Solo Practice University® » Kelli Proia

Guess What? You May Not Even Realize You Need a Business Coach.

Kelli Proia — Thu, 30 May 2013 11:58:41 +0000

I just finished a big task. It took a lot of energy and mental toughness to complete.

In order to participate in a small group Coaching Day that will be spent “brainstorming the next evolution” of my business, I had to fill out a questionnaire. 18 questions aimed at the heart of my business. On top of telling my life and business stories highlighting “turning points, challenges, struggles, and proud moments,” I had to answer questions about:

My goals for the next 90 days, 6 months, and 1 year;
My marketing plans;
Issues holding me back from making progress;
What am I “tolerating” in my business; and
What I want to improve, achieve, master, or change about my business.

It took me 2 solid days to meditate on and answer these questions honestly and completely. It was a draining endeavor. I can only imagine what my hour on the “hot seat” is going to be like.

And I can’t wait. I have made a personal commitment to take in what I hear and not get defensive. I know that it’s time to take an honest look at my business and make solid plans for the future. I say “bring it on!”

Have you ever hired a business coach or participated in a day like this? If not, I highly recommend it.

Before I started IP made simple, I hired a business coach.

I was struggling to make my traditional law firm work for me and wasn’t quite sure where I was falling down and what I could do to change things.

A coach is part business advisor, part therapist.

My coach, Ed, started the process by asking me “simple” questions like “What’s your vision for IP made simple?” and “who would benefit from such a service?” The kind of questions that should be easy to answer but way more complex than you thought at first blush.

As we drilled down into my business and my own feelings, thoughts, and aspirations over the course of several months, Ed would make simple suggestions and comments. One day during our discussion, he made a matter of fact statement. “You’re product would be perfect for start-ups.”

At the time I had my sights set on bigger fish. My answer: “Well, yes, but no.” I then proceeded to list all of the reasons why it wouldn’t work, it’s a bad idea, and it’s definitely not what I want to do.

But the truth is he was right. I had tunnel vision.

I had preconceived notions of what I wanted my business to be, and darn it, I was going to make it happen MY way.

Ed gently showed me the flaws in my plan. How MY plan and my actions actually interfered with what I said I REALLY wanted. He helped me see things that I couldn’t.

When I launched IP made simple last year I felt as if startups and entrepreneurs had been my target market all along. My plans and actions meshed perfectly with my beliefs and business goals.

I worked with Ed for about a year until the point that our meetings were more me reporting in than him giving advice. Today, I continue to use some of the techniques that he taught me to grow and tweak as necessary.

I have also found other ways to get coaching and advice. I hang out with entrepreneurs in the community. I have two friends who are working to build their businesses and we regularly report our progress and ask each other for guidance when we need help. I belong to 2 monthly mastermind groups.

Sometimes we solos work too much in our own heads. Our plans and schemes are rarely subject to serious scrutiny.

When things aren’t working, there’s no one but us to come up with solutions (or even recognize there’s a problem!)

It’s difficult to solve the problems that we ourselves created. We can be so convinced of our rightness that we fail to see what we really need to do.

We don’t bring perspective to the conversation. To the contrary, when change is most necessary, we typically answer with resistance, denial, fear, and guilt.

The worst things you can do as a solo is sit in your office by yourself all the time and think the same thoughts. You don’t have all the answers that you need to move your business forward.

Using coaches has helped me see that there’s a better, easier way to handle the difficulties that this business throws at me, one that is more likely to yield real solutions. It just takes some gentle feedback and criticism to show where and how I can do better.

Do you think that maybe you’re doing things in your business that don’t feel right? Maybe there’s an area that you’re struggling to figure out, like marketing or practice management. Is it time to bring in an outside perspective to move things forward?

Maybe you should consider hiring a coach. It’s made a world of difference for me.

Written by Kelli Proia

On Solo Practice, Rankings, and “Real” Lawyers

Kelli Proia — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 12:00:15 +0000

When I read Professor Muller’s blog post that Susan referred to in Why Law School Professor’s Rankings Are Worse Than USNWR, from April 16, 2013, I decided to add my two-cents worth to the conversation.

In 2003, I was working as in-house IP counsel for a large multinational manufacturing company. We were selling some companies, and I spent most of that summer working out of the Manhattan offices of the top ten NYC law firm we hired to handle the deals.

Late one night, another in-house lawyer and I were going through documents. A few young attorneys from the firm (1-3 years out of law school) were having a conversation.

It started with: “These “company” lawyers would never get hired at our law firm.” They proceeded to say we were incompetent and stupid by virtue of the fact that we didn’t go to their law schools and weren’t trained at their firm. They concluded the conversation with “Only dumb attorneys who can’t hack it in a real law firm go in-house.”

