70 months. 304 weeks. 2,129 days. 

That’s how long my entrepreneurial journey as the owner of a personal injury law firm in Tampa has been so far. In this time, I’ve learned more lessons than I can count.

Each brings with it unique knowledge and insights that have propelled my career forward. As a business owner, there are good days and bad days. Days when you feel like you’re on top of the world and others when you feel so buried you worry you’ll never see the surface again. 

It’s these ebbs and flows that keep me rooted in my law firm’s mission to help our injured clients and support them in every way we can.

While I know every entrepreneurial journey is different, I also know that sharing our experiences and advice can be helpful. 

Here’s a glimpse into my story.

From Prosecutor to Plaintiff’s Work

After attending law school at The Florida State University College of Law,  I moved back to Tampa (where I’m originally from) and knew I wanted to work in the courtroom. 

I started as a prosecutor at the State Attorney’s office where I worked to find which area of law fit me best. 

During that time, I realized I loved being around and connected to people. The idea of helping others and being there when they needed it most is what ultimately drove me into Plaintiff’s work and injury law. This realization was the catalyst to starting my own personal injury law firm in 2017. 

In the almost 6 years since the doors of Cappy Law opened, there have been countless rewarding moments in seeing firsthand the growth and change since we started. 

Now, there’s no sugarcoating the time and effort it took to build the foundation for Cappy Law. But, seeing those roots develop, the team grow, and my vision for Cappy Law coming to life in more ways than I can imagine has been an amazing experience. Aside from the exciting changes and growth of the business, what’s most rewarding is helping people in need. 

4 Pieces of Entrepreneurial Advice for Lawyers

As an entrepreneur, you often feel like a student. Each day you learn a new lesson and over the past five years, I’ve learned some valuable lessons I’d like to share. 

Here are four of them:

Be Flexible 

One of the biggest things to consider is how many “hats” you’ll wear as an entrepreneur. 

In order to create the business you’ve envisioned, you’ll have to learn the art of multitasking, staying flexible, and taking on different roles when starting out.

The fact is, establishing a firm foundation for a business is something we all want, but it doesn’t come easy. It’s an obstacle that requires patience and dedication. Over time, I’ve found that managing this process well is a skill that’s developed like a muscle. It takes repetition, commitment, and consistency. 

Hire Smart

Hiring and culture are two factors that play a role in the success of a business. 

The way your business operates internally affects how people see your law firm on the outside. 

That’s why it’s so important to set the bar high for excellence and balance those expectations with authenticity, teamwork, support, and open communication.

When you foster a healthy working environment and give people the space to work without being micromanaged, they’ll show up each day with a positive attitude and motivation to go above and beyond to help their clients. 

Get Online 

At the beginning of the year, it was reported that there are around 307.2 million internet users in the United States. 

Now, I’m by no means encouraging you to cast that wide of a net and try to appeal to all 307.2 million internet users. What I’m trying to do is show you just how important it is to have a robust online presence. 

Part of building a successful law firm is meeting your target market where they are. And as you can tell from the statistic I shared, odds are your target audience is online. 

Building online relationships have been a top priority for my firm and we’re so thankful and proud of the community we’ve built through social media. 

It all started by stepping out, trying new things, and giving users a behind-the-scenes look at our team and life at Cappy Law. 

Start Now

I guess you could say I saved the best for last. If you’ve read this far, you’re serious about taking the entrepreneurial leap of faith. But just as planning is important, so too is execution. 

There’s no doubt the first step is the hardest, but don’t wait. 

Start now. 

Get rid of those thoughts that you need 10 years of experience or a host of credentials to be successful. You don’t learn by sitting on the sidelines, you learn from being in the trenches. 

As long as you’re passionate about what you do and are willing to work, you can make things happen for yourself. 

As Peter Drucker once said, “The best way to predict the future is to create it.”

For more advice, helpful tips, and a behind-the-scenes look at Cappy Law, Connect with me on LinkedIn and Follow us on Instagram.