Tell us about your business.
The Egan Law Center is a boutique law firm located in Manchester-by-the-Sea. We specialize in family law primarily, but also do some estate planning. We have a unique approach that really focuses on empowerment and advocacy that I sometimes feel is lacking in the legal industry.
How long have you been in business?
Fresh out of law school I started off in the corporate world but soon realized that I needed something more personally and professionally fulfilling. I opened up my business in 2018 right before having my daughter and the business has been growing ever since!
Is there anything new with your business/coming up this year that you’d like to share?
This year, I’ve been thinking a lot about the importance of transparency and giving back to my community, so you can expect to see my name on more articles and other commentaries, guesting on podcasts, and speaking at lawyer education programs.
How and why did you start your business?
I wanted my future to be limitless and felt passionate about providing services to clients in a unique way that would serve their needs best and allow me the flexibility to support my growing family.
What aspect of your business are you most passionate about?
Client education. Divorce is scary, overwhelming, and for many people, attorneys aside, is something they may never experience or may only experience once or twice. The divorce journey can seem arduous and daunting to someone who hasn’t experienced it and one of my biggest goals is to find a pace that makes sense for each unique client and make sure they know what’s happening every step of the way.
Are you known for anything special?
I think my accessibility is something my clients appreciate the most about me. If there is any emergency or a situation where a client needs to retain an attorney right away, I am there for them. While I am passionate about the law, my business is client centered so I am constantly adapting to create a practice that anticipates the ever-evolving needs of legal clients.
Is there something unique about your business that you’d like to share with the community that most people don’t know about?
I am always learning, sharpening my skills, and growing the tools in my arsenal. Complacency is not an area in which I feel settled. I am constantly working to improve myself in all areas, from fitness challenges to weekly Spanish lessons. I am challenging myself to have my community learn all about me because there are a lot of options out there and my clients deserve to know who they’re betting on. Although slowly approaching the TikTok and video world, I work to remain active on my social media accounts and show the behind the scenes of my job that most people know very little about.
What is your best advice for small business owners?
Show your salad (#showyoursalad)! Here’s a little teaser: https://bit.ly/3mb7Qsg. I honestly feel like any entrepreneur would benefit from listening to my recent guest podcast episode on Wealthy Woman Lawyer, but I would say you need to allow people to get the opportunity to learn who you are and show who you are so your clients can decide if you’re the best fit for their specific needs. My second piece of advice is to make sure you want to work in a business and on a business. I went to undergrad for business and could always see myself as a business owner, but many people don’t realize handling the business side of things takes an extreme amount of work to own and operate a successful business. I would recommend having some conversations with business owners to really understand the nitty gritty side of things.
What other Cape Ann Businesses are you inspired by?
I love strolling up and down main street in Gloucester. Pastaio Via Corte owner Daniella Gantz does a really great job of bringing local fresh ingredients to her customers and educating people about foods, preparations, excellent wines, and olive oils. I also love the Common Crow in Gloucester for fresh, healthy groceries and prepared foods that feed my picky toddler.
Why do you love Cape Ann?
I was born and raised in Manchester-by-the-Sea and my uncle was a commercial fisherman in Gloucester. I’ve been engrained in the community forever and while I have traveled a ton, there’s no place that has every felt more where my heart was at rest than in Cape Ann. We are so lucky to have such diverse offerings from live performances to farmers markets to all different cuisines. I love that we’re just a 30-minute drive into Boston so it’s really the best of both worlds.
What do you value most about your chamber membership?
Knowledge and connection. It’s great to see what other businesses are doing in the community and the offerings that they have. The membership has afforded me the opportunity to meet and foster relationships with other business professionals which has been extremely beneficial during the pandemic when we’ve all felt a bit isolated.
