It's officially summer! Since starting my firm, I've posted updates on or around the official start of each season of the year, marked by a solstice or an equinox. I like to use these official season changes as an opportunity to reflect and plan for the season ahead. The Summer Solstice was on June 20 this year (in the Northern Hemisphere), when the North Pole has its maximum tilt toward the Sun, officially marking the beginning of summer—the sunniest season.
Reflecting on Spring
Reflecting on spring, I'm still working on navigating delegation and growing my firm from a resort town. This is why I'm excited about my expansion into larger cities. Despite these challenges, it's been amazing to continue being involved in and enjoying all that Sandpoint has to offer. This past spring has also been a season full of exciting and rejuvenating travels, as well as celebrations, including my son Arlo's third birthday and my thirty-third birthday, marking another opportunity to celebrate my amazing son and reflect on the past year.
Continuing the Momentum
"Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving." - Albert Einstein
This quote by Albert Einstein resonates with me as I reflect on the past season. Spring has been a busy time. I've kept the balance of growing my business and managing client projects by continually moving forward, which is encouraging to see in retrospect.
Much of the busyness has been in the day-to-day. I've been busier than ever with running the firm and providing legal services to clients. This reminds me of the commitment I made in my previous seasonal post to delegate and find ways to spend more time with my family. It has been easier said than done, and I'm still working on that. I love living in a beautiful, resource-rich resort town with clients throughout the US. It is a luxury in many ways, but it can also be difficult to grow my staff with that setting as my firm's main location.
That's why, speaking of plans for the next season, I'm in the process of establishing locations in Seattle and New York City to more effectively grow my operations and offer more face-to-face meetings with clients based near those hubs.
Other than the day-to-day busyness, which has meant less of an online presence lately, I swore into the Washington State Bar in spring and will be admitted to the New York Bar after swearing in next week.
Spring in Sandpoint
In conjunction with my plans to expand, I’ve enjoyed continuing to get more established in Sandpoint, both professionally and personally. If you haven't visited this area, it’s worth the flight to Spokane and a 90-minute drive from the airport, or perhaps a stop on your way through the Pacific Northwest. This town is a gem. Not only does it have the natural beauty similar to the Tahoe area with an amazing lake and ski resort, but the community is truly one of a kind. Unlike many other resort towns, Sandpoint has preserved a hometown vibe while navigating tourism and inflated property values. The people here are extremely friendly and involved in local causes and opportunities, allowing for communication from both progressive and conservative perspectives. I could keep praising the amazingness of Sandpoint forever, but I’ll save that for future posts.
This spring, my firm hosted another artist for the town's summer art walk, Jaclyn Eckersley. We also attended the Sandpoint Pride Festival fundraising event and donated to the upcoming festival. Additionally, I was able to assist in facilitating another Leadership Sandpoint class by coordinating with local business owners, who provided insights to the current class regarding running successful businesses in a resort town. I have also continued to be very involved as a committee member of a community land trust initiative to bring accessible housing to the folks we need in the area to keep the town healthy, including teachers, hospital staff, policemen, and firefighters. On a personal level, it has been amazing to continue to grow with my local community of friends—who are the most amazing people. Thank you, everyone!
Spring Travels
"Travel brings power and love back into your life." - Rumi
In addition to exploring locally, spring has been filled with both exciting and contemplative trips. I made multiple visits to the Seattle area and several trips to British Columbia, including Vancouver, Victoria, Nelson, and a remote retreat in the Kootenays. I also visited Sun Valley/Ketchum and Boise, Idaho and family in the Kansas City area. These trips have led me to meet new, very close friends, see Vancouver Island from a seaplane, and take time to get centered, providing a break from the day-to-day busyness to regain perspective. Traveling is one of my favorite things, and I’m so thankful for all the people I have met and old friends I have reconnected with while exploring other areas this spring.
Birthday Celebrations
My son, Arlo, turned three this spring, on Earth Day, April 22nd. It has been so fun watching him grow. I may be biased, but I truly believe he may be a genius. He teaches me so much with his sharp mind, inquisitiveness, and fresh perspective. We had multiple celebrations for him in Missouri and with our local community. It is such a blessing to be his father and watch him explore the world.
I also celebrated my thirty-third birthday in June. On the day of my birthday, I was in Boise attending a business and corporate law conference with a focus on AI. Call me a nerd, but I was happy to spend my birthday at a continuing legal education event. I loved being in a room and connecting with like-minded attorneys and people at the forefront of AI and the law. I had a late celebration with a group of friends after going to a five-day retreat in British Columbia. The retreat was a perfect way to reflect and give myself some care as I mark a new year.
5. Parting Note
I'm so thankful for all that this last season has brought, and I'm excited for the upcoming summer. It will be filled with more experiences and even a trip to Europe. I realize that I get personal with these updates. I like to get personal. I'm an open book. I don't think it is a common theme in professional settings, but we are all humans, and business is human. So is the practice of law, running a startup, and deciding how to plan an estate.
I wish you all an amazing summer, and I hope your spring brought you many blessings as well. Until next time!
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