Entrepreneur capitalizes on helping others

Terry Perez thinks too many people in the Rio Grande Valley resort to suing each other to solve their problems.

“In the Valley we are such a litigious society,” she said on a recent afternoon. “I just want to help eliminate that.”

The California native has her own company where she helps Valley residents navigate the legal system and pretty much anything else. She tells all her clients she is not a lawyer or therapist or counselor.

For example, if you are looking to buy a car, she’ll come in after you have negotiated a price and try to get you a lower one. Her cut if she is successful: 10 percent of the difference of the dealer’s price and the price she negotiated for you.

Perez has made a fairly successful side business from her myriad advice services. She says she made about $40,000 last year.

She moved to McAllen in 1992 and married two years later. Soon after, she quit her job to raise her son, now 12.

Her company came about during her off time, she says.

“I became really good at helping friends and family with problems,” she explains.

She threw a few fund-raisers in the ‘90s and noticed that every time she helped a friend, more people came knocking for advice.

In 2002, she set up a business helping people manage campaigns and throw fund-raisers. That evolved into her advice company, which she started more than two years ago. She charges a flat fee or percentage for helping you with your problem avoiding or navigating the legal system.

Just a few months ago she opened up a free advice column, which focuses on relationships.

Her typical day involves reading e-mails and fielding phone calls from clients, who call her for advice on relationships, sex and much more.

She answers the advice column by e-mail. One recent message she received was about contraceptive use. She reminded the sender of the benefits of using protection to avoid not just pregnancy but also sexually transmitted diseases.

Besides the money, Perez says her job’s flexible hours let her enjoy being with her nearest and dearest.

“I can maintain freedom to spend time with family.”

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Andres R. Martinez covers courts and general assignments for The Monitor. He can be reached at (956) 683-4434.