Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Kameron Buckner. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, Kameron 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?
When people think of what defines a lawyer, they immediately think of what they see on tv shows. Generally, society says lawyers are conservative, always dressed in a suit, constantly in and out of the courthouse for trials, mostly men, working at law firms, barely sleeping, stressed, and making hundreds of thousands of dollars. Sure, there are a few doing some of that but that is not the majority. Even taking it a step further, law schools put a lot of pressure on law students to get the best grades, work for the best big law firms and become a partner at that firm someday. However, this completely overlooks so many other amazing career opportunities that come with simply obtaining a Juris Doctorate.
As a black female lawyer leaving the traditional law firm life to build a lane to bridge the gap between law and social media, simply put, I’m paving the way to show others that there’s more than one lane to succeed in the legal profession. No, I may not be the first, but I pride myself in being authentic, genuine, honest, and real. On my YouTube channel “Kameron Monet” I show the raw behind-the-scenes of the good, bad, and ugly through my “Weekly Vlog” series. My goal is to redefine what society generalizes as a lawyer and to inspire and motivate others on their law school journey and entrepreneurship journey. When people come to my platforms, I want them to see that it’s possible to work hard in style but prioritize self-care and travel.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Unlike many other aspiring lawyers, I didn’t grow up always wanting to become a lawyer. Growing up I loved the performing arts, photography and video production. I was in several local plays, school plays, and would record my own at-home short films. I’d say I’ve always been a creative at heart. Fast forward to college, I had to pick a major and felt the pressure of picking a “real career” as people around me put it. Also, during this time, I started my YouTube channel, specifically on October 6, 2014 I uploaded my first YouTube video not realizing this was a step towards my future career. So, I spoke with my academic advisor, who was a lawyer himself, and he told me to take some pre-law classes and check out the mock trial team to see if law was something, I’d be interested in. I took his advice, joined the mock trial team, became a legal assistant at a local law firm, and I was hooked! The same empowering feeling I got on stage, I then got while being in the courtroom.
I received my Bachelor of Science in Political Science and a minor in Criminology from Kennesaw State University in 2015. Upon graduation I took a gap year before going to law school and began my legal journey at Samford University’s Cumberland School of Law in the Fall of 2016.
During this time, I remember searching on Google and YouTube for law school tips and law students showing their day to day lives, but there really wasn’t much out there. So, I picked up my camera and began to vlog my experience, the raw, real, honest truth about law school. I was nervous because my content up to this point was all about hair, makeup, and beauty type videos, but I quickly realized there were other aspiring lawyers out there that wanted to see what it’s really like to be a law student.
3 years later, I graduated from Cumberland School of Law in May of 2019, I took and passed the Alabama Bar Exam in 2019 and began my career as an Associate Attorney practicing Employment Litigation, while simultaneously using social media to create content around fashion, beauty, lifestyle, as well as female professionalism and career building. At this point, the idea of a non-traditional lawyer career path became more and more appealing. So, I quit my 9-to-5 law firm job to live what I call the best of both worlds.
Today, I have built an engaging and organic audience with over 150,000 followers across my platforms @kameronmonet, working with brands from Dove to Ann Taylor to Ulta Beauty. After realizing my social media expertise and license to practice law could provide value for aspiring “Lawyer Influencers”, as well as educate content creators about the power of contracts when signing brand deals; I launched my Influencer Contract Consulting agency, The Legal Tea. I help my fellow creators navigate the legalize of contracts to gain complete understanding and secure higher paid opportunities through my one-on-one contract consulting service, attorney drafted contract template, clarity call service, and more. I also, help my fellow lawyers navigate social media by understanding the importance of having a personal brand online, even as a professional, through my Lawyer Influencer Accelerator course.
Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?
There are many things that have impacted the way I run my business but a book I can always go back to is You Are A Badass by Jen Sincero. I have read this book multiple times and each time I’m more inspired and motivated than the last. There are so many things I love about this book, but my favorite thing is how real and raw it is. Sincero did not sugar coat anything. This book challenged me to look inward and realize that I am so much more powerful than I realize. One of the many quotes from the book that has stuck with me is, “Our entire experience on this planet is determined by how we choose to perceive our reality.” I read that line over and over and thought about the many times I’ve held myself back from running full force towards my passion and purpose because of fear, doubt and what others may think. The mindset shift did not happen overnight but when it did I looked in the mirror and said, “you are a badass.”
Also, my favorite life lesson quote is “What’s for you, is for you.” Being in both the legal profession and the social media industry, it can be difficult not to fall into the comparison game or suffer from imposter syndrome. It’s tough even for someone like me that genuinely finds joy in pouring into others however I can to push them further along their journey. Once I decided to stop focusing on how fast others were meeting their goals or how they would get an opportunity I’d love to have, I realized that I’ve always gotten the opportunities that are perfect for me. I love supporting others on their unique career journeys and no matter how many resources I share with them or how many connections I help others make, what is meant for me, will always be for me. I truly believe that no one can take what God has planned for my life.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
The first thing that came to mind when I read this question was imposter syndrome. As a young new entrepreneur this has been something that still tries to creep up in my mind ever so often but the more experience I have and the more I trust my instincts the easier it is to ignore Ms, Imposter Syndrome haha. Here are 3 of the best words of advice I’ve gotten that have helped me along my journey.
1. It always seems impossible until it’s done.
One of the hardest things about starting something is actually starting it. I can think of many times when I’ve talked myself out of starting something because of the fear of failure and the intimidation of accomplishing a goal that seems impossible. But everyone has to start somewhere. The successful people we are all inspired by, also had to start somewhere. This is why I constantly remind myself to not compare my day 1 to someone else’s day 27. If you would’ve asked me on October 6, 2014 after uploading my first YouTube video if I’d make money from it, let alone build an entire career from it, I would’ve said “that’s impossible.” Today my response: “it’s beyond possible.”
2. Rest is a weapon.
“Rest is a weapon.” One of my trial team coaches (a Judge) would always tell us this, especially close to competition day. He knew how dedicated we were to win and how we’d sacrifice everything, even sleep, to make sure we were beyond prepared for competition. I noticed that this became a habit that poured into other areas of my life. But I quickly realized that wanting success does not mean I have to be tired or overworked. In fact, a rested mind and body will reap more benefits than a tired one.
3. This too shall pass.
My mom has told me this ever since I was little. Whenever I’d get upset about a grade or lost footage from an entire YouTube video or stressed during law school exams or frustrated with a case at work, my mom would remind me “This too shall pass.” Life is constantly changing and evolving, sometimes good and sometimes bad, but one thing we can control is how we respond to the changes that are bound to happen in life. So, no matter what happens I take a moment to call my mom just to hear her say, “This too shall pass.”
Contact Info:
- Website: https://thelegaltea.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kameronmonet/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kameronmbuckner/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/kameronmonet
- Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kameronmonet
Image Credits
All images were taken by me.