The First Time I Truly Understood Why My Work Matters

When I opened my law firm in New York City in 2016, I knew I wanted to build something different. I had made a decision: I was never going to work for someone else again. I wasn’t independently wealthy. I didn’t have a second income to fall back on. If I wanted my practice to succeed, I had to make it happen, and fast.

So I started hosting workshops.

My first one was at a small church on the Upper West Side, with just six women from my community. I was nervous. I wasn’t comfortable speaking in front of a group. I wasn’t sure if I knew enough about estate planning to answer every question. And I definitely wasn’t comfortable being the center of attention.

But I pushed through. Because I had no choice. And afterward, something happened that changed everything for me.

A woman came up to me — someone who had sat quietly in the back the whole time — and said: "I was nervous about coming today. I thought you were going to make me feel stupid."

That hit me like a ton of bricks.

Because the truth is, so many people in our communities care deeply about their families and their legacies.They’re not irresponsible. They’re overwhelmed. They don’t know where to start. And chances are, somewhere along the way, someone who was supposed to help them made them feel small, embarrassed, or intimidated.

That moment — standing in that little church on the Upper West Side — was the first time I fully understood the power of what we do as estate planning attorneys.

• When we explain complicated concepts in a way people can actually understand…
• When we lead with clarity, not judgment…
• When we serve instead of sell…

We don’t just earn business.

We earn trust.

We give people the confidence to take action on something that truly matters. And when you do that, in my experience, you will never lack for clients.

If you're feeling unsure about hosting your first workshop, or you're wondering if anyone will even show up — do it anyway. Your community deserves to hear what you have to say. And you just might change someone's life the way that first workshop changed mine.