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Behind every law firm is a version of a story that no one tells.
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The pressure behind the title.
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The decisions made when no one is watching.
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Behind the Bench, Powered by Law Broker brings you the raw, untold truth of building and running a law practice through the unheard moments of your favorite legal voices.
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These are the conversations that do not make the website.
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This is Behind the Bench.
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Welcome back to another episode of Behind the Bench.
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Today I'm joined with founder and lead attorney Lysandra Matos from the Mattos Personal Injury Law Firm.
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Lysandra, thank you so much for joining us today.
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Well, thank you so much for having me today.
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Yes, absolutely.
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We've got the headphones in, mic wired up.
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We've been having some technical issues, but I can hear you crystal clear.
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So I'm very excited for this one.
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You know, I I've been following your journey for quite some time, you know, on LinkedIn.
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I've met a couple of your team members as well to really understand the inner workings of your law practice.
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But today I'm really excited for you to share your own story.
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And that story that you've shared in snippets on LinkedIn that I've been able to, you know, read and see.
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But that growth story started with, you know, a young attorney trying to grow her business, become, you know, the superwoman that you are today.
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And there's so many inner workings of those that, you know, probably some lessons that you want to share with us today.
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So I'm I'm excited to hear that story and your side of that.
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So, you know, without further ado, I love to start these conversations by just having you make that introduction and, you know, share with our listeners on really who is Lysandra Matos.
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Well, I am the founder of the Matos Law Firm.
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I've been running this law firm for about 10 years now.
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And I'm a personal injury lawyer, and my focus is on the Latino community here in Colorado.
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Wonderful.
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That's great.
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So let's peel things back slightly that go beyond just what face value looks like as you know, a Colorado personal injury firm focusing in on, you know, the Latino market.
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I'm so curious to understand how you landed in that specific niche, how you grew your firm to where it is today, and what that looked like when you first started out 10 years ago.
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Do you mind just peeling that layer back one step deeper and sharing a little bit more about the importance of niching down to a specific community and market, how you landed in the personal injury space, what your life looked like before becoming an entrepreneur and you know, attorney?
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Because I'm an immigrant.
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Um, when I got my first job in personal injury law, that particular law firm would give me the cases where the clients only spoke Spanish.
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So they started feeding me these cases, and I started seeing, you know, the advantage of being able to speak to your attorney in Spanish.
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And when I went off on my own, that was my only marketing plan.
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My marketing plan was I will know every person who speaks Spanish in Colorado.
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And that was it, that was the end of the plan.
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That's it.
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Started it with the words Spanish and Spanish speaking.
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Okay, well, look where we've it's gotten us.
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Do you know every single person that speaks Spanish in the state of Colorado?
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It's my goal.
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It's my goal.
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And um, at some point in the journey, you you you know, you say, well, what got me here won't get me there.
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And I've tried to, you know, reach out to other markets.
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And uh and yes, it doesn't mean that only uh the immigrant community is my client.
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Uh, we we do represent people from you know all kinds of cultures, and um, but what I notice is that it's not as effective.
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My marketing is not as effective because the first thing I learned is that it's a red ocean out there, and you know, I'm competing with people who have millions and millions of dollars in their marketing budget, and you know, when I drive down the highway, I'm I'm like a billboard connoisseur or expert because I know every billboard by heart.
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And and I'm like, yeah, that I I've counted like 20 of these billboards or whatever, or I I watch all these commercials with all these other law firms, so I had to figure out a way to be different.
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And what you know, what makes you different will be the thing that sometimes is your insecurity as a young attorney.
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Um, you know, as you can hear, I have this beautiful accent and I show up in red lipstick and a red suit and all these things.
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And at some point I was trying to fit in and just trying to be like everybody else.
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But I noticed that I was actually running away from my superpower.
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So anytime that I try to run away from my superpower, I have to remind myself, nope, this is my strength, and I'm going to um commit myself to it.
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I committed myself so much that we even host a networking event for Latina women in Colorado called Arriba las mujeres.
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If you see me at a marketing event, I'm usually wearing red lipstick and some kind of red outfit.
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And what I notice is that, you know, I enjoy doing that type of marketing, but also I love serving that community.
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Yeah.
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Yeah, it's it's staying true to you and authentic to you.
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And I think not taking off that beaten path.
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And, you know, it's very easy when you're, you know, a young entrepreneur to follow others to see what their success looks like and how they got there.
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But you have to remember that everyone's DNA is really their own, and there's an element of your DNA that makes you so special, that makes you allows you to ultimately connect with other individuals that they can't do.
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So I love that.
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And, you know, I I think the business plan starting and ending with that is a really interesting one.
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And I I want to dig more into that.
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Um, but it it, you know, it seemingly worked for you because you did stay true and authentic to yourself.
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And, you know, perhaps you did take uh different paths throughout the past 10 years that um, you know, didn't stay true to that path because you ultimately were fighting for growth and trying to generate business in other ways, but you know, naturally that you've come full circle to this point 10 years later, and that's the market that you own, and that's the the brand and the mechanism that will always stay true to you.
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So, with that, like tell us a little bit more about starting your practice.
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Was it as you know easy as hanging up your shingle, opening up the Matos law firm, showing up and saying, you know, I'm the Spanish-speaking attorney.
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If you need me, come help, you know, come to me for help.
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It can't be that simple.
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I I want to know a little bit more about what that looks like because I think a lot of people have aspirations to start their own practice, right?
