A prominent presence in the global automotive industry, Terrance William Smith founded TWS Worldwide and led the company as CEO for 50 years. He established the firm and business model in Canada in 1978 and guided it to sustained expansion, as it transformed a fragmented secondary vehicle market into one that facilitated cross-border deals and the shifting of inventory to various countries and regions. Terrance William Smith also oversaw a major banking operation that had currency exchange capacities and extended letters of credit to valued partners, from OEM distributions to automotive manufacturers.
Mr. Smith’s legacy is one of bringing structure, institutional planning, and compliance to the international automotive trade. His team collaborated integrally with government agencies and high-profile organizations in ensuring the seamless distribution of quality secondary market inventory. This drove consistent year-to-year growth across a multi-million dollar revenue group of companies.
Mr. Smith garnered a reputation for regulatory mastery, as he streamlined operations in ways that reflected customs protocol and the rules of foreign trade. His early adoption of leading edge technologies ensured his firm stayed a step ahead in a competitive marketplace. A testament to his innovation, he developed globally interoperable systems that are still in use within the industry to this day.
What is your typical day, and how do you make it productive?
I start early with coffee and walking my dogs, which clears my head. I review emails and my investment portfolio, stay current on global events, spend time researching areas of interest and prioritize movement and rest. Simplicity and consistency keep the day productive.
How do you bring ideas to life?
I research deeply, pressure test ideas with trusted family and friends, take structured notes and use AI to organize and refine my thinking.
What’s one trend that excites you?
Longevity technology, particularly data-driven and preventative medicine.
What is one habit that helps you be productive?
Protecting eight hours of sleep as a non-negotiable priority.
What advice would you give your younger self?
Learn quickly from mistakes, trust your instincts sooner and don’t quit when things get uncomfortable.
Tell us something you believe that almost nobody agrees with you on.
Long-term thinking consistently beats short-term optimization, even when the market disagrees.
What is the one thing you repeatedly do and recommend everyone else do?
Spend time each day disconnecting and enjoying simple, well-made things.
When you feel overwhelmed or unfocused, what do you do?
I step away, walk, reset my environment and return with a clearer perspective.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business or advance in your career?
Managing downside risk first. By protecting capital and relationships, I was able to stay in the game long enough for opportunities to compound.
What is one failure in your career, how did you overcome it, and what lessons did you take away from it?
I once shut down a diversified trading business to legitimize it through a single OEM agreement. When that contract ended, I learned the danger of dependency. Since then, I have always maintained multiple revenue streams and parallel investments.
What is one business idea you’re willing to give away to our readers?
A global longevity SaaS platform that connects top clinics, specialists, diagnostics and wearable data into one secure ecosystem for patients and physicians.
What is one piece of software that helps you be productive? How do you use it?
ChatGPT. I use it daily to organize health protocols, draft correspondence and accelerate research.
What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why?
Buying my grandson a smartwatch and teaching him how to use it. It was meaningful, practical and made me a proud grandfather.
Do you have a favorite book or podcast you’ve gotten a ton of value from and why?
The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz, because it speaks honestly about decision-making under pressure.
What’s a movie or series you recently enjoyed and why?
Mission Impossible. It’s fast-paced, strategic and relentlessly engaging.
Key learnings
- Long-term thinking and risk management outperform short-term wins.
- Diversification is essential in both business and life.
- Discipline around health and sleep directly impacts clarity and productivity.
- Trust, clarity and simplicity are the keys to scalability.
- Experience compounds when paired with curiosity and adaptability.