Norm Sawyer’s Post

New law firm owners: Growth is painful and many people will feel very uncomfortable with you as you grow. Stopping drinking is personal growth, all the heavy drinkers in your life will feel uncomfortable with your decision. You will lose people that don’t like the way this makes them feel. They will whisper behind your back. Do it anyway. When you crystallize who you are and the vision for your law firm, there are team member who won’t want what comes with that vision, get the vision or have the capacity to fulfill the roles required by the vision and that’s ok. Do it anyway. And there will be peers, friends and family that won’t get it. You will continue to evolve and grow as your business grows. This will make certain people in your circles very uncomfortable. That’s ok, do it any way. Never shrink your vision, dreams or goals to make other comfortable. We all have the choice to do more and be more. Not everyone wants that. Do it any way. What other people think of you is none of your business. 🥂 —————————————————- If you found this helpful, consider resharing ♻️ and follow me Thomas Tona for more content.

Am I Entitled to My Spouse's Business When They Die? One of the areas where estate planning and business law intersect is when the owner of a business dies. While many people who reach out to me are looking for a simple answer, the reality is that what happens to the business next can be a complex riddle to solve. There's no blanket answer as to what happens in all businesses, but the most common answer is to look at the business' ownership documents. Sorting out the ownership of a company after an owner passes away is not always as dramatic as it may seem in television and movies. In reality, there is often a straightforward answer and your role as the spouse is to get that answer and execute on what needs to happen next. There can be challenges if your spouse was a licensed professional and it's an industry you are not licensed in as well, but hopefully before they passed away they did the right planning for a smooth transition. So before you make an assumption that you automatically get to take over your spouse's business, remember that we need to look at the business structure, whether your spouse had an estate plan, and your state's laws on what happens. Continue reading and learn more at the link in comments.

Do you ever have "FOMU"? Fear of messing up. Many people want to start a business but aren't sure where to start. Others have done some research but realize the documents and filing requirements might be a bit more complicated than they'd like to deal with. You don't have to worry about messing up when you hire Surge Business Law to handle the creation of your LLC. We have a proven system, and we offer ongoing support as well. I'd love to hear about your business dreams and get you started on the right path. #businesslaw #LLC #newbusiness #smallbusiness

Setting and working towards goals keeps you on track when building both your business AND life. As a law firm owner, there is no doubt you meet goals daily. But how are you doing with your long-range, long-term goals? If you're like most business owners, you started with long-term goals but became absorbed in the daily details. Every day brings new chaos that you must manage. Sometimes, you're so busy putting out fires that you end up spending too much time on things that don't serve you OR your business growth. Your GOALS are what help keep your eye on the prize. Even while dealing with chaos, you NEVER lose sight of where you're going. The process of working towards them gives you a positive focus that leads to success. Make it a habit to check in with yourself regularly; to set goals and make a plan to meet them. What are some of yours? #goals #goalsetting #longtermgoals#dailygoals #lawfirmowner #soloattorney#lawfirmmentor #lawfirmtips #lawfirm

Building a book of business has ups and downs. You have to play the long game. I only worked at two firms in my career, so my data set is somewhat limited. But I did watch a lot of lawyers progress in their careers and certainly remember my path. I learned that for even the best lawyers, progress did not follow a smooth upward path. They had months and years where potential clients stayed potential. But they kept at it. And slowly but surely, clients started calling them. Maybe just a few at first, but with hard work over a number of years, these lawyers had enough clients to then chart their own path. So, don't get discouraged if a few years go by and you feel like you are not making the progress you expected. Two years over the course of a legal career is a blink of an eye. In my experience, there are no instant success stories. Sometimes it may seem like that to outsiders because they only see the success and forget the work put in over years to get to that place. These people were playing the long game.

