Six Months Later . . .

Six months ago today I opened up the doors to my law firm. Regrettably, however, nearly the same amount of time has passed since a new post has been shared. Now seems like an appropriate time as any to sit and reflect on what has come to pass, what I have learned, and in what direction I would like to move from here. I say “would like to” because although I can visualize and imagine a trajectory, undoubtedly a unexpected unidentified flying object is  going to cross directly in the path of said trajectory and send me veering off course to parts yet unknown, which may turn out to be better than anything I could have planned for.

So first and foremost on the list of things that I have learned: working alone is both one of the easiest and hardest things to do.

I know, I know. You’re thinking “But Tabitha, how can it be both the easiest and hardest thing to do at the same time?!?” Settle down there kids, I’ll tell you. In this day and age, starting up a business doesn’t require much. In the case of law firm, one can get by with a computer, scanner, printer, malpractice insurance, a post office box and bank accounts. After these basic necessities are met, the rest is up to you. No physical office space, no problem, meet with clients where it’s convenient for them. Email, electronic file storage, and more can make the practice of law a mobile endeavor. That was the easy part.

Now for the hard part. It would seem that I am something of a reluctant social butterfly, meaning that even when I want to work and be by myself, I enjoy working and being by myself in the company of others. (OK OK I’ll quit it with the oxymorons). I get motivated and encouraged by seeing others around me hard at work, feverishly typing, quizzically pondering the questions of the day, and deeply involved in their passionate pursuits. On my own, I get distracted, lose focus and drift far far off from the task at hand. When I first started back in February, working out of the spare bedroom in my parents home, this was the number one problem. Hours seemingly whirred by and too few of those were productively used. This could not go on for long and luckily for me, it didn’t.

The perfect solution practically fell into my lap. Well, not really. There were a number of calculated steps that led to my current and more agreeable arrangement. I will elaborate the steps in another post as they are part of another important topic for discussion that deserves to be paid close attention. One word. Networking.

So the end result of my calculated measures is that I am currently Of Counsel to the firm of Hanan M. Isaacs, P.C. in Kingston, NJ. For my non-lawyer readers, that means that in addition to serving the needs of and representing my own clients, I do the same for the clients of Hanan M. Isaacs, P.C. on an as needed basis as an independent contractor, and not as employee of the firm. As I tell Hanan on a pretty regular basis, this arrangement has been something of a win-win-win. It’s a win for Hanan, a win for me, and then a win for this new entity/relationship we formed by joining forces. I get to learn about new areas of law that I had never had the opportunity to encounter before, I’m learning new things first hand everyday about the running of a small firm, and I still get build my firm and my brand and practice the law in a way that stays true to my own philosophies. And best of all, I get to work by myself around other people. This was just what I needed and it came at the perfect time.

These last six months have been incredible. I have learned a great deal about myself and what I am capable of. There appear to be no limits outside of those that are self-imposed. The question “what’s next?” is always in my thoughts. I hope to keep you updated here on the latest happenings and the adventures along the way to answering that question. Visibility and transparency are two themes that I want to be important and integral aspects of my practice. What you do is of no use to someone else if they can’t see it.

If you are a small business owner or entrepreneur, what are some of the challenges you have faced when just starting out and what were your solutions? Share in the comments below!