About Us
Meet John Terry - The Black Belt Leader
Dr. John L. Terry, III
A three-time martial arts Hall of Fame inductee, John brings years of black belt experience to helping people, young and old, discover and develop the “Black Belt Leader Within” and lead themselves with Black Belt Excellence. They can then use their leadership and influence to create high-performance, people-centric, values-based, non-leader-dependent teams and make an impact right where they are.
John brings a warm sense of humor and a quick wit that immediately connects with his audience as he delivers an insightful message that inspires and motivates, while challenging those in the audience to grow and aspire to greatness.
An L.A.Tribune and Amazon best-selling author and in-demand international public speaker, John is the founder of Black Belt Leadership and President of the United States Martial Arts Hall of Fame. He is a 2021 recipient of the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award for Leadership and was named to the prestigious Marquis' Who's Who in America in 2023. John has been recognized as a Brainz Magazine Top 500 Global Influencer (2024) and a Real Leader's Top 50 Executive Coach (2025). He is a DISC and Real Life Management certified human behavior consultant, and a CTAA-accredited emotional intelligence coach.
As a certified speaker, trainer, and coach, John applies the same "Black Belt" principles he learned in the martial arts to teach leadership, team-building, influence, and communication. Although not everyone will earn a black belt in martial arts, John believes anyone can learn to live life as a Black Belt Leader in Life and live life with Black Belt Excellence.
When you are looking for "Black Belt" quality results in leadership, communication, personal development, or relationships, John delivers black belt excellence in coaching, mentoring, and training with wit and wisdom. After all...why JUST be a leader, when you can be a Black Belt Leader?
Learn More About Dr. John
What Others Are Saying
"I love my good friend, Dr. John Terry - The Black Belt Leader, and I love his book Black Belt Leadership 101! You need to grab a copy - available everywhere books are sold. John’s work is very practical and will help you take the next step in your leadership. He says that learning to develop the same character traits required to become a black belt in martial arts will help you become a great leader in life. And he should know - as a 3X Martial Arts Hall of Fame Inductee. I want to learn from him, but definitely don’t want to fight him!!" (Mark Cole, CEO - Maxwell Leadership)
"John is not only a black belt in karate, he’s a black belt in life and leadership. I admire the way he prioritizes his life and keeps the main thing the main thing. We can all learn from John and how he’s accomplished this." (Jeff Henderson, Author - Know What You're FOR; What To Do Next)
"I'm the CEO of a Multi-Billion-dollar company. Over the many years, I have hired a multitude of speakers for a variety of events. There are only a couple that stand out. One is John Terry. Why would I say this...because my employees and clients (John's audience) actually put into practice many of his concepts and to this day still use them. Instead of a motivational speech that pumps people up but lasts for only a few hours, John's talk is substance, revealing, stellar, and exceptional to say the least." (Tyrone Clark, CEO Brokers Choice America)
"I've had the privilege of hiring Dr. John Terry twice to facilitate full-day leadership workshops for my community, and I am thrilled to have him on the calendar again for December 2025. His sessions consistently receive outstanding feedback, and the high number of returning participants speaks volumes about his impact as a facilitator. Dr. John delivers a wealth of practical insights in a single setting, with presentations that are dynamic, fast-paced, and engaging. He skillfully blends humor with wisdom, keeping the audience energized and fully attentive. I continuously recommend Dr. John to others in my industry, and I truly look forward to continuing to learn from future engagements. (Shannon LaDuke, Assistant Foundation Director, National Park College)
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