Teri Sharp
President at American Precision Supply, Inc.
WPO Chicago II Member
How has being a WPO member helped your business?
Being a WPO member has helped me grow my business and given me the confidence to keep moving forward. I use the ladies in my chapter as a sounding board for new ideas or things I need to change. They are a support group of women who understand the issues we all face and that helps me when I am in a very male-dominated industry.
What challenges have you faced as a woman in business?
As a woman in business, I have faced many challenges as many small business owners do. Raising capital, hiring employees, buying out original partners, and buying equipment and facilities have all been challenging.
What inspired you to start your business?
A couple of our current employees saw a need to service and sell to some long-time customers that the company they were working at did not feel were large enough to service anymore.
What’s your favorite WPO event you’ve attended? Why?
The WPO summits in Chicago are always very well done and it is nice to get together with the other chapters in our area.
What’s the best business advice you’ve ever received?
If you start a business, do it on your own and not with 3 other partners. There are always just too many variables and different personalities and business goals to ever be sustainable and harmonious long term.
What lesson have you learned that can you share with other women entrepreneurs?
Always be persistent. When you are told "No", find another way around that!
About American Precision Supply, Inc.
APS is a certified Women Business Enterprise (WBE). One of only a select few in the U.S. in plumbing and industrial PVF. The mission of APS is to put its customers first on every order. With over 35 years of field troubleshooting experience, the APS team is equipped to solve the biggest challenges. APS provides turnkey and custom pipe, valve and fittings, and actuated valve packages to fit each customer's budget and project delivery needs.