Some Inspiration for Solo and Small Law Firms
Starting and running a law firm isn’t always the joyful journey that many of us imagine. When it comes to the decision of whether to start a firm, many lawyers suffer from analysis paralysis, drawing up detailed business plans and weighing the pros and cons and waiting for “the right time,” (whenever that is) that years pass without a firm ever getting off the ground. Of course, running a firm isn’t always a picnic either. Some lawyers start out doing all the right things – the business plan, the networking, the marketing and can’t seem to hit their stride. Others can’t seem to overcome the drudgery and stress of the day to day grind. Some solos suffer from loneliness even more so than other lawyers as they acclimate to life without colleagues. Female solos suffer a double whammy between finding work life balance and dealing with having their accomplishments ignored by other women.
When it comes to success as a solo, psychological factors like confidence, motivation and passion count just as much, if not more, than business acumen and legal experience. There here are numerous blogs that offer extensive information on the tech tools needed to start a firm along with marketing tips galore. MyShingle also provides this kind of nuts-and-bolts information – but where the blog shines is in encouraging, inspiring and instilling confidence in lawyers who are on the fence about starting a practice, or who have started but are going through rough patch.
So if you need an extra dose of inspiration, check out some all of these 17 motivational Ted Talks , republished in Entrepreneur Magazine . My own personal favorite is Shonda Rhimes’ My Year of Saying Yes to Everything. Or, you can take a look at some of my favorite posts from the past 15 years that will hopefully give you the boost you need to start a firm and keep going.
Stop Playing It Safe: Just Screw It And Start Your Own Law Firm
The Unexpected Surprises of Starting Your Own Law Firm
A Celebration of Thanksgivvikah, Menurkeys and Solos
Why I Joyfully Root for Team Solo