We recently connected with Ilona Anderson and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Ilona, thanks for joining us today. Let’s jump into the story of starting your own firm – what should we know?
My journey to starting Carpe Diem Law Firm wasn’t exactly traditional. After a decade as a founding partner in another firm, I found myself starting completely fresh – a situation I hadn’t planned for when the partnership buyout didn’t materialize as expected.
The main steps were both practical and psychological.
Practical Steps:
– Setting up business infrastructure
– Establishing a virtual office presence
– Building a website and online presence
– Setting up practice management software
– Rebranding myself as I’ve adjusted my practice areas
Key Challenges:
– Starting with very little capital
– Building a client base from scratch
– Managing time between client work and firm development
– Creating systems while handling cases
– Solidifying my vision for my firm
– Balancing growth with family responsibilities
The biggest challenge? Mindset. Going from an established practice to starting over required tremendous mental resilience and faith in my abilities.
Looking back, I would have:
– Started building my personal brand earlier
– Invested more in systems from day one
– Been more selective with initial clients
– Trusted my intuition more often
– Built stronger boundaries around my time
Advice for young professionals considering their own firm:
– Build your network before you need it
– Create systems before you’re overwhelmed
– Focus on sustainable growth over quick wins
– Invest in professional development
– Remember that perfect timing doesn’t exist
Most importantly, understand that starting your own firm isn’t just about legal expertise – it’s about becoming a business owner. The sooner you embrace this dual role, the better positioned you’ll be for success.
The key is to stay focused on your long-term vision while remaining flexible about the path to get there. Sometimes what looks like a setback is actually setting you up for something better.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I’m an attorney with nearly two decades of legal experience. My journey has taken me from BigLaw to founding my own firms, but what truly shapes my practice is my understanding of both sides of every story.
At Carpe Diem Law Firm, we serve a unique dual mission:
For Employees:
We fight for workplace rights, handling cases of discrimination, harassment, wage disputes, and wrongful termination. Having represented countless employees, I understand how workplace injustice can impact not just careers, but lives.
For Businesses:
We help entrepreneurs protect their intellectual property through trademark registration and related services. We also help employers build legally-compliant teams. My experience representing employees gives me unique insight into preventing workplace issues before they arise and solving them if they arise.
What sets us apart is our holistic approach. We don’t just solve legal problems – we aim to prevent them. Whether it’s protecting a brand before someone else claims it or establishing solid workplace policies before issues arise, we focus on proactive solutions rather than reactive fixes.
I’m most proud of building a practice that aligns with my values. Being a mother of three, a second-degree black belt, an amateur tennis player, a traveler, and an an avid reader and meditator has taught me that success doesn’t require choosing between personal and professional fulfillment. It requires creating harmony between them.
What I want potential clients to know:
• We understand legal issues are often personal struggles
• We believe in prevention over litigation
• We focus on practical solutions, not just legal theory
• We see opportunities where others see obstacles
Our firm name, Carpe Diem, reflects our philosophy: seize opportunities to protect what matters before issues arise. Whether you’re an employee seeking justice or an entrepreneur building your dream, we’re here to help you create the future you envision.
The legal world can be intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. We make complex legal concepts accessible and actionable, empowering our clients to make informed decisions about their rights and futures.
Our mission is to make legal protection accessible, practical, and aligned with our clients’ goals – whether that’s fighting for employee rights or building legally sound businesses.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
I would say that my most significant pivot came in 2012 when I was five months pregnant with my first child. I had a stable, lucrative position at a prestigious law firm, but I was facing a crossroads that many professional women encounter: how to balance career ambitions with family life.
When I approached my employer about flexible work arrangements to accommodate my upcoming role as a mother, the answer was clear: if they made an exception for me, they’d have to do it for everyone. This was pre-Covid, pre-Zoom, when remote work was still seen as a privilege rather than a possibility.
That’s when I made a decision that many called crazy: I left my secure job to start my own firm while expecting my first child.
The conventional wisdom said:
– Wait until after the baby
– Build more savings first
– Don’t risk stability now
– Play it safe
But sometimes the “safest” choice isn’t the right one.
Starting a law firm while pregnant taught me invaluable lessons:
– The best time for change is when you’re ready, not when others think you should be
– Necessity drives innovation
– Work-life integration is possible when you design it yourself
– Traditional paths aren’t the only paths to success
This pivot laid the foundation for everything that followed – building a successful practice, earning recognition as one of the country’s fastest-growing law firms, and eventually founding Carpe Diem Law Firm.
Looking back, what seemed like a risky move was actually the first step toward creating a life and career on my own terms.
Sometimes the bravest thing you can do is trust your instincts, even when (especially when) everyone else thinks you’re crazy.
Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?
I’ve read (or listened to on Audible) hundreds of books that have impacted me. At this particular moment, my top book recommendations for lawyer-entrepreneurs would be (in no particular order):
1. “Unscripted” by MJ DeMarco
2. “Feel Free to Prosper” by Marilyn Jenett
3. “The King of Growth” by Luis Scott
4. “Law Firm Growth Accelerator” by Bill Houser & Andrew Stickel
5. “Fireproof” by Mike Morse
6. “Profit First” by Mike Michalowicz
7. “Profit First for Lawyers” by RJon Robins
8. “The E-myth Attorney” by Michael Gerber
9. “The Power of a System” by John H. Fisher
10. “The Automatic Marketing Machine” by RJon Robins
11. “Traction” by Gino Wickman
12. “The Road Less Stupid” by Keith Cunningham
13. “Essentialism” by Greg McKeown
14. “The Compound Effect” by DARREN HARDY
15. “The War of Art” by Steven Pressfield
16. “Deep Work” by Cal Newport
17. “Principles” by Ray Dalio
18. “Extreme Ownership” by Jocko Willink
19. “Work Clean” by Dan Charnas
20. “Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself” by Dr Joe Dispenza
21. “The Go Giver” by Bob Burg
22. “The 5am Club” by Robin Sharma
23. “The Almanac of Naval Ravikant” by Eric Jorgenson
24. “Who Not How” by Dan Sullivan
25. “The Five Dysfunctions of a Team” by Patrick Lencioni
26. “Buy Back Your Time” by Dan Martell
27. “The Art of Focus” by Dan Koe
28. “The One Thing” by Gary Keller
29. “Screw It, Let’s Do It” by Sir Richard Branson
30. “You, Inc.” by Harry Beckwith
Of course, the best investment isn’t just reading these books – it’s implementing their lessons.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://carpediemlawfirm.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carpediemlawyer
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CarpeDiemLawFirm
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ilona-anderson
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/CarpeDiemLawyer
- Other: Substack: https://carpediemlife.substack.com
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