We were not meant to participate in the conversation. This was a conversation we were meant to hear. They knew who we were, who we worked for, and that we were in the room.

Never mind the fact that I had to correct their sloppy work or that a “senior patent associate” had never drafted or filed a patent and didn’t know the difference between patent applications and granted patents.

They were smug and arrogant. And they wanted my colleague and me to know they didn’t think we were in their league.

Neither their lack of discretion nor what they said surprised me. It was not the first time I had been told that I was “less of a lawyer”. The only difference was it usually came from someone higher up the food chain.

I know and have always known since the day I chose to attend the University of Maine School of Law because of the financial aid package over better ranked schools that a hierarchy exists in the law. (I guess I was naïve in thinking that saving $10,000+ in tuition per year was more important.)

I’ve been told many times in my career, and always in a blunt and candid manner, that I didn’t go to the right school or am not the product of a great law firm. Starting my career in-house meant that I was the product of no law firm, a cardinal sin in the eyes of many lawyers, including those of my last boss.

Those young lawyers knew nothing about me. They didn’t know where I trained or went to law school. (This was pre-LinkedIn and Facebook.) Maybe it was my Jimmy Choo-less feet that gave me away, but they knew I wasn’t one of them, and their contempt applied to everyone outside their elite status.

The truth is a lot of lawyers at many levels feel the same way as those young lawyers and that attitude starts with the law schools.

Law schools care a lot about status. Rankings matter. They matter so much that schools are willing to fudge the numbers to move up a few spots on the list.

One of the metrics determining rank is how many of the graduates are employed 9 months after graduation and employment is always defined as being employed by others. It’s independent validation of your greatness when law firms hire your graduates. “Our graduates are sought out by top law firms,” reads so much better on the brochure then “Our graduates are working hard for themselves.” One sounds prestigious; the other sounds downright scary to the vast majority of prospective law students.

It doesn’t help the rank-obsessed school when its graduates pursue solo practice.

And the obsession with rank trickles down to the law firms. Firm rankings determine who gets hired, what firms and attorneys can charge, and what lawyers get paid. It can determine the quality of your clients.

Whether we want to admit it or not, we are a profession driven by rank and our position on the totem pole. Unfortunately, solo practice doesn’t rank very high. For some, it’s a symbol that you’ve failed. You couldn’t get hired by a “real” law firm or you couldn’t hack it in a “real” law firm. They could never imagine anyone choosing to be in solo practice.

And this attitude will endure because there will always be lawyers who care about such things.

To those lawyers neither the quality of your work nor how much you’re helping your clients solve their legal problems matters. For them it is all about rank and status.

But I don’t care about such things, and neither should you.

I didn’t care when I chose a lesser debt burden in 1995 or when I declared that I didn’t want to work for a law firm in 1998. I didn’t care in 2003 or any of the other times I’ve been made to feel that I wasn’t a “real” lawyer.

The truth is I did care when I started my firm in 2009. My confidence had been shaken after a couple of years out of the profession. I couldn’t stop thinking: What would my former in-house colleagues think of me and my decision to go solo? They’ll view me as a failure for sure.

But I got over that. I realized that it didn’t matter what they thought about my decision. The only thing that mattered was how I felt about my decision.

Honestly, who cares if all those status-hungry, rank-obsessed a$$es think we’re not “real” lawyers? We know better.

You can’t control what other people think of you so don’t try. Just do what’s right for you.

Written by Kelli Proia

Are Lawyers’ Blogs for Lawyers or Clients?

Kelli Proia — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 12:00:02 +0000

“That was great. I didn’t know all that was happening.” Said the coordinator of a recent panel discussion I participated in.

“Really?” I thought to myself. “How could you not have known US patent law is changing?”

So I asked, “Isn’t that why you wanted me to speak to your organization today?”

Well, it turns out the answer was “No.” Because they had no idea patent law was changing, they had expected me to give a generic IP 101 talk.

This recent conversation, and many more like it over the past few months, has me rethinking the purpose and effectiveness of the legal blog.

I know. It’s a crazy thing for me to write on a legal blog, so let me explain.

Who are you writing for?

If you could handpick your audience, what type of people would they be?

Now ask yourself, does my ideal audience differ from the one that is actually reading my content?

These are important questions that every blogger needs to ask, but I think it’s particularly true for attorney bloggers.

Why are you writing content?

I know this might be difficult to hear and it’s a lesson that I am reluctantly learning, but here goes.

Regardless of who you think your audience is, you may actually be writing for other lawyers.

How do I know?

My ideal audience is small business owners. At times I will write content directed to other attorneys, but the blog isn’t for attorneys.

However, if I look at my list of followers and subscribers, it’s split into two main categories: lawyers and people I know, and the number of lawyers far exceeds the number of friends.

Of course, small business owners could be reading my blog, but I have no evidence of that.

