Today we’d like to introduce you to Casey Handy-Smith.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I grew up in a very musically inclined family so naturally, I always wanted to do something with music growing up. Initially, I wanted to take my classical piano training and become a professional songwriter.
However, once I got to college and started taking courses in music business, I realized that there was a lack of diverse representation for often exploited minority talent and influencers. So I decided to take my love for the arts and my natural analytical abilities to pursue a legal career in the entertainment industry. (It definitely helped that my music business professor was an accomplished entertainment attorney!)
I always knew I wanted to work for myself and determine my own destiny, so all throughout college and law school, I operated under that pretense. I clerked in various legal settings and got experience drafting contracts, handling negotiations, filing trademark/copyright registrations, among many other areas of entertainment and general business law.
Early in my law practice (I started my own law firm in 2015), I was asked to speak at a local bloggers conference about intellectual property concerns for bloggers and was soon thrust (in a good way!) into the world of online media. I quickly fell in love with space and started working with online influencers (bloggers, podcasters, coaches, etc.) and creatives who utilize the online space to create community, build platforms, and leverage opportunities.
I’ve even incorporated a similar business model for my law practice. I now operate primarily virtual, so I’m able to serve clients nationwide and provide resources (informational podcast and downloadable contract templates) for those needing legal support on a wider scale.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Nothing in life is smooth, especially when you’re building a business in purpose. I’ve made a lot of mistakes in business (and lost a lot of money!), but I’ve grown to learn that making mistakes and testing ideas is just a part of the process.
Unfortunately, law school doesn’t teach you anything about running a business and very little about managing a law firm. So when I first started my business, I was taking in a lot of information, confiding in a lot of mentors, and attending every event possible. This strategy proved to not only be a waste of time but left me in a state of confusion most times.
I had to learn (the hard way) to remove all the noise. Get centered with my vision and purpose, surround myself with people who were building businesses and lifestyles the way I wanted to build my own. And most importantly, to trust the calling and the process even when it gets super scary and is a bit outside the box.
Please tell us about C. Handy Law, PLLC.
C. Handy Law is a boutique entertainment and digital media law firm. We serve online influencers, thought leaders, and creators in negotiating pivotal contracts. We help to alleviate the fear and overwhelm that comes with pursuing big opportunities and signing deals that our clients may not understand. We pride ourselves on achieving quick yet favorable results for clients, and always striving to be deal makers, not deal breakers.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
I would have sought out successful business owners outside of my industry who were growing and scaling the type of business I aspire to build. I spent a lot of time relying on antiquated ideas of what an attorney should be and what a law firm should look like.
Not realizing that many attorneys have no work-life balance, and dislike the work they do. If I could start over, I would have embraced that I’m different, my business is different, and there really is no blueprint for what I’m building.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.chandylaw.com
- Phone: (832) 987-4294
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/contractcasey/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/handysmithesq/
Image Credit:
Bryson Gamble
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