As I sat down to write this blog I wondered about the origin of the phrase: “hanging out my own shingle.” I Googled and found out that, “This American colloquialism dates from the first half of the 1800s, when at first lawyers, and later also doctors and business concerns, used painted wooden shingles for signboards.”
I’ve done it. After having spent most of the last 18+ years working under the supervision of a boss-lawyer, I decided it was time to get out the hammer and “hang my shingle” - Actually, no hammer, mine is made of plastic. Here it is:
My plastic shingle, the sign on the door to my office.
Hugs to my husband and marketing partner, Rob who used his marketing talent to crystallize the purpose and mission of my law firm. Then, the graphic design talent of my dear friend Jerry Adams and his crew over at Island Printing and Graphics turned our white board ideas into an actual logo! I was amazed and excited as I watched the creative process unfold and my vision come to life as a business.
As long as I’m giving shout-outs, I can’t forget my webmaster extraordinaire Eric Bonner at Cransby. If it were not for him, you would not be reading this right now because I would not have ever figured it out. Eric understood my vision and my message and turned it into a real website that has content and people can actually see it.
While I have 18 years of legal experience in my field, I have never been a business owner before. Over the course of my legal career I have always had a functioning office and talented support staff that was fully-trained by my superiors and placed at my disposal. No more! Part of this journey has been figuring out billing systems, bookkeeping, marketing, and filing systems. Add to that office space, office supplies, office equipment, computers and software... no wonder it’s taken me almost a year to get my website live and my first blog entry written.
By God’s grace, slowly but surely, I’m getting the systems figured out and finding my way in this wonderful and slightly entrepreneurial adventure. I say “slightly” because I don’t consider myself an “entrepreneur.” I’m a lawyer who loves the practice of law. I’m working on developing some entrepreneurial skills out of necessity so I can practice law.
I owe so much to the many very talented attorneys that I have worked under over the years. I have been so blessed to have always worked with wonderful and supportive mentors that have always encouraged me to be the very best at what I do and to use my professional talents to serve others.
Serving others, that is why I work. I work to serve my husband, my children, my clients and my community, and I’m blessed every day that I wake up and get to do it some more. Thank you for being on this journey with me.