Last week I eagerly downloaded my 2023 Spotify wrapped. It revealed that I am particularly retro and developed a love for Talking Heads this year. Apart from those observations, it got me thinking about what a Ready to Boss Legal wrapped post would look like. At first, I imagined a flash of the templates most downloaded. But honestly, that is only of interest to me. What is of interest is the business changes I have made this year, the reasons behind them, and their impact, so grab a cup of tea (or something stronger) and read on……

Number of law firms shut down: ONE

This year saw the end of legal services for Ready to Boss Legal and the end of a 23-year era as a legal practitioner for me.

As of 30 June 2023, I ceased practicing law and taking 1/1 clients for legal services. Ready to Boss Legal became a legal publishing business selling legal contract templates and terms and conditions templates plus a precedent consulting and drafting business.

People ask me how my “new” business is going. The thing is it isn’t a new business or a new model. The past 4 and a half years before this change were spent building up those parts of the business. What we did do is stop doing one part of the business. What is left is the part that takes less of my energy and gives me more joy.

It was a move that took a lot of courage on my part, it was after all the traditional way I had been taught to make money out of the law and that has taken a lot of unlearning old patterns and that process is still a work in progress.

The only regretful part of the changes were that we had to say goodbye to the wonderful Lianne Tan who was an amazing employee. However, Lianne has happily found a home with Law Squared and I enjoy her face popping up in my socials.

Number of legal panel members on the Ready to Boss Legal Lawyers Panel: SIX

As we shut down the legal services, I onboarded 6 panel members to refer work to if we had inquiries. There have been some, but actually not a whole lot. This tells me that:

1. I made the right move switching focus when I did; and

2. our communication of the changes worked well.

Number of visitors to the Ready to Boss Legal Website: EIGHTEEN THOUSAND (18,000)

At Ready to Boss Legal my goal is to provide legal information free so people are ready to boss with confidence. Then, if they need tools (document or contract templates) or a referral to a lawyer, those things are available on the site.

When I see 18,000 visitors and many of those to our NDIS hub, I know we are hitting the spot. Our blogs are designed to give detailed information and while I could turn them into mini-courses or a subscription, I am ideologically opposed to doing that. I believe legal information should be accessible by all. Legal advice is different and that is when an excellent lawyer (who is not me) is called for.

I plan to share more of my thoughts on this in 2024.

Number of businesses Emma has: THREE

2023 was the year of the multi-passionate entrepreneur for me.

Not only did Ready to Boss Legal change shape but Cute Stuff By Law and LawAssist.Online took shape.

I am happiest creating, which is what I get to do at Ready to Boss Legal and Cute Stuff By Law. LawAssist.Online provides a platform for me to sell my precedents to other lawers and help other lawyers share their IP and knowledge and allows me to share my gift of digital product development with other lawyers to help them get off the services for cash treadmill.

Number of athletics training sessions and carnivals attended with the kid: TWO HUNDRED AND SIXTY SEVEN (267)

The 267 is a guess, but there was a LOT of athletics in 2023, starting with a trip to Tamworth for the 2023 regionals. This year my boy is by far the most inspiring human of the year for me. His training, focus and improvement this year has been phenomenal.

I plan to do all in my power to help him realise his dreams of being an Olympic Athlete. It is ironic as I was the LEAST sporty person you could meet as a kid and I continue to be extremely uncoordinated and not at all sporty, but I am learning so much through the process of parenting and supporting an athlete. There is the importance of mindset and rest, something I have taken into the business world this year.

Importantly, the streamlined business structure I adopted in July has meant I have more time for athletics and Oscar. It is more amenable to sitting on the sidelines of an athletics stadium or oval and responding to emails and posting on socials.

My 2023 GIFT TO YOU

I could never have done 2023 without our loyal followers and customers. As a thank you I am going early with the Boxing Day sale this year - 18 - 24 December for us with a 40% discount. Head on over to our online store (link here) and use the code EARLYBOXINGDAY on checkout for 40% off.