Meet Katrina Smith of Smith Legal Solutions

Today we’d like to introduce you to Katrina Smith.

Hi Katrina, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
As a young girl, I was always taught the importance of earning an education so that I could obtain a “good-paying job” with “benefits” and a “retirement plan”.

So that was my primary focus when I obtained a four (4) year college degree in 3 years from North Carolina Central University, obtained a second Bachelor’s of Science degree the following year from the same school, and joined the incoming class at North Carolina Central University School of Law in August of 2006. It is was what motivated me to accept the first and only job offer I received with a small law firm during my second year in law school. And it is what I felt forced me to stay put when the law firm I joined in 2009 introduced me to the concept of “you eat what you kill”. While I was able to gain a lot of hands on experience with that law firm, I jumped into entrepreneurship less than a year after graduating from law school and it has definitely been a bumpy ride

You see, entrepreneurship was scary to me. Mainly because I had mountains of credit card debt, which was accumulated when I was trying to master the “eat what you kill” concept, and I had to somehow guarantee my creditors that I could afford my monthly obligations. Because of my monthly obligations, I worked three full-time jobs for many years as a first-generational attorney and did not fully embrace the path that was uniquely ordained just for me.

After hearing a bunch of No’s and getting rejection letters from countless law firms and governmental agencies, I made the decision five years ago that I was going to stop running and make the best of the cards that I was dealt. Once I stopped running, I begin walking into my purpose. And that purpose was, and still is, to use my training, knowledge, and experience to educate and empower other entrepreneurs on the proper steps in building profitable businesses while protecting their profits from preventable lawsuits, chargebacks, and FTC investigations.

To date, I have personally trained thousands of individuals on how to build a solid legal foundation for their businesses. and have over 19,000 followers on social media. Looking back over my “teachable life lessons”, I stand confident in submitting that everything that I went through prepared me to be a beacon of light to other first generational entrepreneurs. And for that, I’m truly grateful and honored that my battle wounds have been used as a survival guide for other entrepreneurs in building and protecting their future legacies.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Absolutely not!

I am a first generational attorney and I wasn’t raised with a silver spoon in my mouth. I had to quickly learn that despite the fact that I had three degrees and a law license that respect wasn’t freely given… sometimes it’s earned and even when it’s earned, you still have to snatch it. I had to learn the importance of establishing and maintaining standard operating procedures so that I can manage my clients’ expectations while still maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

I had to learn how to be comfortable with wearing many “hats” in my business until I was able to afford to hire help. For many years, I wasn’t just an attorney for Smith Legal Solutions, but I also served as the receptionist, paralegal, bill collector, counselor, therapist, referee, private investigator, and more.

But most importantly, I had to learn that the journey that I was on was not my final destination. It took a while to fully grasp that all my struggles endured were meant to happen so that I can teach others from my mistakes and the mistakes that I’ve seen others make.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Smith Legal Solutions?
Smith Legal Solutions is a safe haven for aspiring and seasoned entrepreneurs. We provide entrepreneurial education, empowerment, and execution strategies via in-person and/or virtual trainings on various social media platforms including but not limited to Facebook and Instagram.

Our most highly sought-after trainings have been based on business building techniques, intellectual property protection, and FTC investigation prevention. What sets us apart from our competitors is that we use culturally relevant materials/information to break down complicated legal concepts and we teach from experience.

We also offer boot camps, workshops, courses, live broadcasts on a wide variety of topics relating to business building, protection, and defense. This is in addition to our intellectual property representation, website reviews, business audits, contract drafting, and legal defense services.

Are there any books, apps, podcasts, or blogs that help you do your best?
The books that I’ve read that have helped inspire me throughout my entrepreneurial journey are 4 Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss, Control Your Mind & Master Your Feelings by Eric Robertson, Think & Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill, The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey, and How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: bit.ly/smithlegal
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/smithlegalsolutions
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/attorneykatrinalsmith

Image Credits
BrandonShotMe and Inezjah Alexander