In fact, based on the evidence I have, I suspect my ideal audience is not reading my blog (or any other IP attorney’s blog.)

Why is this a problem?

The information that I’m trying to convey, like the information a lot of you are trying to communicate, may not be reaching the audience who needs to hear it most.

If they aren’t reading what we have to say, our ideal audiences aren’t learning about the upcoming changes in the law, or the new ruling that will have an impact on their lives, or how to make their lives and businesses better through the help of an attorney. They’re not learning about the 3 preventative measures they should be taking now or the 5 things everyone needs to know about XYZ.

In my case, the overhaul of the US Patent system requires a substantial change in the behavior of the inventor. If they don’t know they need to change the way they do things, they could lose their patent rights.

And the more conversations I have, the more bewildered I get.

How could they not know?

The information is out there.

The intellectual property legal community has been writing about these changes and the impact they will have on small business since before the law was passed 18 months ago. Every day over the past year, I could read dozens of articles on the topic.

Most of it is written for the benefit of the lay person. In other words, attorneys are trying to get this information into the hands of the people who need it most.

So why is there such a lack of awareness?

It’s not like they hadn’t heard about some of the recent events in intellectual property law. They all knew about the so-called “Smart Phone Wars”. They all could tell me how bad software patents are and they hated patent trolls for stifling innovation.

They could regurgitate what they read in the main stream media.

And here’s what I learned.

1. The average person is getting their legal news from the main stream media.

2. If it’s not interesting, they don’t read it.

With the sheer amount of data and information available, few people go in depth on any topic. They skim the headlines, maybe read a few articles, and that’s it.

They’re not seeking out lawyer blogs to get the details or the other side of the story.

While every major media outlet covered the enactment of the AIA, the average person passed over the article entitled “Congress Passes America Invents Act” assuming that article was information for their lawyers only.

On the other hand, articles about Steve Jobs going “thermonuclear” on Google for patent infringement were widely read and discussed.

Lawyer blogs discussing legal matters aren’t sexy enough for the vast majority of people.

Even though IP lawyers are writing prolifically about the impact that the AIA will have on business, their little blogs are never going to get the readership of the NY Times, The Wall Street Journal, or Tech Crunch, who for better or worse are setting the tone for the intellectual property discussion currently happening in America.

So, how do we make sure that the information is getting to those who need to hear it? Do we need to start writing for these mass media publications too?

I’m not sure what the right answer to this question is. All I know is our message is not being heard through our blogs and articles, at least in the IP community, and that makes me nervous.

We’ve got some work to do. I’m just not sure what we can do.

What are your experiences and thoughts? Are you preaching to the choir? Is this unique to IP or does this apply to other legal fields as well?

Written by Kelli Proia

Are You A Bad Networker?

Kelli Proia — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 12:52:50 +0000

I have a confession to make. Up until last year, I was a bad networker.

When I started my solo practice, I didn’t have a network. Two years out of the work force, many of my relationships were stale. It was also pretty apparent that most of those connections were geared to an in-house practice I no longer had.

This meant I had to build a new network from scratch, a daunting task for someone who had NEVER networked before.

When I worked in-house, I wasn’t hustling for clients so I didn’t see the point. This meant I had zero networking skills.

Starting out, I had no idea what I was supposed to do. I didn’t know how or where to network. So as you can guess, I made a few mistakes, and learned a few lessons over the years.

Here are 3 of my biggest lessons learned.

1. Find Thy Client.

My first big mistake was attending the wrong events.

For example, a friend mentioned a local networking group. Several attorneys attended the meetings, and they were getting clients. So I went. I had a lovely time talking to the other attendees, but nothing happened. No clients, no referrals.

What went wrong?

The group consisted of very nice women who ran local small businesses (think real estate agents, dog groomers, Mary Kay consultants). However, they had no use for an intellectual property lawyer. In fact, they were often a little perplexed about what I did.

Lesson #1: You need to find networking events that your ideal clients attend.

Now, I struggle through bad pitch contests and boring technology lectures, but my ideal clients like them, so I attend. And guess what? The opportunities are much better.

So, where can you find great networking events that are right for you? Check out www.meetup.com. It’s a website listing thousands of free events across the country in any category. Seriously, the sheer number and type of groups is pretty astounding.

EventBrite is another great website to find local events, but they can cost more.

2. Stick Out your Hand and Say “Hello”.

Once I found the right groups, my second mistake was acting like the wallflower at a high school dance.

When I started to attend technology-focused events, I felt out of my element. The room was filled with young, smart people talking about technology and their start-ups. I was an outsider. I felt pushy, like I was asking them a favor just to speak with me.

But I had to get over that. They needed my services and I needed clients.

Lesson #2: You need to talk to the right people.

How did I get over it?