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And um they don't necessarily want to work for someone or it's it's a very treacherous industry.
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And um, you know, going out on your own and being a lifestyle lawyer seems uh, you know, a little bit more opportunistic, but you know, it's not.
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So I I'm curious what that that looks like.
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Well, I was 28 years old, and I always knew that I wanted to own my own law firm.
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And uh, you know, I knew nothing about the industry.
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All I knew is that I love this type of work ever since I was in law school.
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This is what I wanted to do.
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So every internship, every book that I read, every opportunity would take me closer to that moment.
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So as a 28-year-old, I knew nothing.
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I didn't know who my competition was, I didn't know that it would be hard.
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I didn't have a business plan except for the one-liner I will serve the Latino community in Colorado.
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And it seems like that was crazy because financially I was also not doing well as a young attorney.
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I owed$165,000 of student loans that I had to pay every single month.
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And, you know, with all the crazy interest rates and all that fun stuff, just to add a little bit more challenges to being a business owner at the beginning.
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But not knowing how hard the journey would be was actually my, in one way, was my advantage.
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Because, you know, when you see little kids and they just jump off the cliff and you're like, oh no, you're gonna die.
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You don't realize you're gonna die.
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That was me as a young business owner.
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I had no idea and I thought I had superpowers because no one told me this would be um limiting, or these are your limiting things.
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I just didn't have any limits.
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All I knew is like I can do this and I will do it.
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So, yes, in a way, it was as simple as what you described.
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Wow, that's incredible.
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So, what like what kept you going?
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Um, you know, being$165,000 in student debt, paying bills to run and operate your practice.
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I mean, it's not like that's free.
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Um, you know, purchasing different technologies to help you scale, the bills just keep racking up.
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And as you think about how do I stay afloat, let alone how do I continue to serve my market, which is my end vision and mission, what kept you going?
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Like, how did you was there a point in time that there was a breakage point where you were like, I don't know if I can anymore?
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So I read somewhere that I had to basically be on the island and burn all the ships.
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And that's what I did.
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I did not give myself a plan B.
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I did not say, if this doesn't work out in a year, I will go work for another law firm.
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Plan B was not an option.
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Plan A had to succeed, and not having a plan B, I think is what kept me going because that was never a thought.
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This was this was going to work out, and even today, when we have new challenges, I'm not scared because I know it will work out.
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So, yes, it's hard, especially as a 28-year-old, you have this fancy degree from you know all the schools, and your friends are having a certain lifestyle.
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And you know, I live in the very humble first starter's home.
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And uh, you know, you go to the grocery store, and what can I afford chicken and spinach?
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You know, uh my husband and I would go on vacations and it would be like, uh, yeah, let's go camping.
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So for for many years, we had to just know uh that, you know, this is good, this is the way, and we're gonna do everything we can at home to, you know, help help the the law firm be where it needs to be.
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Yeah, that's that's fantastic.
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And especially having a supportive partner and you know, working in in conjunction with one another to help, you know, paint your your reality and and build this this dream firm.
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So, you know, fast forward 10 years, you're at about 20 people.
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Uh you started as a solopreneur.
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Um, what do you what do you um what got you there?
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Like how did you how did you grow to that standpoint?
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What were kind of like the key functions and factors within side of the past 10 years that kind of brought you to where you are today?
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I think every year has a new challenge.
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Um, but at the end of the day, I always come back to simple things, uh, marketing and great customer service.
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My first day when I filed the paperwork with the Secretary of State website, you know, I got my insurance and all that stuff.
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I looked at my calendar, I had no clients, and I said, Well, I got I don't have no money, but I have time.
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And I filled up my calendar.
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40 hours of my week was devoted to marketing because, you know, just me sitting at my desk hoping that someone will remember is not gonna work.
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And yes, did I was I good at marketing?
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No, I was horrible.
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The first people I talked to at Red Rocks while they were exercising, I was like, oh, they speak Spanish.
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I need to hand them a business card.
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They ran away.
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That was my first marketing attempt at the Matos Law Firm with my brand new business cards, and then you learn from that.
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You follow on your face, you're like, oh, okay, maybe next time I I will not approach people in the middle of their workout asking them to hire me if they ever involved in a car crash.
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Maybe there's a better way to do it.
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Maybe I introduce myself, maybe I add value first before I even say who I am.
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So, you know, but but it takes that, it's kind of like going to the gym, it takes the preps and the time commitment.
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Um, so so I use that formula throughout to this day.
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When I didn't have 40 hours to market anymore, then I knew I was ready to hire someone to help me out full-time with marketing.
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Right.
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And and when that person is like, oh, this is too much, okay, we need help, right?
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But at the end of the day, if nobody knows your name, you you don't have a business.
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Yeah.
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So 40 hours a week of marketing just to land that first client, and I'm sure life would have been a lot easier if you could spin up on ChatGPT, give me some marketing strategies to help make me successful.
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Um, but that was 10 years ago and that didn't exist.
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So what like you were learning by failing and learning by doing, and that was as simple as getting into the market.
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Were you doing going to community events?
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Was it all about handing out business cards?
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Because personal injury is an interesting space, right?
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It's it's hard to find that.
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I mean, you're not sitting at a red light hoping that someone gets in a car crash and you know, handing your business card.
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Um, it's hard to find that moment that matters, right?
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It's about the repetitiveness of who you are and who that brand is.
