Lessons from the Hart
by Jess McCuan
But something about the building at 93 Church Street in downtown Asheville, a renovated three-story house not far from the Orange Peel, spoke to her. “When I walked in the building, it was like someone hit me in the face,” says the 45-year-old Chapel Hill native. “I had this immediate vision that I needed to work in the building and start my own firm.” So she did. And now, just two years after it began, The Hart Law Group employs three attorneys, two paralegals, an office manager and a part-time bookkeeper, all tending to some 700 clients who need advice about wills, incorporations and other aspects of probate, real estate, corporate and domestic law. VERVE asked Hart for her advice on getting ahead fast.
Not knowing many people in town, how did you get a solo practice off the ground?
Basically, it was like starting over…I knew some realtors, and they sent me a few closings. But one thing I realized is that, every time you walk out your door when you’re in business, you are your own marketer. Every single time. [After the divorce], I hid for a while. But I’m a very social person, and after a year, I said, “I have to be around people.” And I’d start telling people I met, “I just started this law firm.” Then one more person would come, and another.
Why didn’t you try working for a larger firm first?
My vision and feeling is that the practice of law is a customer-service industry. It’s not that I think other firms here don’t see it that way, but I wanted to run the firm the way I wanted to run it. We are always returning our phone calls and emails. If the phone is ringing and everyone else is on the phone, I answer it. People are always like: “You answered?” I say, “Yeah, it was ringing.” I don’t want them to go somewhere else because we don’t answer the phone.
Any roadblocks running a startup?
There are always money issues. But I had such an unwavering feeling and thought that this would happen, I never even questioned myself—which is crazy. I should have. But I didn’t. I thought, “This is going to work.”
Other advice for women considering starting their own businesses?
If you are true to yourself and are genuine as a person, you will be successful. The right audience will find you. People who think you’re trying to be somebody you’re not won’t trust you. And if people don’t trust you, no matter what job you’re in, they’re not going to feel comfortable and they’re not going to use your services—at least not consistently.
If people want to get out of law school and wear cowboy boots, they have to find the right firm to let them do that—or start their own.
But something about the building at 93 Church Street in downtown Asheville, a renovated three-story house not far from the Orange Peel, spoke to her. “When I walked in the building, it was like someone hit me in the face,” says the 45-year-old Chapel Hill native. “I had this immediate vision that I needed to work in the building and start my own firm.” So she did. And now, just two years after it began, The Hart Law Group employs three attorneys, two paralegals, an office manager and a part-time bookkeeper, all tending to some 700 clients who need advice about wills, incorporations and other aspects of probate, real estate, corporate and domestic law. VERVE asked Hart for her advice on getting ahead fast.
Not knowing many people in town, how did you get a solo practice off the ground?
Basically, it was like starting over…I knew some realtors, and they sent me a few closings. But one thing I realized is that, every time you walk out your door when you’re in business, you are your own marketer. Every single time. [After the divorce], I hid for a while. But I’m a very social person, and after a year, I said, “I have to be around people.” And I’d start telling people I met, “I just started this law firm.” Then one more person would come, and another.
Why didn’t you try working for a larger firm first?
My vision and feeling is that the practice of law is a customer-service industry. It’s not that I think other firms here don’t see it that way, but I wanted to run the firm the way I wanted to run it. We are always returning our phone calls and emails. If the phone is ringing and everyone else is on the phone, I answer it. People are always like: “You answered?” I say, “Yeah, it was ringing.” I don’t want them to go somewhere else because we don’t answer the phone.
Any roadblocks running a startup?
There are always money issues. But I had such an unwavering feeling and thought that this would happen, I never even questioned myself—which is crazy. I should have. But I didn’t. I thought, “This is going to work.”
Other advice for women considering starting their own businesses?
If you are true to yourself and are genuine as a person, you will be successful. The right audience will find you. People who think you’re trying to be somebody you’re not won’t trust you. And if people don’t trust you, no matter what job you’re in, they’re not going to feel comfortable and they’re not going to use your services—at least not consistently.
If people want to get out of law school and wear cowboy boots, they have to find the right firm to let them do that—or start their own.
Visit http://thehartlawgroup.com for more about Mary Hart and the Hart Law Group.
Verve-acious
Post a Comment
Reader Comments