I introduce myself to the person next to me in the drink line or sitting by themselves waiting for the speaker to start. Then, I ask them about what they do, and let them talk.

When they eventually ask me what I do, I respond:

“I teach start-ups how to understand their intellectual property.”
“I help companies put their patents to work.”
“I help companies use their best assets to build better businesses.”

I never start the conversation by saying “Hi Bob. I’m Kelli. I’m an intellectual property attorney.” In my experience, defenses go up when I introduce myself as an attorney, and it shuts down any meaningful conversation thereafter.

If you are networking with your ideal clients (and non-attorneys), start the conversation with what you do not what you are. When people hear you’re an attorney, they assume they know what you do, and they are more apt to walk away thinking I don’t need her services.

Instead, I try to convey my value. What would this person want to hear from an IP attorney? Then I tweak my introduction and pitch to match.

Another way to start a conversation is to research those on the guest list before you attend. Both Meetup.com and EventBrite.com will let you see the list of attendees. It helps when I can say that I saw that article featuring their company or I’m looking forward to hearing them speak or pitch. There’s nothing worse than talking to someone, ask them what brought them here, just to find out they’re the guest speaker.

3. People like warm beverages.

My last big mistake was not following up with the new contacts I had met.

Networking doesn’t stop after the event.

I would come home with a stack of business cards. I would connect with them on LinkedIn, follow them on twitter, and file the card away. Then I would wait for them to call me. As you might guess, not much came of that strategy.

Lesson #3. You need to stay in contact with the person after the event.

Be proactive.

Ask to get together over coffee.
Engage them through social media.
Ask them if they know of other events like the one you two met at.
Schedule a “get in touch email” for two months out.
Send articles that might be of interest to them.
Compliment them if you see them in the news.

Just make sure you keep in touch beyond the initial meeting.

For any solo attorney, networking is an invaluable skill to learn. It’s how we get our message out to the masses most effectively. People can’t refer clients to an attorney they haven’t met.

I’m a much better networker today. I usually attend about 3 events per week. I know where to hang-out, and how to approach complete strangers. I even feel comfortable talking to people about what I do.

If you’re not networking well, I encourage you to get out there and learn your own lessons. If you’re a great networker, let us know what your networking tips are in the comments below.

Written by Kelli Proia

The Power of ‘Really’ Showing Up

Kelli Proia — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 13:00:12 +0000

Amazing things happen when you show up in your life and work. And I mean SHOW UP. Not simply exist, but make your presence known and participate in the conversation.

The best example I can give is from a recent experience that I had.

Last month, I attended the Massachusetts Conference for Women. 8,000+ women descended upon the Boston Convention Center for a day of learning and inspiration. The first breakout session I attended was a talk delivered by Author Whitney Johnson entitled “The Disruptive Innovation of You.”

I loved her talk, and during the Q&A I stood up, introduced myself as a disruptor in the legal field, and asked her a question. She politely answered it, and moved on.

What happened next completely shocked me.

Ms. Johnson’s publisher rushed over to me and handed me her card. She told me that she’s working with an author on a book about disrupting the legal industry and that I need to talk to her author.

The next day I emailed the publisher with a quick introduction email expanding upon our brief conversation. The author got in touch with me. It turns out she is not only writing a book, but she is teaching law and entrepreneurship at a local university and needs someone to teach the class on intellectual property this semester.

In no way could I have predicted that my asking a question about feeling lonely and scared as an entrepreneur would lead to me possibly teaching a class at a major business school in Boston. The notion that something like this could happen, because I asked a question, intrigued me. So I decided as part of my New Year’s objectives that I would dare to show up more, rather than be a wallflower on social media and at networking events.

And here’s how that’s going.

Yesterday, I saw a tweet from an attorney about a Start-up Weekend on Cape Cod. I retweeted it to my followers. Then I emailed the attorney asking “How can I help?” He then introduced me to the organizer of the event. The Organizer and I will be talking next week about me being a judge and/or mentor at the event in March.

Fast forward to this morning. I attended a brand new start-up coffee get together in Providence. The man sitting next to me introduces himself as someone who is involved in Start-up Weekend Providence and Boston. I ask him if he knows about Startup Weekend Cape Cod. No, he doesn’t. So I introduce him via email to the Organizer. (You have to love Smart Phones!)

He then asks me what I do. I tell him about my mission to provide an intellectual property education to entrepreneurs. It turns out that he works with a professor at a local RI university and mentors her entrepreneurship students once a month. She has NO ONE to help her with the intellectual property questions that her students have, so he introduced me to the professor.

Rather than just passively retweeting something I saw and then going to the Startup Weekend website for more information, I actively engaged the attorney.

Rather than submitting an application to be a judge to an anonymous inbox, I got a personal introduction which moved the conversation forward.