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And that's why you see the billboards, the commercials, and things of that nature.
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What did your marketing function look like?
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And how how long did that take to get your reps in before you became relevant?
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So it took some time because I did it the hardest way possible, but at the same time, the most effective way possible.
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Um, I, you know, my strength was not being a social media influencer.
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And I saw some people who started during that time and they got a million followers on Instagram and things like that.
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I was not that person, I was not in front of the camera.
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Now, if you looked at my social media platforms, you would think, oh, that's how she started.
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I didn't have a website, all I had was these business cards, but um I leaned into my strength.
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I love people, so I started Googling networking events in in Denver.
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And um, I went to every single networking event, every single lunch, and I didn't get discouraged when the phones wouldn't ring because I understood that it takes time.
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I can't plant the seed and say, Where is the tree?
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I understood that instead of tracking how many people were calling me to hire me at the beginning, the first six months, I would track how many events I went to and how many people I met.
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And I started my contacts list, like the people that I knew.
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And then I started.
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Um, it's not just handing a business card to someone, you have to develop a relationship.
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It's like if you're dating, you're not gonna show up at the bar and say, Will you marry me?
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Or expect that to work the same day.
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You have to invest time into that relationship.
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So that's what I that that's what I focused on at the very beginning.
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Uh, relationships.
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Yeah, that's great.
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And it your mentality of patience is so important.
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Um, but who like for those that are, you know, trying to build their book of business, like how do you know who to network with and who to invest the right relationships with, right?
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You meet a lot of people, and any single human being, whether they were Spanish speaking or not, might know a Spanish speaker that gets in a car accident.
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So, does that mean that you're investing in every single relationship?
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Like, how did you create that prioritization to know where I want to invest my time?
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What networking event is going to pay off?
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More not because you're like, I need a client, but you know, time is of the essence.
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Maybe you had 40 hours of blank work weeks in, but naturally it started to get busier.
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So, how did you figure out that prioritization?
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And how, by the way, has that evolved into your practice today?
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Well, at the beginning, you just don't know, right?
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So it was very exhausting because I'll go to all these events and then you start noticing I felt really depleted in that room.
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I felt good energy in this room.
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I I felt like I connect with these people better, those people that are just handing me their business cards and trying to get me to buy whatever.
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I don't enjoy that.
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So kind of follow because you're not gonna put in the hard work if you're not enjoying it.
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So, yes, at first I was trying to figure that out.
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Then you'll go back to your data, your numbers.
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And something I did early on is that I got a case management software system when I only had 10 clients, and I started tracking every referral source.
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And to this day, I'm like, who sent me this case?
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And send them a thank you note, and kind of being obsessive about looking at your data, and that told me eventually I looked at my numbers and I was like, hold on, usually my referral sources are Latina women business owners.
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Maybe I should focus on those events, right?
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And and slowly the data tells you first what you enjoy, and then the data tells you where you need to spend more time in.
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And at some point, I did a lot of other marketing efforts, and when I looked at my data, the data was the same.
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And of course, there are other tools that then you use digital tools and things like that to reach out to more people, but you know, you have a focus based on what your data tells you.
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Absolutely.
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That's that's fantastic.
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Yeah, you it's so important to be data-driven, and not many people, you know, think right out the gate like I gotta get a case management system or practice management system to help scale and grow, but more so because you need the data behind what's happening and you need a key source of truth to be able to get there.
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So I love that you sort of took that approach and obviously it's it's gotten to where you are today.
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What how has that evolved?
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You know, that was early days.
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You were, you know, one, maybe two, three people at the time, and you sort of continue to do that, and that's really what stayed true to your growth.
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But now you've got someone owning the marketing function in conjunction with you.
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Are you now running the business or are you still operating as an attorney-led business?
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How do you think about like that dissection point?
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How do you like take yourself out of the marketing funnel and you know give the ranks and the autonomy to the individuals that you hire?
00:18:47.920 --> 00:18:52.400
How do you think about that now that you've gotten to a point of you know 20 people, which is phenomenal?
00:18:52.799 --> 00:18:56.400
It's a journey, and every year my answer will be different.
00:18:56.559 --> 00:19:20.319
Uh, but from day one, my you know, when you you draw your org chart, you know, and it's fun when it's a one-person law firm because my org chart is like CEO Lysandra Matos, COO Lysandra Mattos, Marketing Director, Lissandra Mattos, sales specialist Lysandra Mattos, attorney, Lissandra, Perolino, Lissandra, legal assistant, Lissandra, attorney, Lissandra, HR, Lissandra.
00:19:20.480 --> 00:19:29.200
So, you know, and my goal has always been to fire myself from every position except for CEO.
00:19:29.359 --> 00:19:34.319
And don't get me wrong, my my initials on the org chart is still in many places.
00:19:34.400 --> 00:19:46.319
I'm still the managing attorney in the law firm, but I understand that as a business owner, I can't be the best attorney for my client when I'm here having this conversation with you.
00:19:46.400 --> 00:19:50.079
If a client calls, I don't want them to be waiting for me to be done with this conversation.
00:19:50.240 --> 00:19:52.400
Somebody else is taking care of them.
00:19:52.640 --> 00:19:52.960
Yeah.
00:19:53.200 --> 00:20:02.240
With with marketing, I am I'm good at certain areas of marketing, but again, I am not the best in social media.
00:20:02.400 --> 00:20:04.240
I am not the best on LinkedIn.
