Laura Cowan on Making the Best of Career Changes, Marketing that Differentiates and How to Go on Your Own

Today’s guest on Beyond Billables is a professional with an exciting hybrid skill set similar to what we often advocate on the podcast. Laura Cowan is a New York-based entrepreneur who is a qualified public accountant and lawyer, a rare CPA-JD combo. Her career spans the fields of investment banking, accounting, estate law and, of course, opening her own business. In our conversation, we chatted about many things - big career transitions, the benefits of being good with numbers, gaps that exist in legal staffing and organizational structures, the pros and cons of entrepreneurship, and how to face your fears. We also touched on the practical elements of Laura’s business, her marketing efforts, the things she didn’t expect and the practical challenges that came up and what she did about them. Listen to the full episode to hear things like:   Estate planning in a US context Laura’s transition from investment banking to law The benefits of business coaching How Laura has attracted clients The high cost over associate turnover (and what to do about it) The ‘elephant in the room’ of attorney staffing Laura’s use of technology in her practice Dealing with bumps in the road Laura’s advice to younger professionals   Links: Laura Cowan - Linkedin Laura Cowan - website