Rather than telling my new connection “Oh, there’s an event on Cape Cod you should know about”, I was able to make an introduction. That increased the level of our interaction, and I believe that made him open to making an introduction for me.

Seriously, amazing things happen when you really show up.

Think about how you could be using this technique in your own practice to get referrals, contacts, and clients. Rather than “like” someone’s post or simply retweet something to your followers, actively engage the author. Start a conversation. No one’s going to make a great introduction because you retweeted their tweet. They should say ‘Thank You’, but they’re not going to go the extra step.

I am making a conscious effort to show up and engage in 2013. How about you? Will you join me and step out of your safe, comfort-zone and engage your friends and followers?

I’m still not sure what will happen from all of this but just having these opportunities feels amazing. I am so excited for 2013. I know it’s going to be a good year.

Written by Kelli Proia

Why I Do What I Do

Kelli Proia — Thu, 27 Dec 2012 13:07:40 +0000

I had a long to do list.

I had work to finish up before the end of the year.

I had shopping, wrapping, cooking, and cleaning to do before Christmas Eve.

I wanted to plan and strategize for next year.

Last Friday morning, I had let my to-do list get the best of me, and I started to melt down. The house still wasn’t 100% decorated. Boxes were everywhere. I hadn’t bought a single present for my husband (whose 44 birthday is the day after Christmas.) Work deadlines were looming. My 5 year old was home, sick with the stomach bug that is going around her school.

Tears and anger started to overflow. And then my Mom called. I hadn’t been on the computer at all that day. I hadn’t checked my emails or twitter. I hadn’t heard the news about the small elementary school in Connecticut.

In a split second, I found clarity in an all-too-powerful jolt of reality. It’s the type of clarity that only comes out of the blue in ways you least expect.

A little voice in my head said, “Stop and remember why you are doing this.”

Then my daughter’s little face appeared, and she said, “Mommy, you need a cuddle.” And we cuddled for the rest of the day. We played games and made puzzles. We put out our snow village, and I watched as her little face lit up when we turned the lights on. We cuddled so much that I spent Monday in bed with the stomach bug.

I went to law school to become a lawyer, the only career I ever wanted. I chose to be in solo practice to become the Mom I want to be.

I am working in this solo practice because I want to be with my daughter when she needs me. So I can chaperone her field trips. Pick her up early so we can go shopping for Daddy’s birthday present. Be at her school in less than 15 minutes, when they call to say that she’s sick, please come pick her up. No guilt. No explanations.

I also want to be a role model for her. I want to show her that it is possible for moms (and dads) to have fulfilling careers while being great parents. I want her to see that it’s not always easy, but it is worth it.

I want her to see that I have dreams that I am working to bring into reality. Carl Jung once said: “The greatest influence on a child is the un-lived dream of the parent.” I want her to know that her Mommy has dreams and goals and that it’s OK for her to have them too.

Do I believe in my business? Absolutely! Do I want to make money? You bet. Do I want to help my clients succeed in their businesses? Of course.

But that’s not what drives me to make my business succeed. It’s not what keeps me going when things get a little scary.

My daughter is my why.

Being in solo practice is not easy for me. I struggle to get clients. Getting paid for the work I do has been a challenge at times. I am not the most organized or disciplined person. I feel lonely and scared some days. Even 14 years after graduating from law school, I still question my own abilities.

But none of that stops me from moving my business forward. Why? Because I know why I am in this business, pushing forward, living and working on my own terms. I know I am on the right track.

As for that to-do list…My house is decorated. A cleaning crew will be coming by on Thursday to spruce up the place. I’ve delegated some of the cooking to family members. I still have work and shopping to do. But I have perspective, therefore I have peace of mind.

May you find peace in these last few days of 2012. See you again in 2013!

Written by Kelli Proia

“By Failing To Prepare You Are Preparing to Fail”

Kelli Proia — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 13:00:29 +0000

“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”
― Benjamin Franklin

Be Prepared.

Lately, I feel like I am a living embodiment of the Boy Scout motto.

This mantra crept into my life in the middle of September and I have been in a perpetual state of preparing (and executing) ever since.

It’s not that I haven’t been busy before. It just seems that lately there is always something for me to do on the personal and the professional front.

By the time we hit Thanksgiving my family will have attended one wedding, 6 birthday parties, and a Christening this fall. We will have taken our first family vacation and thrown my daughter’s own 5th birthday party. Halloween costumes will have been bought and candy passed out. Pies will be made. (That’s my contribution to the Thanksgiving feast.)

On the professional side, I will have researched and written an eBook, and recorded 10 tutorials. I’m also preparing to segment my market and increase my product offerings.

And there is everything I do to keep my business and family up-and-running, things like my day job, the laundry, the grocery shopping.

When you stick a hurricane, and now a Nor’easter, into the mix, it’s enough to make you scream “Enough already!”