Getting good legal advice up front when setting up your new Texas business will save much time, money and stress in your future business decisions. https://lnkd.in/g2sJ2zYm

Clients see differently - PART 1 Strategy is a very important but clients feel more comfortable working with you when you express proper understanding of their issues than when you share a brilliant strategy. They can only trust your strategy when they trust that you understand their problem/objective. Clients cherish your availability and accessibility more than your hardwork. This doesn't make your hardwork less valuable. Clients don't want you to send them emails all the time. They want to chat you up on WhatsApp and send you voice notes sometimes. Clients don't want to see you as a lawyer or a service provider. They want to see you as an extension of their business. They want to see how you make them grow and avoid troubles. Referral is the best "thank you" you can get from a client because it comes with "trust" to it. Clients love to be commended too. If they made good business decisions or revert to you promptly on issues, appreciate them for it. These are a few of the lessons I have learnt while doing the business of law. Happy to share yours?

🚀 Ready to launch your business idea but entangled in what structure to pick? Let's decipher the jargon! 🤓 🔵 Sole Proprietorship - Flying solo? This is your jam. 🟢 Partnership - Got a buddy? Perfect for you two! 🔴 Corporations - Separate from owners, best friends with complex legal structures. 🟡 LLC - Want flexibility and limited liability? Say hello to your new best friend. Remember folks, the one-size-fits-all mantra doesn't apply to your business structure! 🙅♂️ You've gotta choose what fits like a glove on YOUR unique hand! 🧤 Still feeling lost? Here's a pro tip: always consider 👇 1️⃣ Legal liability 2️⃣ Tax implications 3️⃣ Cost of formation and ongoing administration When making your choice! Building a business is like putting together a puzzle, 🧩 with each piece representing critical decisions. Picking the right business structure is the corner piece that helps everything else fit into place. 💪 Come on, you've got this! 💼🌈 Just remember - your journey is as unique as you are, so chart your path with confidence and gusto! #BusinessBoss #YourBusinessYourRules This isn't professional advice. Everyone's situation is unique, so consult the right professionals for your specific needs.

𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝘾𝙖𝙣 𝙊𝙣𝙡𝙮 𝙍𝙪𝙣 𝙁𝙤𝙧 𝙎𝙤 𝙇𝙤𝙣𝙜... The hard truth is, you cannot escape laws and regulations when running a business. It's not the most exciting part, we get it. But imagine the potential damage if you don't handle it well. When it comes to estate planning or managing your small business legal needs, it can be easy to put those off for another day. But here's the thing: you're not adding any value to your future by delaying. Your business carries responsibilities not only towards you but also towards your employees and customers. Having a legal structure in place can protect your assets and limit your liability. Estate Planning is not about creating documents. It’s about values, lessons, stories, and relationships that can guide the next generation; it’s indeed a legacy of love. Remember - no one plans to fail; they just fail to plan. Stay prepared because when opportunity meets preparation, there we find our success. #BusinessLaw #EstatePlanning #SmallBusiness

We hope you are doing well. Doing your own agreements (DIY) can be an empowering and cost-efficient way to get tasks done, but there are some things better left done by professionals. In fact, we are reaching out today about one such area where a DIY approach can become problematic: contracts. Whether you are hiring employees or vendors or establishing terms and expectations, contracts are a critical part of doing business. After all, they are meant to safeguard your interests—but they can do quite the opposite if you try doing them by yourself. Here are a few reasons why: 1. DIY contracts are usually unenforceable. If it’s missing essential language or other considerations, it may not stand up in court if contested. 2.DIY contracts can make you accountable. Conversely, including the wrong language can actually make you responsible for more than you bargained for. 3. DIY contracts often forget important details. Contracts need to be precise and anticipate conflicts from the outside that you might not think of yourself. The list goes on, but the essence is that any unintentional omission (or inclusion for that matter) could leave you in a vulnerable legal position that’s much more costly than having an attorney prepare a contract for you. Litigation costs add up quickly and lawsuits can linger in the courts. Consultation with an attorney to discuss and prepare a contract is a sound investment in yourself and your business. If you are considering crafting a contract of your own, or have already started, feel free to reach out. We can help you make your contract enforceable and reflect the intent of the parties without exposing yourself to unnecessary risk. Neal C. Zazove & Associates