00:20:04.559 --> 00:20:07.039
I am not the best editing videos.
00:20:07.279 --> 00:20:24.319
So um we hired a marketing director who essentially oversees the digital side of um of our marketing, but we also scaled our in-person marketing because it's not just me going to every networking event.
00:20:24.400 --> 00:20:26.559
Now we host our networking event.
00:20:26.799 --> 00:20:34.079
We have a list of people that you know are part of our circle, and then those people are part of our social media.
00:20:34.319 --> 00:20:35.359
So it's like a little circle.
00:20:35.440 --> 00:20:43.599
They come to the event, then they start following us on social media, then they then you know, I see them on other networking events, and you can't get rid of me.
00:20:43.680 --> 00:20:45.200
Why does he go in my circle?
00:20:45.359 --> 00:20:46.960
Yeah, you can't get rid of me.
00:20:47.200 --> 00:20:49.279
I haven't made that circle yet, but hopefully one day.
00:20:49.519 --> 00:20:51.200
You started on LinkedIn.
00:20:51.519 --> 00:20:52.799
Yeah, exactly.
00:20:52.960 --> 00:20:56.000
Um, I need to get out to Colorado to get into the in-person.
00:20:56.319 --> 00:20:57.359
That's fantastic.
00:20:57.519 --> 00:21:10.880
So, you know, as we come towards the end of the show here, I always like to gather some feedback and advice that you would want to share with, you know, others in the legal community, others that are looking to start their own business, start at a law firm.
00:21:11.119 --> 00:21:17.839
Doesn't really matter where they're starting and where their beginnings are, but just some feedback and advice on what you wish you knew.
00:21:18.000 --> 00:21:22.000
Like you said, you went in and your super power was knowing nothing.
00:21:22.160 --> 00:21:30.160
Um, you know, there's a lot more disposed knowledge to date with different tools that allow you to know almost too much.
00:21:30.319 --> 00:21:44.400
What are some things that you want to share with the audience that you really wish you did know, you know, while you were building, while you were growing, while you were being head of HR, um, that you think would be really important for folks thinking about the same?
00:21:44.640 --> 00:21:46.400
I think anyone can do it.
00:21:46.640 --> 00:21:52.000
If this is truly your dream of owning your own business, it is totally doable.
00:21:52.240 --> 00:21:59.759
If a 20 year old lawyer who never went to business school had no business knowledge with$165,000 students.
00:22:00.240 --> 00:22:05.519
Debt and not like you know, savings or financial resources to start.
00:22:05.599 --> 00:22:07.200
It is totally doable.
00:22:07.440 --> 00:22:11.759
Something that I've developed 10 years after the fact has been my mindset.
00:22:12.400 --> 00:22:16.640
Working on your mindset and how you see things is the key difference.
00:22:16.799 --> 00:22:20.559
Like when I started, I was lucky that I did not know what my limits were.
00:22:20.799 --> 00:22:29.279
As you get wiser, and now with Chat GPT and all the different AI platforms, it will tell you, oh, it's these are all the obstacles.
00:22:29.519 --> 00:22:35.200
But uh you just you really have to think that you can do it, and then you'll be able to do it.
00:22:35.359 --> 00:22:39.839
And if you don't know how to do it, you can ask yourself, who knows how to do this?
00:22:40.000 --> 00:22:43.440
Pick up the phone, send the uh send an email.
00:22:43.599 --> 00:22:48.160
My my business coach is someone that I just email her and I said, Hey, will you mentor me?
00:22:48.240 --> 00:22:50.160
Will you, you know, will you help me?
00:22:50.240 --> 00:22:51.599
You you really went through my journey.
00:22:51.680 --> 00:22:53.839
I don't want to keep on struggling.
00:22:54.079 --> 00:23:09.920
Yeah, so there are so many resources out there, but you have to believe in yourself, work on your mindset every single day, put yourself first before the business because this will exhaust you and um destroy your family if you're not careful.
00:23:10.160 --> 00:23:20.559
Something that people are very misguided and they think, especially at the beginning, because it's hustle mode, you think that your business makes your personal life better, and it's not that way.
00:23:20.960 --> 00:23:25.359
The stronger your personal life is, the stronger your business will be.
00:23:25.519 --> 00:23:42.079
So when you're lost, when you're exhausted, start with the basics, start at home, clean up your house, organize the under this, whatever it is, like get your home life organized and bring that power into you know how you show up in the world.
00:23:42.319 --> 00:23:42.720
I love it.
00:23:42.880 --> 00:23:47.680
Lysandra, thank you so much for joining me and the great advice and you know feedback.
00:23:47.839 --> 00:23:54.480
Um, I definitely feel as though your superpower is exactly what you built it 10 years to be.
00:23:54.640 --> 00:23:58.880
So um, kudos to you and congrats on you know where you've come to date.
00:23:58.960 --> 00:24:04.720
And uh, it's just phenomenal to continue to watch that journey and also you know learn the inner workings of how you got here.
00:24:04.880 --> 00:24:06.640
So thank you for joining us today.
00:24:06.880 --> 00:24:08.160
Thank you for having me.
00:24:08.400 --> 00:24:09.279
Talk to you soon.
00:24:09.440 --> 00:24:10.000
Bye-bye.
00:24:10.240 --> 00:24:13.920
You've been listening to Behind the Bench Powered by Law Brokers.
00:24:14.079 --> 00:24:19.759
The raw, honest conversations that explore what it really takes to build and run a law practice.
