We recently connected with Angie Avard Turner, J.D., LL.M. and have shared our conversation below.

Angie Avard, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear about the early days of establishing your own firm. What can you share?

I began my firm representing creative entrepreneurs as a pivot away from being a creative entrepreneur. I had been an attorney since 2001, however I did not begin practice immediately. I took a 10 year detour to begin a creative business of my own. After running that for 10 years, it became apparent that our family needed both parents to be at home rather than traveling the country exhibiting at trade shows. So, when it became time to pivot, I began researching how to begin a law firm and what areas would make most sense for me to practice.

I invested in a course taught by an attorney in New York City. She taught me how to niche down and really focus on a specific area. I will always remember her asking me, “who have you been hanging out with for the past ten years; do you have an email list?” I told her I had been hanging around creatives and that I had a substantial email list. She exclaimed, “Those are YOUR people. That is who you build the practice around.” It was definitely an a-ha epiphanal moment. In a flash, dozens of memories of trade show conversation flooded my mind of talking to other creative peers at the those shows. When they discovered I was an attorney, I had the same 5-7 repeated questions regarding copyrights, trademarks, contracts, licensing, and employment issues. At the time, I wasn’t interested in talking about the law; I was trying to just take care of my own little creative endeavors. However, when I was pointed in that direction by this attorney, it became “crystal clear,” and I never looked back. Now, my firm is celebrating 10 years of representing and protecting small businesses across many creative industries.

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.

QUICK FACTS

• Grew up in Thomasville, GA
• Graduate from Furman University, B.A. Political Science
• Graduated from Western Michigan University, Cooley Law School, J.D.
• Graduated from Western Michigan University, Cooley Law School, LL.M in Intellectual Property, cum laude
• Married my high school sweetheart
• Have 3 super cool kiddos
• Has a love of green, in any shade; pattern, the bigger, the better; chocolate, dark, of course; Diet Coke, light ice; DIY projects; reading, needlepoint, travel, and the beach.

I am an attorney with a fancy for all things patterned with a punch of piping hot color. After almost 20 years in retail, 10 years in wholesale, and 5 years in licensing, I decided to give the people what they were asking for—an attorney who was familiar with the needs of the creative entrepreneurs. I don’t just represent those in creative industries, I’m part of it. As a designer, artist, author, and entrepreneur, I understand the legal needs of creative businesses because I have owned and operated one.

I have always loved being creative; since I started Hype Strype in 2003, when people learned I was an attorney too, they were very quick to ask all sorts of legal questions pertaining to running a creative business. I also knew if I practiced law it would never be in a conventional brick and mortar, “law office” setting. So now I combine both of my loves—creative entrepreneurship and law.

My goal is to provide outstanding service by giving sound legal advice and helping clients protect their business interests. I believe clients deserve great service, that your attorney should be part of your business resources team (just like your accountant or banker), and last, the legal advice you receive should be easy to understand.

In addition to practicing business law and intellectual property law for creatives, I am a business consultant for creative businesses. I helps them devise a strategic plan for launching, marketing, and establishing a solid business foundation for their creative endeavors. I am also a contributing writer to GIFT SHOP Magazine, and several other blogs. One of my favorite things to do is teach, so I am also a frequent speaker and presenter at various conferences where creative entrepreneurs can be found.

Recently, I obtained my LL.M. (stands for Master in Laws) in Intellectual Property. This advanced degree allows me to handle more complex issues pertaining to Copyright, Trademark, Licensing, Entertainment, E-Commerce, and Social Media law.

What’s next ? Even as I continue to build my law practice, I have launched another business, called Gracious Counsel, an online platform with business resources, including attorney drafted contracts for creatives. On that platform, I will provide business coaching on business relationships, as I have become a Certified Ennneagram Coach. I am in the final stages of also finishing my first devotional for creatives, Gracious Counsel, Earlier this year, we launched The Angie Avard Turner Show that releases 2 episodes a week called, Quick Question and Gracious Counsel. Additionally, we have a monthly webinar series called SideBar Webinar.

So you may be wondering how I decided on such a specific niche for my law practice. Well, here’s a little background on the company I began in 2003

HYPE STRYPE:
Hype Strype was a retail and wholesale company featuring my designs. Along with my husband, Steven, we built a 7 figure business based on strong designs, personal service, and forging relationships with each customer…but keep reading…to find out how it really began!

