Question : Kindly give our readers an introduction to your business. Please include what your business is all about, in which city you are located and if you have offices in multiple locations/ cities.
Answer : We are a law firm that specializes in personal injury law. We represent individuals injured due to the negligence of others in auto, premises, and construction accidents. We have offices in New York City including Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx, and Queens.
Question : Kindly give us a brief description about yourself (it should include your brief educational or entrepreneurial background and list some of your major achievements).
Answer : I graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Vassar College and obtained my Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Texas at Austin School of Law. I worked for a personal injury law firm in Manhattan and since the year 2000 have been in private practice in my own firm representing seriously and catastrophically injured clients.
Question : What inspired you to (start a new business venture) or (to make significant changes in an existing business)? How did the idea for your business come about?
Answer : I was deeply interested in civil litigation including building the strongest case possible to present to jury at the time of trial. Throughout school I focused on political science, history, and constitutional law. I was involved in debate as well as mock trial and moot court starting as early as high school. But when I started practicing law in 1999, I learned to apply my educational skills to help real clients and this gave me great sense of purpose and fulfillment.
Question : What three pieces of advice would you give to budding entrepreneurs?
Answer : Don’t be afraid of hard work, maintain your ethical standards and your ideals, and most importantly do something that you love and have a passion for.
Question : What would you say are the top three skills needed to be a successful entrepreneur?
Answer : The ability to “make it rain” in terms of obtaining business via marketing, the ability to successfully conduct your business such that clients will be happy and recommend you to others, and the ability to keep a work-life balance so you can succeed longterm.
Question : How many hours do you work a day on average?
Answer : Usually from 8-10 hours
Question : To what do you most attribute your success?
Answer : Hard work and a passion for our trade.
Question : How do you go about marketing your business? What has been your most successful form of marketing?
Answer : A multilevel marketing platform including the internet, print media, referrals from existing clients, and general reputation in the community. One of the most successful and burgeoning areas of marketing has been the internet.
Question : Where did your organizations funding/capital come from and how did you go about getting it? How did you obtain investors for your venture?
Answer : We never took loans from banks or money from investors. Our firm just saved money earned as fees from cases and grew organically little by little.
Question : What is the best way to achieve long-term success?
Answer : Love what you do then it is not work and will lead to success.
Question : Where you see yourself and your business in 5 – 10 years?
Answer : Doing what we do now and possibly expanding to other practice areas such as class action litigation, mass torts, and or defective medical devices or drugs. We may also expand to other regions across the United States.
Question : Excluding yours, what company or business do you admire the most?
Answer : I admire a company like Google because two people came up with an idea and fully realized the vision turning it into a billion dollar company.
Question : How important have good employees been to your success?
Answer : Intrinsic because a business needs good employees to carry out its mission.
Question : How long do you stick with an idea before giving up?
Answer : It depends on whether the idea is successful when put to practice and if not as of yet, then whether I think it can be successful going forward.
Question : What motivates you?
Answer : Striving to be the best attorney and obtaining a good outcome for our clients and being able to help them.
Question : What are your ideals?
Answer : Learning together with the firm as a group, leading by example, diligence, and a love for what we do
Question : How do you generate new ideas?
Answer : By keeping active in the legal community, attending seminars and continuing legal education, reading legal literature, and discussing ideas with colleagues and coworkers
Question : How do you define success?
Answer : To be able to enjoy your daily work, to provide for your business and family, and to help clients and the community through our work
Question : How do you build a successful customer base?
Answer : By marketing online, keeping in touch, and exploring new avenues of business
Question : What is your favorite aspect of being an entrepreneur?
Answer : The responsibility and the freedom
Question : What has been your most satisfying moment in business?
Answer : When a client obtains more compensation than expected and is happily surprised by the outcome we achieved for them
Question : What do you feel is the major difference between entrepreneurs and those who work for someone else?
Answer : Entrepreneurs are fearless
Question : What kind of culture exists in your organization? How did you establish this tone and why did you institute this particular type of culture?
Answer : Friendly and laid back but hard working so that everyone can complete their tasks and goals in a nice atmosphere
Question : In one word, characterize your life as an entrepreneur.
Answer : Driven