Welcome to Episode 47 of the Indie Business Podcast! In this episode, I'll introduce you to Andrea Hence Evans, Esq. of The Law Firm of Andrea Hence Evans outside my fabulous hometown of Washington, DC. (Sorry for calling it episode 46 in the podcast recording.) As you'll hear on this episode, as a former practicing attorney myself, I was excited to meet Andrea on Twitter several years ago. Since then, our professional relationship has blossomed into one of my most valued personal friendships.
Andrea is a member of the Indie Business Network and an an intellectual property attorney who specializes in helping entrepreneurs secure and manage their rights to patents, trademarks and copyrights. She is a former attorney with the US Patent & Trademark Office, and she literally started her business with two weeks notice and a new laptop. Andrea is a frequent speaker at entrepreneurial conferences and events, and has addressed my #IndieCruise Mastermind retreat as well. You'll enjoy our wide-ranging conversation, including how Andrea manages to successfully integrate life and business and how we treasure the freedom, flexibility, and fun that comes along with entrepreneurship. Enjoy my interview with Andrea NOW!
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Episode Show Notes
- The story behind Andrea's creation of her practice. (starting at 2:17)
- How Andrea “prepared” to quit her job and strike out on her own as an intellectual property attorney. (starting at 6:46)
- Andrea on the importance of your professional social network. (starting at 8:35)
- How Andrea successfully integrates her life as an entrepreneur with her personal life. (starting at 12:28)
- Missteps entrepreneurs make when it comes to intellectual property, and how to fix them. (starting at 15:10)
- You don't know what you don't know. (starting at 17:24)
- Andrea shares her take on your entrepreneurial mindset. (starting at 18:37)
- How Andrea manages her firm with assistants and people who work on an “as needed contract” basis. (starting at 22:26)
- How Andrea approaches day-to-day life as a parent and a business leader, including time management ideas and the importance of delegation. (starting at 24:06)
- The hardest decision you can make as a new entrepreneur who is holding down a full-time job. (starting at 29:16)
- The freedom and flexibility of entrepreneurship. (starting at 31:40
- It only takes on “yes.” (starting at 33:53
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Andrea Hence Evans, Esq., The Law Firm of Andrea Hence Evans
Three Actions You Can Take Right Now
At the Indie Business Network, we are not just about listening and being inspired. We are also about thinking carefully about what we hear, and then taking action, because nothing happens without it! Here are 3 actions you can consider taking right now based on my interview with Andrea.
- Learn what you don't know: Andrea pointed out the critical point that, when you start any new endeavor, you don't know what you don't know. This means that you don't even know what questions to ask when you first launch a business. The bottom line though is that you have to make it your business to ask questions s you can figure it out as you go. Ask Google, ask local professionals, ask entrepreneurs in fields outside your own. This is the only way to gather the knowledge you need on an ongoing basis to keep yourself and your business strong and successful.
- Delegate: Andrea has set up her business so she has someone to answer calls and manage her schedule, someone to help her with social media, and professional contractors to help her with client work. You may not need help in those specific areas, but it is important for you to figure out where you do need help, and then go and find. You can start a business as the chief cook and bottle washer, but you cannot grow one that way.
- Return phone calls: Andrea has sometimes solidified new business not because of the merits of her service (which are clearly considerable), but simply because she returned a call ad someone else did not. You never know who is calling you, and yes, sometimes, a phone call comes to nothing. But there is probably no less expensive way to earn a new customer than to return their phone call … so there's really no excuse not to do it.
Explore Additional Resources
Visit The Law Firm of Andrea Hence Evans, LLC
Call Andrea's office: 301-497-9997
Social media: Facebook; Periscope
Intellectual property rights: US Patent & Trademark Office
Entrepreneurial retreat: #IndieCruise
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