The only way I have found to handle all of this and not lose my mind is through good preparation. You also need a few systems, a calendar and a very long to-do list (in fact, a couple of calendars and multiple to-do lists.)

Preparation is defined as something done to get ready for an event or undertaking. It’s basically, all of the hard, behind-the-scenes work that has to happen before the actual event.

It’s the “grunt work”. For example,

Your family won’t enjoy that vacation if you don’t make the reservations and pack your suitcase.
No one will come to the birthday party if you don’t send out the invitations.
You won’t win the trial if you don’t do the research and writing.

In your law practice, the grunt work is the work you never see Perry Mason doing. Have you ever seen a lawyer on a legal drama bill a client, do the docketing, or hustle to get the next paying client to walk through the door? Of course, you don’t. It just doesn’t make for good television.

But we all know that it’s the grunt work that can make or break your case, your business, and your life.

So how do I handle some of the grunt work in my business, and avoid (mostly) the frustration and craziness that comes from not being prepared? Well, I will tell you.

1. I break big tasks down into small chunks. My to-do list is filled with big items, i.e. write an eBook, update website, and find clients. Before the book can be published, I have to write it, before I write, I need to do some research, before I research I need to know what the heck the book will be about…I think you get where I’m going here. In order to be prepared, you need to know exactly what grunt work needs to get done.

2. I schedule the grunt work on my calendar. This means planning. Today, writing blog posts is on the morning docket. After I finish writing this post, I will spend a half hour, 11 – 11:30 to be exact, looking for networking events in the Boston area on Meet-up.com. 2 – 3 this afternoon, I will be making a few client phone calls to schedule some long overdue appointments.

When you put it on your calendar, you can’t forget about it. When you set a limited time to do, you work better and faster.

3. I shut off my email and social media. I check my email first thing in the morning then, to avoid being sucked into its vortex, I close my web browser. If I need to look at my calendar, I glance at the paper one on my desk. I also shut off any bells or beeps that go off when I get a new email or message. When the task at hand is done, I check my email. If it’s urgent, I respond. If not, I add it to a list.

4. To avoid distractions, I make lists. Does this ever happen to you? You’re working on one task, and suddenly you remember that you have to do something completely unrelated. So you stop what you’re doing and start working on the other thing. That used to happen to me too. At the end of the day, nothing was complete, and I was frustrated and angry with myself. Well, now when that other thing pops into my head, I write it down on a 4X6 index card that I keep next to my computer. After I finish what I’m currently working on, I will schedule the new items onto my calendar.

I actually use the index cards for all my lists, like grocery shopping, packing, stuff to do around the house, etc. Every time I run out of something, I add it to the grocery card, and then I don’t forget anything at the store.

Every day, I plan. I work. I edit. I execute.

There’s nothing sexy about the grunt work, but man is it satisfying to know you are prepared.

Written by Kelli Proia

7 Ways To Handle ‘The Naysayer’

Kelli Proia — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 12:00:03 +0000

Last week, I was at a great networking event in the Boston area. The people who attended were my ideal clients. Everyone I met was engaging and genuinely interested to learn about the other people in the room. The food was fantastic.

I was really enjoying the event until ‘The Naysayer’ showed up. Within 30 seconds, she told me I was in the wrong business and that I needed to watch this great video on why I was in the wrong business.

What the…???

I was floored. She didn’t know me, my business, or anything about me. I’d be surprised if she could pick me out of a line-up today. But there she was eating crab rangoons, passing me her business card, telling me all the reasons why I was in the wrong business.

You see this Naysayer is an “expert” in organizational strategy. She specializes in taking companies in new directions and I innocently told her that I had recently transitioned my business.

Big mistake! This little bit of information gave her the right (in her mind) to tell me why I had done it all wrong.

Because I had transitioned my practice from one service business to another similar service business, I was doomed to failure. In her opinion, the same reasons that I was unhappy in my last practice would follow me to my new practice.

Really? I beg to differ.

What this woman couldn’t possibly understand in less than 1 minute of conversation is that I love intellectual property. I love the law. I want to help small businesses with their IP needs, and I know how to do that.

I just didn’t like how I was delivering my services, so I changed that. Now, I am happier, and more energized and excited about my practice than I have been in years. I love my business. I love talking about my business. I speak with more confidence now than I ever have before. Why? I believe in what I’m doing.

Even though I’m still fine-tuning my product offerings and I’ve hardly made any money, I know it’s a work in progress. I know it will take me some time to get my message out to the right people. Heck, it’s only been 2 months, but I’m starting to see where this thing can go and how it’s going to get there.

What the Naysayer didn’t know when she sat down at my table was that people at that event were responding to my message. People wanted my business cards. 15 minutes before I met her, I was asked if I could hold office hours with college students at an entrepreneurship workshop in Boston (and that’s where I’ll be this Wednesday afternoon.)

