5 years ago today Kim and I started this firm. It is a cliche to say “it seems like just yesterday” – but time spent being as busy as we have been has a funny way of making the cliche a reality, and so it has become a truism!
I thought about listing our accomplishments here . . . but a 5th year anniversary is a time for less marketing and more introspection.
In that vein – I sometimes think whether, knowing what I know and have learned over the last 5 years, I would ever tell someone to try and do what we have done. When I was younger (14) I had to meet with an attorney – and my mother told him I wanted to be a lawyer (this was not true, in fact I wanted to be in a profession that had a code of ethics, but I digress…) and he was very negative and advised me not to do it, and said I would be miserable. Now, I think he was miserable because he just did not like his job and probably that was because he was dealing with clients in distress all day long (divorce). The lesson I learned that day however was never to try and dissuade someone from a path just because I personally would think it ill advised or to be a poor choice for me. Always look from the perspective of the person you are working with or advising – what do they want? what are their goals? So, I would never tell anyone not to start their own firm – but I would say that when you reflect on why you choose a path, the reason has to be a genuine one or you probably will fail, or be miserable, or both.
In my mind Kim and I started the firm primarily for two reasons – and here comes cliche number 2 – because we genuinely care about our clients, and because we wanted to work in a positive family oriented and family friendly working environment. And that is how we measure success – do we provide a positive benefit to our clients and do we provide a good work environment for our staff? By those measures we have been very successful. We love working with small business owners, inventors, creators and entrepreneurs and helping them succeed, and many of our clients have been very successful, and we are very grateful to have played even a small role in that success. And we are looking forward to the future now, having just renewed our lease for another 5 years.
So, were someone to be about to embark on a similar adventure as we have, I would say to them – if you start with the right motives, and you genuinely have an interest in helping others, then by all means, starting a new law firm is a grand adventure and I highly recommend it!
We also again want to thank and express our sincere gratitude to all the people – family, clients, our friends and everyone who has done us the great favor and honor of referring us work – without you we would not have made it the first 5 years – and we will still need your support and assistance for the next 5 years. We feel very lucky to have the clients and practice we have and are very grateful to everyone who has helped us and we look forward to the future.
Very truly yours, Mike, Kim, Pamela, Larry, Tina, Karri and Malissa – the team at Oliver & Grimsley, LLC