00:24:20.000 --> 00:24:24.799
The moments of doubt, the hard decisions, and the stories that rarely get told.
00:24:25.039 --> 00:24:26.480
Thanks for spending time with us.
00:24:26.559 --> 00:24:29.039
We'll see you next time on Behind the Bench.
00:00:00.080 --> 00:00:04.400
Behind every law firm is a version of a story that no one tells.
00:00:04.559 --> 00:00:06.480
The pressure behind the title.
00:00:06.639 --> 00:00:09.199
The decisions made when no one is watching.
00:00:09.439 --> 00:00:20.079
Behind the Bench, Powered by Law Broker brings you the raw, untold truth of building and running a law practice through the unheard moments of your favorite legal voices.
00:00:20.480 --> 00:00:24.079
These are the conversations that do not make the website.
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This is Behind the Bench.
00:00:26.640 --> 00:00:29.359
Welcome back to another episode of Behind the Bench.
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Today I'm joined with founder and lead attorney Lysandra Matos from the Mattos Personal Injury Law Firm.
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Lysandra, thank you so much for joining us today.
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Well, thank you so much for having me today.
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Yes, absolutely.
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We've got the headphones in, mic wired up.
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We've been having some technical issues, but I can hear you crystal clear.
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So I'm very excited for this one.
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You know, I I've been following your journey for quite some time, you know, on LinkedIn.
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I've met a couple of your team members as well to really understand the inner workings of your law practice.
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But today I'm really excited for you to share your own story.
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And that story that you've shared in snippets on LinkedIn that I've been able to, you know, read and see.
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But that growth story started with, you know, a young attorney trying to grow her business, become, you know, the superwoman that you are today.
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And there's so many inner workings of those that, you know, probably some lessons that you want to share with us today.
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So I'm I'm excited to hear that story and your side of that.
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So, you know, without further ado, I love to start these conversations by just having you make that introduction and, you know, share with our listeners on really who is Lysandra Matos.
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Well, I am the founder of the Matos Law Firm.
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I've been running this law firm for about 10 years now.
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And I'm a personal injury lawyer, and my focus is on the Latino community here in Colorado.
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Wonderful.
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That's great.
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So let's peel things back slightly that go beyond just what face value looks like as you know, a Colorado personal injury firm focusing in on, you know, the Latino market.
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I'm so curious to understand how you landed in that specific niche, how you grew your firm to where it is today, and what that looked like when you first started out 10 years ago.
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Do you mind just peeling that layer back one step deeper and sharing a little bit more about the importance of niching down to a specific community and market, how you landed in the personal injury space, what your life looked like before becoming an entrepreneur and you know, attorney?
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Because I'm an immigrant.
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Um, when I got my first job in personal injury law, that particular law firm would give me the cases where the clients only spoke Spanish.
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So they started feeding me these cases, and I started seeing, you know, the advantage of being able to speak to your attorney in Spanish.
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And when I went off on my own, that was my only marketing plan.
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My marketing plan was I will know every person who speaks Spanish in Colorado.
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And that was it, that was the end of the plan.
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That's it.
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Started it with the words Spanish and Spanish speaking.
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Okay, well, look where we've it's gotten us.
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Do you know every single person that speaks Spanish in the state of Colorado?
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It's my goal.
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It's my goal.
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And um, at some point in the journey, you you you know, you say, well, what got me here won't get me there.
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And I've tried to, you know, reach out to other markets.
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And uh and yes, it doesn't mean that only uh the immigrant community is my client.
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Uh, we we do represent people from you know all kinds of cultures, and um, but what I notice is that it's not as effective.
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My marketing is not as effective because the first thing I learned is that it's a red ocean out there, and you know, I'm competing with people who have millions and millions of dollars in their marketing budget, and you know, when I drive down the highway, I'm I'm like a billboard connoisseur or expert because I know every billboard by heart.
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And and I'm like, yeah, that I I've counted like 20 of these billboards or whatever, or I I watch all these commercials with all these other law firms, so I had to figure out a way to be different.
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And what you know, what makes you different will be the thing that sometimes is your insecurity as a young attorney.
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Um, you know, as you can hear, I have this beautiful accent and I show up in red lipstick and a red suit and all these things.
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And at some point I was trying to fit in and just trying to be like everybody else.
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But I noticed that I was actually running away from my superpower.
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So anytime that I try to run away from my superpower, I have to remind myself, nope, this is my strength, and I'm going to um commit myself to it.
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I committed myself so much that we even host a networking event for Latina women in Colorado called Arriba las mujeres.
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If you see me at a marketing event, I'm usually wearing red lipstick and some kind of red outfit.
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And what I notice is that, you know, I enjoy doing that type of marketing, but also I love serving that community.
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Yeah.
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Yeah, it's it's staying true to you and authentic to you.
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And I think not taking off that beaten path.
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And, you know, it's very easy when you're, you know, a young entrepreneur to follow others to see what their success looks like and how they got there.
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But you have to remember that everyone's DNA is really their own, and there's an element of your DNA that makes you so special, that makes you allows you to ultimately connect with other individuals that they can't do.
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So I love that.
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And, you know, I I think the business plan starting and ending with that is a really interesting one.
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And I I want to dig more into that.
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Um, but it it, you know, it seemingly worked for you because you did stay true and authentic to yourself.
