Runners-Up: $5,000 each

The Cloud Law Firm PLLC - NY

In 2021, I quit my job and moved to New York City to follow a dream I'd had since I was 17 years old - to start my own law firm. I come from a long line of entrepreneurs, including watching my mother run her own beauty salon for over 20 years. I watched my mother go through the ups and downs of entrepreneurship – some of the downs were attributed to a lack of resources and support.

When I decided to go to law school, I knew that I wanted to work with entrepreneurs because I understood how much information and resources are lacking for them. I learned this even more when I worked at the U.S. Small Business Administration and helped with relief for small business owners during the onset of the COVID-19 outbreak.

In 2022, I started The Cloud Law Firm to support and empower small business owners by ensuring they have the legal foundation necessary to run and sustain a successful business. Starting a business in one of the most competitive and expensive cities in the country during a global pandemic was risky, but I was committed to the dream I had when I was just a teenager.

Most people think all lawyers are rich, but since I work with small business owners, if they aren’t making money, one of the last people they are going to want to pay is their lawyer. With the turn of the economy, I began to second-guess whether I had made the right decision in quitting my cushy job and starting my own business to help entrepreneurs.

Instead of quitting and looking for a job, I decided to host a free legal pop-up clinic for entrepreneurs in my local community to assist struggling entrepreneurs who were in need of support with their businesses. I also hosted numerous free and low-cost webinars to empower entrepreneurs with the information they need to build sustainable businesses and brands that will build generational wealth for them and their families.

With every clinic, webinar, panel, and consultation I participated in, I would see light bulbs go on as the entrepreneurs started to connect the dots on how they could ensure the success of their business through the tools and information I shared. Witnessing this let me know that I was on the right path and had to persevere even though I was struggling to pay my own bills.

I also started offering services on payment plans and now offer financing. This allows my clients the flexibility they need to secure their business and their brand on terms that fit their specific situation.

As an entrepreneur, myself, I have a better understanding of the struggles and triumphs that my clients face and I can relate to them on a level that I hadn’t been able to before. Seeing my clients’ success and knowing that I had a small role to play in their success is what keeps me going no matter what obstacle I face.