Starting a business is not a simple undertaking. Making your paralegal career an independent one as an Independent Paralegal business owner will provide you with many benefits, but also may present some obstacles. Typical barriers could be thinking you don’t have enough time or money to do it, not wanting to give up the health insurance and other benefits at your corporate job, or lack of family support. But the most debilitating barrier is often fear – fear of taking risks, fear of failure, fear of losing everything.
If you want to transform your paralegal career into one where you can be your own boss and have the potential to earn much more than what an employer would offer you, then you will need to overcome the fear that is holding you back. You’ll need to learn how to put fear in its place. All business owners have to deal with fear; the successful ones have learned how to manage it. Here are some tips to help you overcome the Fear Barrier and put your paralegal career on the independent track –
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Identify your “Why”
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Take some time to think about what you like about your paralegal career. Write it down. Then make a list of your strengths as a paralegal and as a person. Look for skills that can transfer to being an Independent Paralegal and business owner.
Now write down all the reasons you want to be independent and have your own business. What are your goals for income, lifestyle, and opportunities? Is having a more flexible schedule important to you? Greater earning potential? Freedom to make your own decisions and follow your own vision?
Having a very clear idea of why you want to enhance and advance your paralegal career by owning your own legal services business can give you the confidence and perserverance you’ll need to put in the time and effort it will take to get your business off the ground.
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Gather knowledge
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Doing your research will empower you to make wise decisions. Read books on entrepreneurship, visit websites to learn more about becoming an Independent Paralegal and starting a business, subscribe to industry magazines, and explore online forums to help you learn more about paralegal career opportunities and entrepreneur advice. You can also check out the Divorce With Dignity “peaceful divorce business” website to learn about how legal professionals, including paralegals, can have their own business without having to do everything all on their own.
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Believe in yourself and in your business
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Remember the list of your strengths you made? Review those often to bolster your confidence when you start to question if you can really do this (yes, you can). Remind yourself often of why you want to upgrade your paralegal career, and of the value of your business to those who need your services. Be courageous and focus on moving forward.
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Be flexible
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Be aware that your initial plan for your business may need to be adjusted as you go. Things rarely turn out exactly as we imagined them, in life or in business. The key is to be flexible, and be open to new possibilities. Embrace a optimistic view, but be ready to deal with unexpected turns in your paralegal career path.
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Get a mentor
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A very effective way to overcome the fear of making the leap into entrepreneurship is to talk with someone who understands what you are going through and who can give you advice and encouragement. Find someone to learn from who has been through the process of building a paralegal career as an independent paralegal.
As founder of Divorce With Dignity, I have built a successful paralegal career providing a safe place for people to obtain an amicable divorce with the least amount of stress possible. Having been in business since 1995 as an Independent Paralegal, I have considerable experience in managing a divorce legal services business. Over the years I have honed the components into a system that I use to train other legal professionals who join the Divorce With Dignity Network, enabling them to learn what they need to succeed. I mentor our Network members with initial one-on-one training, and ongoing learning opportunities and support.
If you are interested in learning more about how joining the Divorce With Dignity Network can jumpstart your paralegal career as a divorce legal services business owner, please visit and explore our website.
Remember, you can overcome the inertia caused by fear by preparing yourself, finding a mentor, and developing a plan of action. Don’t delay your dreams any longer!
The author of this blog is not an attorney and the information contained in these blogs should not be considered legal advice. The information provided here is based on the experience of the author and some of her clients whose actual names are not mentioned. Do not hesitate to seek the advice of an attorney if you have any legal questions.