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And, you know, perhaps you did take uh different paths throughout the past 10 years that um, you know, didn't stay true to that path because you ultimately were fighting for growth and trying to generate business in other ways, but you know, naturally that you've come full circle to this point 10 years later, and that's the market that you own, and that's the the brand and the mechanism that will always stay true to you.
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So, with that, like tell us a little bit more about starting your practice.
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Was it as you know easy as hanging up your shingle, opening up the Matos law firm, showing up and saying, you know, I'm the Spanish-speaking attorney.
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If you need me, come help, you know, come to me for help.
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It can't be that simple.
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I I want to know a little bit more about what that looks like because I think a lot of people have aspirations to start their own practice, right?
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And um they don't necessarily want to work for someone or it's it's a very treacherous industry.
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And um, you know, going out on your own and being a lifestyle lawyer seems uh, you know, a little bit more opportunistic, but you know, it's not.
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So I I'm curious what that that looks like.
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Well, I was 28 years old, and I always knew that I wanted to own my own law firm.
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And uh, you know, I knew nothing about the industry.
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All I knew is that I love this type of work ever since I was in law school.
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This is what I wanted to do.
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So every internship, every book that I read, every opportunity would take me closer to that moment.
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So as a 28-year-old, I knew nothing.
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I didn't know who my competition was, I didn't know that it would be hard.
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I didn't have a business plan except for the one-liner I will serve the Latino community in Colorado.
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And it seems like that was crazy because financially I was also not doing well as a young attorney.
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I owed$165,000 of student loans that I had to pay every single month.
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And, you know, with all the crazy interest rates and all that fun stuff, just to add a little bit more challenges to being a business owner at the beginning.
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But not knowing how hard the journey would be was actually my, in one way, was my advantage.
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Because, you know, when you see little kids and they just jump off the cliff and you're like, oh no, you're gonna die.
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You don't realize you're gonna die.
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That was me as a young business owner.
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I had no idea and I thought I had superpowers because no one told me this would be um limiting, or these are your limiting things.
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I just didn't have any limits.
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All I knew is like I can do this and I will do it.
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So, yes, in a way, it was as simple as what you described.
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Wow, that's incredible.
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So, what like what kept you going?
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Um, you know, being$165,000 in student debt, paying bills to run and operate your practice.
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I mean, it's not like that's free.
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Um, you know, purchasing different technologies to help you scale, the bills just keep racking up.
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And as you think about how do I stay afloat, let alone how do I continue to serve my market, which is my end vision and mission, what kept you going?
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Like, how did you was there a point in time that there was a breakage point where you were like, I don't know if I can anymore?
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So I read somewhere that I had to basically be on the island and burn all the ships.
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And that's what I did.
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I did not give myself a plan B.
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I did not say, if this doesn't work out in a year, I will go work for another law firm.
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Plan B was not an option.
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Plan A had to succeed, and not having a plan B, I think is what kept me going because that was never a thought.
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This was this was going to work out, and even today, when we have new challenges, I'm not scared because I know it will work out.
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So, yes, it's hard, especially as a 28-year-old, you have this fancy degree from you know all the schools, and your friends are having a certain lifestyle.
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And you know, I live in the very humble first starter's home.
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And uh, you know, you go to the grocery store, and what can I afford chicken and spinach?
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You know, uh my husband and I would go on vacations and it would be like, uh, yeah, let's go camping.
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So for for many years, we had to just know uh that, you know, this is good, this is the way, and we're gonna do everything we can at home to, you know, help help the the law firm be where it needs to be.
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Yeah, that's that's fantastic.
00:10:38.559 --> 00:10:48.799
And especially having a supportive partner and you know, working in in conjunction with one another to help, you know, paint your your reality and and build this this dream firm.
00:10:49.039 --> 00:10:54.159
So, you know, fast forward 10 years, you're at about 20 people.
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Uh you started as a solopreneur.
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Um, what do you what do you um what got you there?
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Like how did you how did you grow to that standpoint?
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What were kind of like the key functions and factors within side of the past 10 years that kind of brought you to where you are today?
00:11:12.720 --> 00:11:16.000
I think every year has a new challenge.
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Um, but at the end of the day, I always come back to simple things, uh, marketing and great customer service.
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My first day when I filed the paperwork with the Secretary of State website, you know, I got my insurance and all that stuff.
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I looked at my calendar, I had no clients, and I said, Well, I got I don't have no money, but I have time.
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And I filled up my calendar.
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40 hours of my week was devoted to marketing because, you know, just me sitting at my desk hoping that someone will remember is not gonna work.
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And yes, did I was I good at marketing?
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No, I was horrible.
00:11:58.799 --> 00:12:03.679
The first people I talked to at Red Rocks while they were exercising, I was like, oh, they speak Spanish.
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I need to hand them a business card.
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They ran away.
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That was my first marketing attempt at the Matos Law Firm with my brand new business cards, and then you learn from that.
00:12:12.399 --> 00:12:21.279
You follow on your face, you're like, oh, okay, maybe next time I I will not approach people in the middle of their workout asking them to hire me if they ever involved in a car crash.
00:12:21.440 --> 00:12:22.720
Maybe there's a better way to do it.
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Maybe I introduce myself, maybe I add value first before I even say who I am.
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So, you know, but but it takes that, it's kind of like going to the gym, it takes the preps and the time commitment.
00:12:37.440 --> 00:12:43.360
Um, so so I use that formula throughout to this day.
