The person I chose to interview is a close family friend who started his own law firm about fifteen years ago. He left a large firm to be his own boss and to make his own rules. He has now expanded the firm with three other partners. I was not able to record the interview this time because this person lives in my home town but this is the general idea if the conversation:
Q: If this new law firm didn't work out, would you have sensed an element of failure?
A: Yes and no. Yes because whenever you do something that doesn't work out, you feel like you've failed. But no because I would know that I had tried to do everything I could to make something work and I went out on a limb which is also a success.
Q: What was the deciding factor that made you want to step out on your own?
A: I saw the chain of command of where I was heading, and knew I would never be in charge one day and that there was only so much higher to go. I liked the idea of planning my own schedule and working with the people I wanted to work with. It was really about freedom.
Q: What has been the most satisfying part of m=being an entrepreneur?
A: The best part is that I can arrange time-off whenever I need. I don't have to travel and leave my family, and I'll never have to miss one of my kids' sporting events for work. I like bringing work home with me and I like doing it on my time.
I look back on my first interview and think that a lot has stayed the same. I still lean towards the same type of questions and I'm still nervous about the same things. But I feel a lot more encouraged about the idea of failing. I am more excited about the idea of being an entrepreneur than ever.
I definitely feel more confident talking about entrepreneurship! I didn't even hesitate to come up with questions. I was less anxious to interview this person and I feel like I have really learned a lot. I'm thankful that I have realized some tools that I already have that will make me a good entrepreneur and I'm thankful for the things I've learned so far in this class!
Hello Caroline,
ReplyDeleteI am glad you got to interview someone who started their own law firm. That is amazing! I really enjoyed reading your post. You asked very interesting questions. My favorite would be the first one you asked about failure and the law firm. I would feel the same exact way if I started a business and failed. I tried my best, but it still didn't work out. Here's a link to my blog post about my interview: http://jeromerimpos.blogspot.com/2016/04/very-short-interview-part-2.html
Hey, Caroline. The part of this that stood out to me the most was when he answered your initial question by saying that the act of even going out on a limb and trying to pave his own way was a success in itself, even if the venture did not become traditionally successful/financially feasible. I can also definitely relate to why he went on his own, as I too love taking my work home with me and doing it on my own time and terms. It was great you were able to get this interview :)
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