Not Your Average Lawyer

[Kalin]

Hey guys,

Long time lurker, and last week I finally decided to make the jump - read TMF and commit 100% to my current businesses for 2018 and beyond. I'm about half way through and have loved every page.

About me? Well, I'm a lawyer by trade but realized after my first year in the profession that working for a big firm and basically cutting checks to the partners wasn't for me. So I told them I was done after the first contract ended and took some time off (against what my parents/friends thought was best).

To make a long story short, I was given the opportunity to open a new firm with a more experienced lawyer and family friend, which I jumped on. It's in a growing area of law, fairly transactional and scalable (ie. once I've done the work a few times to learn the ins and outs, I will be able to outsource the basic work and just review/edit it before submitting).

I've spent the last few months getting that up and running, and got my first corporate client last week (learned quickly that finding customers for expensive services isn't easy). Because we have low overhead and the specific service demands a fairly good fee (we charge fixed rates, none of that hourly stuff), I'd only need a few sales a month to make a pretty decent pay-check.

I also split time working on a side blog, but hadn't locked down a specific niche in 2017 and so I wasn't very productive or committed to it. But for 2018, I've decided to convert it to a blog and coaching service for people looking to break out of the traditional professional/corporate office and take advantage of their skills/schooling to create a more exciting, free life. I've enjoyed the last few months of operating my own firm 10x more than the year of working for another firm, and I'd love to help others get on that same path.

I'm happy to hear any and all feedback on the above, especially my coaching strategy. My plan is to offer free coaching to a few fitting people to hone my coaching skills while I update my blog to reflect the new niche and create a proper sales funnel. If interested, let me know!

Thanks for reading and happy to be here.

 

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[SteveO]

Welcome to the forum.

My wife was an attorney. What a unique crowd!

Spouse excluded, I found that most attorneys need to be right. In other words, don't take other opinions seriously.

Perhaps it comes with the uniform.

The thing is that people that have studied law have a lot of extra tools to help them start a business. What you seem to need is a direction.

Coaching other professionals might be a viable path if you were good at it. There is nothing in your post that gives the impression that you are.

I recall a conversation with an attorney where he stated to me that with all his education, that he was unable to match the income of his friends that were in sales.

Continuing with your blog is only worthwhile if you get education or money out of it. Coaching others for money may be a difficult path.

 

[Kalin]

Welcome to the forum.

My wife was an attorney. What a unique crowd!

Spouse excluded, I found that most attorneys need to be right. In other words, don't take other opinions seriously.

Perhaps it comes with the uniform.

The thing is that people that have studied law have a lot of extra tools to help them start a business. What you seem to need is a direction.

Coaching other professionals might be a viable path if you were good at it. There is nothing in your post that gives the impression that you are.

I recall a conversation with an attorney where he stated to me that with all his education, that he was unable to match the income of his friends that were in sales.

Continuing with your blog is only worthwhile if you get education or money out of it. Coaching others for money may be a difficult path.

Thanks SteveO, and you are definitely correct - the profession is full of...interesting...personalities. My take is that it's a group of academically successful, type-A people who do tend to think highly of themselves because of a lot of "success" and praise throughout their lives ("you did so well in school", "omg you're in law school?" "wow you're a lawyer!").

In terms of the coaching/business, I do have a business degree and spent the last year consuming any extra content in marketing/copywriting/blogging/online business that I could get my hands on. In fact, I think I spent too much time consuming and not enough implementing. So I want to finally put it to use in the form of coaching/blogging with the free time I have now.

Thanks fo the feedback!

 

[SteveO]

Seems like you could have a giant world of opportunity in the online law profession. There is not a large crowd that have the credentials to dispense legal advise. So your business would be protected to a degree.

 

[MJ DeMarco]

Welcome Kalin! Great to have another legal mind at the forum.

 

[Wolfman]

Hey guys,

Long time lurker, and last week I finally decided to make the jump - read TMF and commit 100% to my current businesses for 2018 and beyond. I'm about half way through and have loved every page.

About me? Well, I'm a lawyer by trade but realized after my first year in the profession that working for a big firm and basically cutting checks to the partners wasn't for me. So I told them I was done after the first contract ended and took some time off (against what my parents/friends thought was best).

To make a long story short, I was given the opportunity to open a new firm with a more experienced lawyer and family friend, which I jumped on. It's in a growing area of law, fairly transactional and scalable (ie. once I've done the work a few times to learn the ins and outs, I will be able to outsource the basic work and just review/edit it before submitting).

I've spent the last few months getting that up and running, and got my first corporate client last week (learned quickly that finding customers for expensive services isn't easy). Because we have low overhead and the specific service demands a fairly good fee (we charge fixed rates, none of that hourly stuff), I'd only need a few sales a month to make a pretty decent pay-check.

I also split time working on a side blog, but hadn't locked down a specific niche in 2017 and so I wasn't very productive or committed to it. But for 2018, I've decided to convert it to a blog and coaching service for people looking to break out of the traditional professional/corporate office and take advantage of their skills/schooling to create a more exciting, free life. I've enjoyed the last few months of operating my own firm 10x more than the year of working for another firm, and I'd love to help others get on that same path.

I'm happy to hear any and all feedback on the above, especially my coaching strategy. My plan is to offer free coaching to a few fitting people to hone my coaching skills while I update my blog to reflect the new niche and create a proper sales funnel. If interested, let me know!

Thanks for reading and happy to be here.

Hi Kalin, Bless your heart! I'm so glad that you're enjoying yourself and doing well. I've been a lawyer since 1985 and finally decided I'd had enough. I did well but I wasn't having any fun at all. Then I came up w/ an invention and read "TMF " and the rest is history.
Just like you, I'm pursuing my dream. Your service sounds like a great idea. You never know. Sincerely, Greg

 

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[Kalin]

Hi Kalin, Bless your heart! I'm so glad that you're enjoying yourself and doing well. I've been a lawyer since 1985 and finally decided I'd had enough. I did well but I wasn't having any fun at all. Then I came up w/ an invention and read "TMF " and the rest is history.
Just like you, I'm pursuing my dream. Your service sounds like a great idea. You never know. Sincerely, Greg

Thanks all, and to Greg, that's great to hear. Is your new venture related to law at all?

 

[Wolfman]

Thanks all, and to Greg, that's great to hear. Is your new venture related to law at all?

Hi Kalin, Not really. My product is more akin to something that puts a smile on your face (as opposed to making the client/judge/opposing counsel frown.) Without going into details, picture a sign on your front door that says, "Nice People Inside!" Hmmmmm, that could be marketable, you have my permission use the idea. lol
I used to go out w/ a lawyer fr Montreal. B/c divorce mediation was mandatory there she was able to lock in a minumum income. I'm just mentioning it as a safety net for those inevitable lean months. Plus, it can be fun helping people who don't have a clue. Be well, Greg