Legal-ease For Entrepreneurs: Empowering Creatives About The Legal Aspects Of Running A Business

Growing up in the Crown Heights part of Brooklyn, Christine and Samantha remember having to go to Manhattan or Long Island to go to a gym.  So when they opened up Triple Threat Bootcamp, just six block away from where they grew up, they did so with the goal of bringing a facility to their community that promotes health and fitness. The two sisters, and their mother, Aileen, run the very popular fitness studio in Brooklyn.  During this episode, we talk about their passion for health and wellness, the obstacles of starting a business and navigating their way through a male-dominated industry.      

After graduating law school and moving back to New York, Desiree Verdejo took a job at a corporate law firm but also immersed herself in the beauty blogging scene.  After seven years as a corporate lawyer, she decided to follow her passion and open Vivrant Beauty, a skin and hair care boutique in Harlem.  Vibrant Beauty is one of the few boutiques in the nation that caters to women of color.  Desiree and I talk business plans, funding and managing a brick and mortar store and that obstacles she's faced as an entrepreneur of color.  

On a trip to her home to Ethiopian, Ebise bought a pound of Ethiopian beeswax on a whim and brought it back to the U.S.  During a government furlough, she pulled out the beeswax and started making body butter, soap and candles.  She's using her business here to make a difference for honey farmers in the Ethiopia.  We discuss how her she built her business and what she wish she had known about running a business before she started.   

Black and Latina women are the fasted growing group of entrepreneurs in the U.S. (by 300% since 1997).  However, Women of Color face a tremendous amount of obstacles when starting a business, which often times can lead to failure.  I discuss five obstacles I have faced and make suggestions for how to overcome them.

As entrepreneurs, we attend a lot of conference to find out more about our industry and as a networking tool.  On this episode, I am joined by Vashti Patrick-Joseph of the award winning blog www.veepeejay.com and the creator of Ven and Rose.  We give you five tips for how to meet and approach panelist, how and when to follow up and how to take advantage of the conference high.  

My chat with Keba Riley of Cherry Blossom Bridal.  This former corporate lawyer turned bridal boutique owner talks about why she left BigLaw to start her own boutique.   Get other tips about how to use your job as a stepping stone to owning your own business.  

In this quick bonus episode, I discuss the top five mistakes I've seen new entrepreneurs make.  Avoiding these mistakes will save you a lot of time, angst and money. Listen here and let me know if you've made any of these mistakes and what you did to correct them. Enjoy!  

Welcome to the first episode of The Legal-EASE for Entrepreneurs podcast.   When I opened my law firm three years ago, I was lucky to have a couple of colleagues who gave me some tips, but for the most part, I had to figure it all out and I made every possible mistake.  I invested time and resources in things I thought would work and ignored the things I was supposed to do.   Eventually things started to turn around.  I still haven't mastered running a business by any means, but, I've learned a lot and these lessons have allowed me to grow as a small business owner and a person.   As a small business attorney, I enjoy helping creatives and entrepreneurs navigate the legal aspects of their business.   The Legal-EASE for Entrepreneurs podcast is dedicated to empowering and educating entrepreneurs tackle their own simple legal needs.   Thanks for joining me! Art