look backward.
We wanted to demonstrate what the future looks like.
That’s why we challenged our Elite members to do something many business owners never attempt.
Create your own product.
Not just another service.
Not another sales pitch.
A real product that solves a real problem.
The response exceeded every expectation.
Our members created software, marketing systems, lead generation tools, educational resources, and business solutions that reflected their own experiences and passions.
But one product consistently rose to the top.
Lead Forge.
Created by Laurie Brown—known affectionately throughout our community as Miss Spelling Bee—Lead Forge embodies exactly what we’ve spent eighteen years teaching.
Laurie didn’t simply learn how to click buttons inside software.
She learned how to identify a business problem, build a repeatable solution, and package it into something that creates value for other business owners.
Lead Forge helps small businesses consistently publish social media content while giving them insight into how they compare with competitors in local online search.
In other words, it helps businesses become more visible where today’s customers are already looking.
That’s not just software.
That’s solving a problem.
And businesses that solve meaningful problems rarely struggle to find customers.
One of the biggest myths entrepreneurs believe is that innovation belongs to large corporations with massive research budgets.
I simply don’t believe that’s true.
Some of the best business ideas I’ve ever seen have come from ordinary people who became frustrated enough with an everyday problem to finally build a solution.
That’s exactly what happened during our Product Challenge.
Members who had never considered themselves “software developers” suddenly realized they could create tools that genuinely help people.
They discovered something important.
You don’t have to invent the next billion-dollar company.
You simply need to solve a problem better than it’s being solved today.
That’s entrepreneurship.
That’s innovation.
And that’s exactly what Laurie accomplished.
If you’ve followed TW3 for any length of time, you’ve probably noticed something.
The software has changed dramatically.
Our website has changed.
Our logo has evolved.
Our training has expanded.
Artificial Intelligence has become part of our daily workflow.
Voice agents now book appointments.
Automation handles tasks that once required hours of manual effort.
But our mission?
It hasn’t changed one bit.
We still exist to help ordinary people build extraordinary businesses.
We still believe that relationships outperform transactions.
We still believe that education creates freedom.
We still believe that understanding principles is more valuable than memorizing procedures.
And perhaps most importantly…
We still believe every business owner deserves access to world-class tools, coaching, and encouragement regardless of where they’re starting.
If Episode 683 is your introduction to the TW3 Podcast, I’d encourage you to explore some of the conversations that have helped shape our community over the years.
Each episode explores different subjects, but they all point toward the same timeless truth:
Success isn’t accidental.
It’s built through intentional growth, consistent learning, meaningful relationships, and the willingness to adapt while holding firmly to timeless principles.
There are very few businesses that have the privilege of serving people for nearly two decades.
I don’t take that lightly.
Whether you’ve been with us since 2008…
Joined during the pandemic…
Found us through artificial intelligence…
Or discovered this podcast just this week…
Thank you.
Thank you for trusting us.
Thank you for believing in this mission.
Thank you for allowing me to do something I genuinely love.
For eighteen years, I’ve had the privilege of helping entrepreneurs discover something bigger than business.
Purpose.
Confidence.
Freedom.
And the realization that success isn’t reserved for a select few.
It’s available to ordinary people who consistently apply extraordinary principles.
As we celebrate this milestone, I’m more excited about the future than I’ve ever been.
Artificial Intelligence will continue evolving.
Marketing will continue changing.
New technologies will emerge.
New opportunities will appear.
And TW3 will continue doing what we’ve always done:
Those principles have carried us through the Great Recession.
They carried us through industry disruption.
They carried us through COVID.
They’ll carry us through the AI revolution as well.
Because principles outlive platforms.
Understanding outlasts technology.
And businesses built on solid foundations have a remarkable way of standing long after trends have faded.
If today’s episode encouraged you, we’d love to help you take the next step.
Whether you’re starting your first business, looking to automate an existing company, or wanting practical coaching to help you grow, TW3 has the tools, training, and community to help you succeed.
Explore our resources:
If I had to summarize everything I’ve learned into just a few thoughts, it would be these:
Here’s to every lesson learned.
Every challenge overcome.
Every friendship formed.
Every business launched.
Every family impacted.
And every opportunity still waiting ahead.
Thank you for being part of the journey.
Love God. Love People. Make a Difference.