She doesn’t know my history or why I do what I do. She knows nothing about my business, so I ignored her. I won’t be watching her video. I won’t be calling her for advice.

When it’s a complete stranger telling you that you are doing it wrong, it’s easy to dismiss them. Unfortunately, sometimes it’s not a stranger offering you unsolicited advice. So, here are a few pointers on dealing with naysayers:

1. Ignore.

If you can do it, ignore the naysayer. It’s the easiest way to handle. If the person deflates you whenever they are around find a way to disconnect. Lifting yourself up is hard enough without having anchors attached to your feet.

2. Don’t Discuss Business Details.

One of the most insidious questions is, ‘How’s your practice doing?’ The more you tell them the more opportunity you give them to find problems and the greater the chance they will. These knit-picking naysayers are the worst because the negativity in their questions is usually disguised under a mask of ‘being helpful’. Decide the amount of information you are going to share and base this upon any historical experiences you have with the individual.

3. Divert and Disarm.

It’s not a big secret. When you start building your practice it’s going to take time to earn money and build clientele. However, everyone feels it’s their business to know how quickly you are turning a profit. It isn’t.

Change the direction of the conversation. If the conversation is heading towards, “So how much have you made this year?“, ask them how their vacation was? How is their newborn? Did they get that new client they were working so hard to get? That should do the trick. Divert and disarm often enough and you’ll become a master at this sleight of hand.

4. Is it Legitimate Interest? Grow Your Supporters.

Not all negative people are naysayers. Sometimes questions are inartful but the person is genuinely interested in you and your solo practice. If you do choose to tell them about your business share your journey in a positive way. By being optomistic you may also be inspirational and rally supporters (and possible referrals) because this person sincerely wants to see you succeed and believes in you.

5. Network With Positive People:

This is self-explanatory.

6. Share Your Successes However Small

The more optimistic you are when you talk about what you are doing, the quieter naysayers will become until they just about stop talking, at least negatively. When you share your triumphs, whether a new paying client, negotiating your office space for a truly affordable rate, making a great connection, or presenting for the first time in court, these successes all matter and will start to matter to those around you, too.

7. Convince ‘The Naysayer’ They’re Off Base

I could have stayed and told this person she was totally off base, that my business was going well and I was the happiest I’ve ever been professionally, but she wasn’t worth my time. However, there may come a time when I will have to do just this, let a naysayer know they aren’t exactly right. This may ultimately stop the naysayer from pressing their point and get them to back down or off.

This is sometimes a difficult tact to take and could go terribly wrong if the other person has a closed mind. Choose wisely when you use it.

With the holiday season quickly approaching, a lot of you newly minted JDs and new solos will be sitting around the table with friends and loved ones who will (kindly) be giving you their opinion on your career.

They know you. They can point to concrete examples from your past (i.e., remember that paper route when you were 12). They will be talking about the election, the economy, and why it’s bad for solos and small business.

They mean well, but they are talking about their own fears of the future, and trying to project them on you.

Even though it’s a little harder, try some of the tactics above.

Remember that no one really understands your career and the path that has led you to this moment like you do.

My advice is to thank them for being concerned for your future. Tell them you’ll think about it. If it’s appropriate, judicially fill them in on everything you are doing and what you have planned and do so in a very positive manner. If they really want to help you, tell them what kind of clients you’re looking for and ask them for referrals.

Don’t let their fears be yours. No one has a crystal ball that can tell you whether you will succeed or not. But you can control how you handle those around you and their impact on your goals.

Written by Kelli Proia

Solos! Create Your Own Sandbox

Kelli Proia — Fri, 21 Sep 2012 11:30:26 +0000

Last week was a particularly tough week. It seemed like everywhere I went someone was slamming a door in my face. I couldn’t even give my program away.

I asked the coordinator of a local entrepreneur’s network if there was room for one more speaker on an IP panel discussion set for December. I was told and I quote “Hand over a check for $1000 and you have a seat.”

I offered to give a free seat or two away to one of my upcoming workshops as part of the winner’s package of a new start-up challenge. I was told that Big Name Law Firm sponsor had the exclusive right to all IP matters.

I was chatted up a few weeks ago by a different organization that said “You have to come and talk to our students.” When I circled back to see if we could schedule something, I was informed that my services were no longer required as their law firm sponsor (another big name Boston law firm) would be giving the IP presentation.

A solo patent attorney friend commiserated with me when he told me how he was asked to leave an event, and not to come back for future events, because the law firm sponsors, who pay tens of thousands of dollars, don’t want him around. (The sad part is he was approached by some of the entrepreneurs in the program because they couldn’t afford the sponsors’ rates.)