So what do you get when you cross a young creative piano playing, architecture drawing, furniture designer who just happened to be, at the time, the Mayor from Mayberry (not really, Pelham, Georgia, but they do only have three stop lights) and a pattern fanatical, color crazy, aspiring designer-of-something author and lawyer? Easy right? HYPE STRYPE! But not right away….It has been a journey.

After enduring K5 through high school together, we finally took the plunge and became more than “just friends.” we dated for seven and a half years through countless phone calls, letter writing (on some pretty boring looking paper), weekend visits to each others’ respective colleges, and holidays spent at home with their families in their native Southwest Georgia. Steven attended High Point University where he received degrees in business, marketing and interior designs. I attended Furman University where I received my bachelor’s degree in Political Science. Our relationship survived college papers, exams, rushing sororities and fraternities, and that was only during the undergraduate years.

Following graduation, Steven moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan to pursue another degree in Furniture Design. During this time, I moved to Lansing, Michigan to pursue my law degree, all the while thinking that there was some kind of business I wanted to begin. Finally, the day came—the wedding. We became an official pair. At that time, Steven was working for Hekman Furniture as their Design Coordinator, and I was completing my first law degree at Western Michigan University, Thomas Cooley Law School.

A year later we made the decision to move back home to Southwest Georgia. For the first few years we searched and prayed and prayed and searched. Each of us was trying to determine what they should be doing professionally. Finally, in 2004, Hype Strype was born after I attended one of those “no-gifts-please” (yeah, right) birthday luncheons.

Conflicted over whether to take something but nothing too nice, I threw together some designs I had been working on. At the luncheon, of course everyone brought a gift. However, the gifts weren’t supposed to be opened then, were they? Much to my horror the gifts were opened. I was asked to fill orders on the spot. And the girls who asked just told me to design something, anything. So that’s where it all began.

After researching a bit more, we found that there was a niche to be filled.
We recognized the need for “quick- pick- up gifts” that register a 10 on the “cuteness scale” while barely making a dent in the customer’s bank account. After over 2000 retail customers in 44 states, Hype Strype has changed from strictly wholesale to include retail and licensing.

Why the name Hype Strype? We are a Christian based company who believe firmly in the verse Isaiah 53:5. It says, “…by His stripes, we are healed…” From that, we decided to name our business Hype (for our crazy life) and Strype (for the importance that Christ plays in our life and our business).

Life in Pelham is a bit fuller now with two daughters and a son, Savannah, Meredith Camille, and Simeon. However, I wouldn’t have it any other way! When not tending to business and law, you can find me hanging out with her husband, family, and friends; working in her church; reading a good book; baking something chocolate; creating a design; or taking a much needed NAP!

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

Without a doubt, meeting people where they are. Nobody cares about what you know, until you can demonstrate to them that you care about them. When I meet other creatives, I want to hear about them, what they are creating, what are they doing, what issues do they have, and what are their sticking points.

I am a firm believer that people buy from people, even legal services. So my goal is always to build relationships, create connections, and serve others with quality legal and business content. I believe if I can do that, then the business will come, and it has (she says with a wink)!

Another strategy I have used to build my practice, is to keep things simple. Law, for those who do not deal with it everyday, is intimidating and anxiety producing, so my goal is to distill my advice and counsel so that a teenager could understand what I am saying. To that end, I keep my process simple too. I offer flat fee billing, so that the client knows up front what the costs are. As a former small business owner, I always appreciated when I could know what something might cost upfront. I could look at my budget and determine how that expense might fit. That is what I try to do for my clients as well.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

There are two things that I believe have built my reputation within my market. It may sound a little strange coming from any attorney. The first thing is I try to connect people, whether they become a client or not. I have built many contacts over the last twenty plus years. I would have given anything to have had a mentor or a close contact that could have connected me. So, I try to do that for others. I am highly intentional about who I connect because I want it to be a win for each person. When that happens, everyone moves forward in their entrepreneurial journey. I get great satisfaction out of seeing the connections made. The second is showing kindness to others. When I have a prospective client, whether they convert or not, I want to show them the utmost kindness, in my words and in the time that I spend with them. Why? Because I want them to not be afraid or worried about the law; I want them to face their legal issues. The best way to get a prospective client or client to do this is for me to be approachable. When I can show that kind of empathy to them, then they begin to trust me and the advice and counsel I give. My ultimate goal, whether the person on the other end becomes a client or not, is to be helpful. At the end of the day, if I have done that, then I have done my job, and I call it a good day.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.angieavardturnerlaw.com
• Instagram: @angieavardturnerlaw
• Linkedin: @angieavardturnerlaw
• Other: Instagram: @angieavardturnershow @getgraciouscounsel