Episode 681 of The TerryWilson3.com Podcast
Every business needs customers. Every business needs attention. Every business needs a reason for people to choose them instead of everyone else in the marketplace.
But here is the problem: when your business looks, sounds, and offers the same thing as everyone else, you eventually get forced into one of the worst positions in business.
You start competing on price instead of value.
That is why in Episode 681 of the podcast, I talk about why every company, business owner, entrepreneur, agency, church, consultant, realtor, insurance agent, and service provider should seriously consider creating their own unique product, good, or service.
Not because you need another complicated thing to manage.
But because a unique offer gives you leverage.
It helps you stand out. It creates value. It positions you differently. It gives your audience a reason to raise their hand and pay attention.
People are not just looking for another business. They are looking for a solution.
When you create a unique product or service around the problem your audience already has, you stop sounding like another salesperson and start becoming a resource.
That is the real advantage.
A product does not have to be something you manufacture in a warehouse. A product can be:
At its core, a product is simply a repeatable solution to a real problem.
And once you learn how to package what you know, what you do, or what your market needs, you can create something that generates attention, builds trust, captures leads, and opens doors for revenue.
In this episode, I share several recent examples of products and tools we have built through TW3 to serve specific markets.
Insurance agents need visibility. They need content. They need a way to stay in front of their audience without spending all day trying to figure out what to post.
That is why we created Market My Coverage.
This tool helps insurance agents create ready-to-use marketing content so they can show up more consistently and communicate with their market in a more professional way.
The lesson is simple: you do not always have to create a brand-new industry. Sometimes the best product is a tool that helps an existing industry solve a common problem faster.
We also created Market My Listing for real estate professionals.
Realtors already have listings. They already have buyers and sellers to serve. But many struggle with content, marketing, follow-up, and standing out in a crowded local market.
Market My Listing gives them a simple way to create listing-related content and marketing material around what they are already doing.
That is what a great product can do. It can take work someone is already doing and make it easier, faster, cleaner, and more valuable.
Another example is KidTrack Check-In.
This started from a real need. Churches, schools, camps, and youth programs need a simple way to register students, check them in, track attendance, manage important information, and keep better records.
Instead of waiting on some expensive system to solve the problem, we built a practical tool that can help organizations right now.
You can also read more about the free plugin here: KidTrack Check-In: A Free Student Check-In & Attendance Plugin.
If you are trying to come up with your own product idea, do not start by asking, “What can I sell?”
Start by asking better questions:
That is where product ideas come from.
They do not always come from trying to be clever. Many times, they come from paying attention to the problems sitting right in front of you.
A unique product, good, or service helps your business in several important ways.
People may forget another ad, another pitch, or another generic service offer. But they remember a specific solution with a specific name that solves a specific problem.
This is powerful. Instead of constantly saying, “Hire me,” you can say, “Here is a tool that can help you.”
That changes the conversation.
A good product can attract people into your world. It can become the front door to a larger relationship.
If you need help understanding how lead generation works as a system, read this guide: What Is Lead Generation? A Small Business Guide.
When you create a solution, people see you differently. You are no longer just talking about the market. You are contributing to it.
Your product may become something you sell, license, give away to generate leads, use to book appointments, or bundle into a larger service.
The point is not always immediate revenue. Sometimes the greater value is positioning, trust, and opportunity.
This is why I am so excited about what we are doing at TW3.
We are not just talking about theory. We are building real tools, real systems, real offers, and real examples that entrepreneurs can model.
Through TW3, business owners and entrepreneurs can access the tools, training, technology, coaching, automation, AI support, and marketing systems needed to create and promote their own unique offers.
If you need help creating better systems, start here:
The tools are available. The technology is available. The training is available.
The question is whether you are willing to stop waiting and start building.
If this episode connects with you, these additional resources will help you go deeper:
You do not need to be the biggest company in your market to win.
You need to be clearly positioned.
You need to solve a real problem.
You need an offer that makes people stop and say, “That is exactly what I need.”
That is the power of creating your own product, good, or service.
At TW3, we help entrepreneurs and business owners take ideas, tools, technology, and strategy and turn them into practical offers that can create attention, trust, leads, and revenue.
If you are ready to start building your own unique product or service, visit TerryWilson3.com and explore the tools, training, and resources available through TW3.
The future belongs to the builders.
And there has never been a better time to start building than right now.
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