Today we’d like to introduce you to Dayna Thomas, Esq.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
The idea of being a lawyer started at a very young age. When I was a little girl, I would always hear my family say, “Dayna’s going to be a lawyer.” I’m sure it was because of my sass and the fact that I always wanted to negotiate and get my point across. As a kid, I was heavily involved in the performing arts. I was a professional dancer, trained in tap, ballet, jazz, and modern dance, performed at church and in plays, and even auditioned for Broadway. As I got older, I became more interested in business and law, but I didn’t want to abandon my love for the arts – so I married the two and pursued entertainment law.
When I started law school, I was completely focused on being an entertainment lawyer. At first, I was doing what everyone else was doing. Trying to get the best grades I could so that I could work for a big law firm. In an effort to build an attractive résumé, I interned for several firms, all of which were at boutique law firms and solo practices. I saw how much flexibility they had and how happy they were in their careers. I witnessed how much control they had over their work, and how influential they were amongst their peers and community. That’s when I knew that I would start my own law firm. Not only because of how much I admired the lifestyle of the lawyers I worked for; but also because I was giving them ideas on how to make their business better. And one day it hit me, “Why am I building someone else’s business when I could just do this for myself?”
Halfway through law school, I decided that I was going to start my own law firm, RIGHT OUT OF LAW SCHOOL. Of course, everyone thoughtI was crazy and tried to talk me out of it. But I ignored the pessimism and pursued the passion that I truly believed God put in my heart. I was so committed to my goal, that I didn’t apply to any jobs before or after graduation. No back-up plan. No plan B. I was going to make it work, no matter what.
While planning my law firm launch, I fell so in love with entrepreneurship, that I decided to add it to my practice areas so that I could help other people who want to start their own business. Shortly after passing the Bar, I opened The Law Office of Dayna Thomas, LLC practicing entertainment and entrepreneurship law, and got my first client on my first day open.
Now, three years into practice, I have built a six-figure law firm and enjoy the blessing of being able to work from home, the beach, or anywhere else. I’ve been named one of Georgia Trend’s Legal Elite, just two years after starting my firm, and have represented GRAMMY award-winning and multi-platinum recording artists, along with negotiating deals with major networks such as OWN, MTV, VH1, BET, E!, A&E, WE tv, and FOX. I am also the author of Entrepreneur’s Guide To Building A Solid Legal Foundation, a legal handbook for new entrepreneurs, which is also the required text for the legal course in Strayer University’s MBA program.
But all of that didn’t come easy! It took a lot of strategies, commitment, faith, and not to mention, I became a first-time mom the year after I launched my firm. Although unexpected, God makes no mistakes. Having my son, Kamden, gave me the structure and the “why” that I needed to soar.
I truly believe that if you have a passion in your heart, then it’s for a reason. I remember that I had very few resources when I was starting my own law firm and had to figure just about everything out on my own. Which is why I created and launched an online course in 2019 for new lawyers who want to start their own law firm – The Entrepreneurship Attorney Bootcamp (www.sixfigurefirm.com). At my core, I believe that “Knowledge alone is not power. The sharing of our knowledge is when knowledge becomes powerful.”
I thank God quite often that I had the courage to follow my dreams, and I’ve built my career on educating, inspiring, and helping others who want to do the same. My clients and community have nicknamed me “The Entrepreneurship Fairy Godmother” and I wear that name with the utmost pride and gratitude.
Has it been a smooth road?
Becoming a business owner, whether it’s a law firm or any other business, is no easy task. Early on, it took a lot of faith and courage to actually act on the business and marketing ideas I had. My way of promoting my law firm was very non-traditional. I relied heavily on social media, and in the beginning, it seemed like no one was paying attention. Now, years into my practice, I get DM’s on a regular basis from people telling me how much my posts have inspired them over the years.
It was also hard for me to start hiring others when my firm started to grow. I am so hands-on with my business and I handle my clients and their needs with the utmost care, so delegating tasks was a challenge. But I quickly learned that there is no way that I can do it ALL, and continue to grow.
Being a single mom is naturally a challenge to running a business. There have been times when I’ve had to hold my son while on a phone consultation, hoping that the client couldn’t tell. Times when I’ve had to cancel all of my appointments and postpone work for days so that I can tend to him while he was sick. And nights when I’ve had to stay up really late to finish work after putting him to bed. But honestly, I wouldn’t have it any other way. Having a child makes all of the work and success worthwhile.
We’d love to hear more about your work.
The Law Office of Dayna Thomas, LLC collaborates with clients not only as legal counsel but also as a business and branding advisor. My firm’s mission is to ensure that your creative property is protected and to assist you in making your vision for a “be your own boss” lifestyle a reality.
We focus on assisting entrepreneurs and entertainers in reaching their goals, protecting their businesses, and building strong personal and professional brands.
My firm handles everything from a business entity and non-profit formation, operating agreements and bylaws, contract drafting and negotiation, investor relations and funding, trademarks and brand protection, copyright registrations, product/brand licensing, pre-litigation business disputes, and more.
I am most proud of the fact that the brand that the public perceives about my company and me as an attorney is spot-on accurate. I feel like it’s my life’s mission to help create more entrepreneurs, and it’s my firm’s standard to go the extra mile to educate and serve our clients. When clients reach out to me for the first time, they often compliment me on my story and how I integrate my faith so strongly into my practice. So much of entrepreneurship is faith and encouragement, and my clients know that we are a family and I have their backs!
I’ve set myself apart from other lawyers by focusing on educating and inspiring my audience. Pursuing entrepreneurship is a big decision, and to be successful, it takes a lot of strategies, planning, and self-education. I give away so much free information, to encourage entrepreneurs and help educate them on what they need to know to have a strong foundation in business. With most of my clients, I am the first lawyer they’ve ever talked to. I am proud of that because somewhere along the line, I said or taught them something that made them believe that they are worth investing in – and they are!
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Atlanta has definitely been a major factor in the success of my business. It’s a city that thrives on collaboration and excellence. The variety of networking events helped so much when I first launched my firm and the city offers a lot of encouragement and resources for people with a dream. It also helps that Atlanta is full of entertainers and entrepreneurs, which is the audience that my law firm focuses on. I am originally from New York, and I honestly believe that things would have been different (and not for the better) if I started in New York rather than Atlanta.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.daynathomaslaw.com
- Email: dayna@daynathomaslaw.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/daynathomaslaw
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/daynathomaslaw
- Other: www.sixfigurefirm.com
Image Credit:
Mike Smith/Shots by Mike
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