Terry Owens - entrepreneur, enterprise guru and... rock and roll pianist?! Terry is a well-known name across the enterprise network, especially in the North East. He boasts an impressive resume including co-founding Inbiz and Business Link North East, and chairing Business Link Tees Valley.

He is currently in the early stages of founding a new agency, a recent addition to the NFEA network - Enterprise Tees Valley, in what is only the latest of many bold business ventures in his life.

Why have you decided to set up Enterprise Tees Valley?
"I wanted to bring together all of the enterprise start-up organisations in Tees Valley creating a new vibrant partnership linked to the new city region."

What are you hoping this new agency will achieve?
"I hope that it will help to meet the objectives of the simplification agenda and help all the partners to provide a better and more accessible service to the end user."

What inspires you about enterprise?
"I believe that the small businesses of this country hold the key to economic growth in the future. After a lifetime running my own business and twenty years supporting other enterprises, I still thoroughly enjoy playing a part in the support industry and learning so much from those involved in the ever evolving new business sector."

What awards have you received and how did you feel?
"I received the Queen's Award for Enterprise Support in 2007 and the SFEDI overall Enterprise Champion Award last year. Both were a complete surprise to me and I was very proud to receive them. I felt that they reflected the successes of the organisations that I had been involved with such as InBiz and Business Link Tees Valley. This success came from the hard work and dedication of a lot of other people."

What has been your hardest challenge?
"I had a fit of temporary insanity brought about by the realisation that I was about to qualify for a bus pass, so I decided to do a coast-to-coast walk for charity. It was something that I had always wanted to do and two of my sons were keen to walk it with me. It was a real adventure, for which I was woefully unprepared. But it was a great way to celebrate my 60th and we raised more than £3,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support."

What is your greatest experience of working in the sector?
"There are far too many to narrow down, but I still love the buzz of helping someone to achieve their own business goals."

What do you like/dislike most in people?
"I dislike arrogance, dishonesty and people who don't listen. I love people who care about others and are generous in their help."

Who was the biggest influence in your life?
"My grandma - she was one of the most unselfish and hardworking people that I have ever met and always put others before herself."

If you were stranded on a desert island what three items would you take?
"A photo of my lovely wife, a large cooking utensil and many tins of corned beef."

How do you spend your free time?
"I like music and reading, my favourite album is Sergeant Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band by the Beatles. My favourite book is probably Orange Wednesday by Leslie Thomas. I also like classic cars - I love driving my old Bentley which is the same age as me, but much better preserved!"

Tell us something about you that not many people know?
"I started my entrepreneurial career playing piano in a rock and roll band."

Favourite phrase or saying?
"It's not printable if this goes out before the watershed."