By Friday, I was pretty demoralized. If this is what it takes to get access to clients, how am I supposed to compete? Heck, I’m not even competing with the big firms. I just want to teach IP.

So, I brought the issue up to my mastermind group. Maybe a bunch of non-lawyers could help me figure out a way to get into the inner sanctum of entrepreneurship in the Greater Boston area on a limited budget.

And that’s where I received the best business advice I’ve ever been given.

One of my fellow group members told me…

“Kelli, this is the way I see it. The rules have already been set in that sandbox. You either play by those rules, or you create your own sandbox.”

(I get goose bumps just typing that.)

What a simple and powerful message: Make your own sandbox.

As angry as I get that start-up competitions and so-called entrepreneur’s networks ignore legal entrepreneurs in favor of the big, expensive firms, the truth is they aren’t going to give me the time of day unless I can contribute more than just advice. Service providers pay-to-play in my market.

Those are the rules as they stand right now. I can continue to beat my head against the same wall and get angrier or I can…

Well, what exactly can I do?

I can continue to network and get my name out there.

I can use social media to build a following.

I can teach. In fact, I have 3 webinars under my belt.

I can offer innovative products that really help my target market.

I can give my clients something that those big law firms can’t even dream of.

I can stop trying to be one of them and just build my own business.

I know what you’re thinking. That’s a lot of work.

Yes, it is, but it’s the only work that matters.

Whatever area of law you practice in, you are not one of them either. There’s a reason you’ve chosen to go solo.

So, stop trying to be them.

I know you have something to offer that they don’t.

Go build your business around that.

Written by Kelli Proia

Solo Practice Through the Eyes of a Four Year Old

Kelli Proia — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 12:00:15 +0000

This week, my daughter will start Kindergarten. It seems hard to believe that we are here already, but that is the story of life. She is growing and learning and she is ready to take this next step.

My daughter is everything a four year old should be: precocious, curious, imaginative, and so full of energy. She’s smart, cute, and funny. She is not afraid to try new things.

My daughter has no idea what failure means. For her, any mistake is just the opportunity to learn something new, and the amazing thing is, she learns her lessons without even realizing it. Everything is new and interesting to her. She dances and sings hoping there is an audience watching.

If only we adults could live this way.

Unfortunately, I know that somewhere between childhood and adulthood, human beings ‘grow up’. We forget how to be curious about the world around us. We often lack energy. We become fearful of new information, new technology, and new ways of doing things. We ask ourselves “Isn’t it easier to just do things as they’ve always been done?” We tell ourselves not to rock the boat. Heck, we don’t want to get in trouble with the ‘Bar’. We have learned about failure, embarrassment, and about the down-side of stepping out on a limb. Most of the time, we pray that no one is watching us. We stop learning and stay in our comfort zones.

But that type of thinking will never do if you want to be a solo attorney or an entrepreneur. In order to succeed, we have no choice but to be curious enough to imagine what lies beyond our self-imposed borders.

Some of us are pushed to discover new things by accident or on purpose, out of necessity or by choice. I am being pushed out of my comfort zone by necessity.

I strongly believe in what I am doing now, making intellectual property simple, and I believe that it is needed in the world today. I can’t imagine going back to a ‘safe’ corporate job. I want to have flexibility and I also want to bring home a pay check every week.

So, if I want to make my business succeed, I have to start embracing technology. I have to put my name and reputation on the line. I have to face the fact that I might fail at this venture, wasting a lot of time, money, and energy in the process, and proceed anyway. I have to go out and meet new people, hoping they become clients, mentors, or even new friends. I have to act on faith that people will show up.

Over the past few months, but especially in the past week or so, I am pushing my comfort zone to the limit. I am learning new technology, new platforms, and new ways to deliver content to my audience faster than ever before. My new website is up, and I’ve learned the ins-and-outs of WordPress to maintain it. Last week, I booked a venue for my first live IP made simple Workshop in September (shameless plug), and announced it to the world via Twitter. Today, I learned how to use anymeeting.com for my webinar series and scheduled four events over the next four weeks. I’ve shared the announcement to my ‘list’ via MailChimp.

And to be honest, it’s all a little scary. OK, a lot scary.

I’m nervous that no one will sign-up for my free webinar series. I’m scared to death that no one will show up for my live workshop. (How hard can it be to get 30 strangers to pay to come hear me teach them about IP? The answer: It’s REALLY hard!)

And that’s where the lessons I have learned from watching my daughter come in. I am making a conscious decision to embrace the unknown.

If this venture fails, it will be another one of life’s lessons. If no one shows up, I will have to rethink my audience, my marketing, my price, my format, my content, etc., but I will find a solution.

I will be curious and imaginative. I will have no fear. And I pray that there is a big audience waiting to listen to my song and dance routine next month.

How have you acted outside your comfort zone in order to build your solo practice?

Written by Kelli Proia