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When I didn't have 40 hours to market anymore, then I knew I was ready to hire someone to help me out full-time with marketing.
00:12:52.559 --> 00:12:52.879
Right.
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And and when that person is like, oh, this is too much, okay, we need help, right?
00:12:58.960 --> 00:13:03.200
But at the end of the day, if nobody knows your name, you you don't have a business.
00:13:03.519 --> 00:13:04.080
Yeah.
00:13:04.399 --> 00:13:15.440
So 40 hours a week of marketing just to land that first client, and I'm sure life would have been a lot easier if you could spin up on ChatGPT, give me some marketing strategies to help make me successful.
00:13:15.919 --> 00:13:18.480
Um, but that was 10 years ago and that didn't exist.
00:13:18.720 --> 00:13:25.039
So what like you were learning by failing and learning by doing, and that was as simple as getting into the market.
00:13:25.200 --> 00:13:27.360
Were you doing going to community events?
00:13:27.519 --> 00:13:29.440
Was it all about handing out business cards?
00:13:29.600 --> 00:13:32.000
Because personal injury is an interesting space, right?
00:13:32.080 --> 00:13:33.120
It's it's hard to find that.
00:13:33.279 --> 00:13:38.000
I mean, you're not sitting at a red light hoping that someone gets in a car crash and you know, handing your business card.
00:13:38.320 --> 00:13:41.120
Um, it's hard to find that moment that matters, right?
00:13:41.200 --> 00:13:45.120
It's about the repetitiveness of who you are and who that brand is.
00:13:45.200 --> 00:13:49.600
And that's why you see the billboards, the commercials, and things of that nature.
00:13:49.919 --> 00:13:53.120
What did your marketing function look like?
00:13:53.279 --> 00:13:58.960
And how how long did that take to get your reps in before you became relevant?
00:13:59.440 --> 00:14:06.320
So it took some time because I did it the hardest way possible, but at the same time, the most effective way possible.
00:14:06.639 --> 00:14:11.200
Um, I, you know, my strength was not being a social media influencer.
00:14:11.360 --> 00:14:17.759
And I saw some people who started during that time and they got a million followers on Instagram and things like that.
00:14:17.919 --> 00:14:20.320
I was not that person, I was not in front of the camera.
00:14:20.480 --> 00:14:24.480
Now, if you looked at my social media platforms, you would think, oh, that's how she started.
00:14:24.639 --> 00:14:32.080
I didn't have a website, all I had was these business cards, but um I leaned into my strength.
00:14:32.320 --> 00:14:37.759
I love people, so I started Googling networking events in in Denver.
00:14:38.320 --> 00:14:49.519
And um, I went to every single networking event, every single lunch, and I didn't get discouraged when the phones wouldn't ring because I understood that it takes time.
00:14:49.679 --> 00:14:52.480
I can't plant the seed and say, Where is the tree?
00:14:52.720 --> 00:15:03.919
I understood that instead of tracking how many people were calling me to hire me at the beginning, the first six months, I would track how many events I went to and how many people I met.
00:15:04.000 --> 00:15:08.639
And I started my contacts list, like the people that I knew.
00:15:08.879 --> 00:15:10.240
And then I started.
00:15:10.320 --> 00:15:15.440
Um, it's not just handing a business card to someone, you have to develop a relationship.
00:15:15.679 --> 00:15:20.000
It's like if you're dating, you're not gonna show up at the bar and say, Will you marry me?
00:15:20.240 --> 00:15:22.240
Or expect that to work the same day.
00:15:22.399 --> 00:15:25.519
You have to invest time into that relationship.
00:15:25.759 --> 00:15:29.600
So that's what I that that's what I focused on at the very beginning.
00:15:29.679 --> 00:15:31.200
Uh, relationships.
00:15:31.519 --> 00:15:32.639
Yeah, that's great.
00:15:32.720 --> 00:15:36.240
And it your mentality of patience is so important.
00:15:36.559 --> 00:15:47.200
Um, but who like for those that are, you know, trying to build their book of business, like how do you know who to network with and who to invest the right relationships with, right?
00:15:47.279 --> 00:15:55.200
You meet a lot of people, and any single human being, whether they were Spanish speaking or not, might know a Spanish speaker that gets in a car accident.
00:15:55.440 --> 00:15:58.559
So, does that mean that you're investing in every single relationship?
00:15:58.720 --> 00:16:03.759
Like, how did you create that prioritization to know where I want to invest my time?
00:16:04.000 --> 00:16:07.360
What networking event is going to pay off?
00:16:07.519 --> 00:16:11.840
More not because you're like, I need a client, but you know, time is of the essence.
00:16:11.919 --> 00:16:16.480
Maybe you had 40 hours of blank work weeks in, but naturally it started to get busier.
00:16:16.559 --> 00:16:19.200
So, how did you figure out that prioritization?
00:16:19.279 --> 00:16:23.120
And how, by the way, has that evolved into your practice today?
00:16:23.440 --> 00:16:26.879
Well, at the beginning, you just don't know, right?
00:16:27.120 --> 00:16:34.080
So it was very exhausting because I'll go to all these events and then you start noticing I felt really depleted in that room.
00:16:34.320 --> 00:16:36.960
I felt good energy in this room.
00:16:37.200 --> 00:16:45.679
I I felt like I connect with these people better, those people that are just handing me their business cards and trying to get me to buy whatever.
00:16:45.919 --> 00:16:46.799
I don't enjoy that.
