Today we’d like to introduce you to Ali Awad.
Hi Ali, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My dad immigrated to the U.S. in the early 90s on a temporary work visa. He was an engineer and he picked up different jobs working at plants, helping them to increase efficiency by upgrading their machinery designs. Being that my dad didn’t have citizenship, we lived in a state of constant fear that he would get deported. We never really knew our rights and we didn’t want to explore our potential rights because we were essentially afraid of the law.
Eventually, my dad decided to open up a mechanic shop in Dalton, GA, which is where I grew up. I was seven years old changing tires, conducting basic tuneups, and even selling used cars. As we got older, my brothers and I decided to move away from mechanic work and open up a business selling car audio. We saved up $2,000 and opened Joker’s Audio in the little shed that was attached to our house. Ultimately, Joker’s Audio ended up being pretty successful and one of my brothers still runs that business today.
But honestly, I realized it wasn’t for me. I wanted something bigger than just selling car audio and wheels. When I was in college, my brother was preparing to go to law school. He was really into being an attorney and I thought there could be an opportunity there for me as well. I applied and ended up getting accepted to Georgia State University. It wasn’t until well into my second year that I decided to go into personal injury. Personal injury was attractive to me because I could see in real-time how it could change people’s lives.
After graduating from law school, I worked for a small firm for about a year and a half to learn the ins and outs. And then February 2017, I quit that job and started my law firm from the trunk of my car. Within just a couple of years, I’ve built a multi-million dollar practice with dozens of employees. To be honest, a lot of my success was fueled by my social media content.
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?
At 19, I started a wholesale car audio business. A company in New Orleans reached out and placed an order for $15,000. I drove the equipment to New Orleans and received payment without any issues. The same company placed another order for $25,000 worth of equipment. I delivered the equipment and when I tried to deposit the checks they gave me, the bank said they were from an account that had already been closed. I called the company and asked them to send another form of payment. They said new checks were on the way, but weeks went by and I didn’t receive anything. I called them again and told them, “If you’re not going to pay me, I’ll come to get my stuff back.” They told me, “Come back here and we’ll put a bullet in your head.” That was a huge wake-up call for me. I realized I didn’t want to be in that car audio business anymore. And I definitely wanted to work in an industry where I’m compensated for the work that I do.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
I am Ali Awad and I get my clients #Awadofmoney!
I run a multi-million dollar personal injury firm in Atlanta. We settle cases nationwide. What sets us apart is number one, our social media presence. I am the most followed personal injury lawyer on Instagram (@ceolawyer).
But beyond that, the thing that I am most proud about is the team we’ve assembled over the years. We have a fantastic team at Ali Awad Law. I’ve always believed that it’s better to have one rockstar employee over three mediocre employees. So when you have 40 great employees, you can beat the people that have over a hundred regular employees. And even though we work from home, whenever we’re able to meet in person, we all get along really well.
I want the VoyageATL readers to know that what you see on social media is not even 1% of what’s happening behind the scenes. There is no such thing as an overnight success. Most of the time you spend 10 to 15 years to get that 10 or 15 minutes of fame. And every successful person that I know has spent years, if not decades, becoming the absolute best at what they do. Even at this point in my career, it’s still a continuous level of improvement. If anything, I’m working harder, studying harder.
How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
1) Follow me on social media @ceolawyer and engage with my content. It’s very beneficial for viewers to tell me what they like or dislike about my content so that we can continue to improve.
2) If you or anyone you know has been in an accident, reach out to me or my team. Even if you’re just looking for personal injury legal advice, hit me up.
3) If you’re looking for an opportunity to work with me or my firm, we’re always accepting resumes. Whether you want to work for the law firm or even my media company, we’re always looking for people to invest in. Send a proposal to careers@aliawadlaw.com
Contact Info:
- Email: aliawadlaw@gmail.com
- Website: https://ceolawyer.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ceolawyer/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ceolawyer/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/ceolawyer?lang=en
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCozskllS_cusI_DhLPoOXQA
