We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Rhoda Agyeman a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Rhoda thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

Like most aspiring lawyers who apply for enrollment to law school, my reason for pursuing a law degree was “to help people”. I recall once being told by a friend that social workers help people, personal trainers help people; how and who do you want to help? This statement shaped what has now become the foundation of my mission – helping immigrants by empowering them with the knowledge they need to make this land theirs. The saying goes, charity starts at home and at home is where my story begins. I am the daughter of two faith-filled and relentless immigrants. I am originally from Ghana, West Africa and immigrated to the United States over 20 years ago with my family. Even as a child, I was very cognizant of “adult matters” and remember fondly the process my parents went through to make this land- America – theirs. My father, a reverend minister, maneuvered the process of immigration with the limited assistance of an attorney he was fortunate enough to meet. His limited funds were no match for the high cost of legal fees and application fees, so he shouldered most of the process himself. I still recall the day my parents were sworn in as United States citizen, a beautiful conclusion to a long process, yet the beginning of endless opportunities. The ability to work freely without concern for employment authorization; the opportunity to pursue a college degree without worry of eligibility for federal grants; the freedom to exist and pursue dreams without the shadow of deportation looming over me; the access to information that empowered me as a member of society. This feeling, this reality is what I seek to give every immigrant I have the pleasure of representing. My role in helping the immigrant community is more than filing forms; it’s to inform immigrants of their rights and opportunities, educate them on laws and benefits available to them, and to empower them to live fulfilling lives here in this nation. I have become the immigration attorney my parents never had and always needed.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I was born in Ghana, specifically in the city of Tema. I immigrated to the United States at the age of 7 and have lived here since, though I make trips back home occasionally. I am the sister of a younger brother, and the daughter of a reverend minister and an ambitious, fearless nurse. To date my biggest accomplishment is conquering the fear of “what if” and launching my immigration practice in 2019. I have always had the ambition to start a law practice, however for fear of failure, I often dismissed the idea. In 2018 after realizing that I was working to make the dreams of another young attorney come true, I decided to take the leap of faith and start my own practice, with no more than a business certificate from my city and a google voice phone number. Some 3.5 years later, my firm has two offices in Worcester, Massachusetts and Hartford, Connecticut. I have traveled as far west as Seattle, Washington and as far east as Virginia to serve and represent immigrant clients as I accept cases throughout the country. Nearly all the individuals I have the privilege of serving have attained lawful permanent residence or citizenship in this country. Clients often tell me that they believe they were “destined to meet me” or that my firm is “heaven sent”. These statements often reaffirm my decision nearly 4 years ago, to oppose the fear of “what if” with what is- reality. My reality is I get to wake up every morning to do what I love, apply the law to keep families together. At the core of my practice is the humanity of the individual. Every client is someone’s father, mother, sister, brother, daughter, or son. As such, I endeavor to treat every client just as I would want my family member to be attended to; a depiction of the golden rule, treat others as you would like them to treat you.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

I wouldn’t consider myself an individual with a large social media following. If I have any confidence in my social media status, it is in the fact that my followers are individuals who choose to engage with my firm and I intentionally to receive invaluable content.

I built my audience by first assessing myself. As a consumer of social media, what do I seek to gain when I engage with a platform? My first answer was – to receive lighthearted content; however, I noticed that I also turn to social media for some substance occasionally. I prefer substance that is concise, impactful, and relatable. It is on these principles that I established the content my pages provide. People want information in the simplistic of ways. I find that often times, and perhaps in an attempt to seem qualified, some tend to use intimidating and verbose language. I, however, employ the KISS method – keep it short and simple. I also removed the “us vs. them” element and connected with my audience by sharing the behind the scenes of my work, my opinions and feelings on new laws and policies; essentially connecting with my audience, not as an attorney, but as a person. My advice for anyone looking to build an audience is to be yourself! It’s cliché, but it’s true. No one can duplicate you, there’s only one you. Thus, if your brand is YOU, no one can duplicate your brand. Imitate, perhaps, but the original is classic; it never goes out of style.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

Delivering a great client experience. My clients are not merely cases; my clients become family. I come into the lives of these individual as a stranger. Within one consultation, they’ve opened up their lives to share perhaps the most intimate of details; sometimes, things even their closest friends don’t know. When a person becomes that vulnerable, you can’t just see them as another case. People like to share the good experiences they’ve had with close friends. When you deliver quality service and truly commit to caring about the people you serve, they in turn share their experience with others who also want that treatment and care. The key is to be consistent in delivering the same client experience to each individual, though no two clients are the same. If you take care of the clients you have, they will bring you more clients to take care of.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://bethellawusa.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bethellawimmigration/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BethelLawImm
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ragyeman/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC35IIUKd8HKGIaDMJ2YGFlQ