00:16:46.960 --> 00:16:51.519
So kind of follow because you're not gonna put in the hard work if you're not enjoying it.
00:16:51.759 --> 00:16:54.879
So, yes, at first I was trying to figure that out.
00:16:55.120 --> 00:16:58.080
Then you'll go back to your data, your numbers.
00:16:58.240 --> 00:17:08.400
And something I did early on is that I got a case management software system when I only had 10 clients, and I started tracking every referral source.
00:17:08.559 --> 00:17:11.119
And to this day, I'm like, who sent me this case?
00:17:11.279 --> 00:17:24.079
And send them a thank you note, and kind of being obsessive about looking at your data, and that told me eventually I looked at my numbers and I was like, hold on, usually my referral sources are Latina women business owners.
00:17:24.319 --> 00:17:27.519
Maybe I should focus on those events, right?
00:17:27.759 --> 00:17:34.079
And and slowly the data tells you first what you enjoy, and then the data tells you where you need to spend more time in.
00:17:34.319 --> 00:17:41.440
And at some point, I did a lot of other marketing efforts, and when I looked at my data, the data was the same.
00:17:41.839 --> 00:17:52.400
And of course, there are other tools that then you use digital tools and things like that to reach out to more people, but you know, you have a focus based on what your data tells you.
00:17:52.720 --> 00:17:53.279
Absolutely.
00:17:53.440 --> 00:17:54.480
That's that's fantastic.
00:17:54.640 --> 00:18:10.880
Yeah, you it's so important to be data-driven, and not many people, you know, think right out the gate like I gotta get a case management system or practice management system to help scale and grow, but more so because you need the data behind what's happening and you need a key source of truth to be able to get there.
00:18:10.960 --> 00:18:16.079
So I love that you sort of took that approach and obviously it's it's gotten to where you are today.
00:18:16.319 --> 00:18:18.160
What how has that evolved?
00:18:18.319 --> 00:18:19.759
You know, that was early days.
00:18:19.920 --> 00:18:27.279
You were, you know, one, maybe two, three people at the time, and you sort of continue to do that, and that's really what stayed true to your growth.
00:18:27.519 --> 00:18:32.480
But now you've got someone owning the marketing function in conjunction with you.
00:18:32.720 --> 00:18:38.880
Are you now running the business or are you still operating as an attorney-led business?
00:18:39.039 --> 00:18:41.440
How do you think about like that dissection point?
00:18:41.599 --> 00:18:47.759
How do you like take yourself out of the marketing funnel and you know give the ranks and the autonomy to the individuals that you hire?
00:18:47.920 --> 00:18:52.400
How do you think about that now that you've gotten to a point of you know 20 people, which is phenomenal?
00:18:52.799 --> 00:18:56.400
It's a journey, and every year my answer will be different.
00:18:56.559 --> 00:19:20.319
Uh, but from day one, my you know, when you you draw your org chart, you know, and it's fun when it's a one-person law firm because my org chart is like CEO Lysandra Matos, COO Lysandra Mattos, Marketing Director, Lissandra Mattos, sales specialist Lysandra Mattos, attorney, Lissandra, Perolino, Lissandra, legal assistant, Lissandra, attorney, Lissandra, HR, Lissandra.
00:19:20.480 --> 00:19:29.200
So, you know, and my goal has always been to fire myself from every position except for CEO.
00:19:29.359 --> 00:19:34.319
And don't get me wrong, my my initials on the org chart is still in many places.
00:19:34.400 --> 00:19:46.319
I'm still the managing attorney in the law firm, but I understand that as a business owner, I can't be the best attorney for my client when I'm here having this conversation with you.
00:19:46.400 --> 00:19:50.079
If a client calls, I don't want them to be waiting for me to be done with this conversation.
00:19:50.240 --> 00:19:52.400
Somebody else is taking care of them.
00:19:52.640 --> 00:19:52.960
Yeah.
00:19:53.200 --> 00:20:02.240
With with marketing, I am I'm good at certain areas of marketing, but again, I am not the best in social media.
00:20:02.400 --> 00:20:04.240
I am not the best on LinkedIn.
00:20:04.559 --> 00:20:07.039
I am not the best editing videos.
00:20:07.279 --> 00:20:24.319
So um we hired a marketing director who essentially oversees the digital side of um of our marketing, but we also scaled our in-person marketing because it's not just me going to every networking event.
00:20:24.400 --> 00:20:26.559
Now we host our networking event.
00:20:26.799 --> 00:20:34.079
We have a list of people that you know are part of our circle, and then those people are part of our social media.
00:20:34.319 --> 00:20:35.359
So it's like a little circle.
00:20:35.440 --> 00:20:43.599
They come to the event, then they start following us on social media, then they then you know, I see them on other networking events, and you can't get rid of me.
00:20:43.680 --> 00:20:45.200
Why does he go in my circle?
00:20:45.359 --> 00:20:46.960
Yeah, you can't get rid of me.
00:20:47.200 --> 00:20:49.279
I haven't made that circle yet, but hopefully one day.
00:20:49.519 --> 00:20:51.200
You started on LinkedIn.
00:20:51.519 --> 00:20:52.799
Yeah, exactly.
00:20:52.960 --> 00:20:56.000
Um, I need to get out to Colorado to get into the in-person.
00:20:56.319 --> 00:20:57.359
That's fantastic.
00:20:57.519 --> 00:21:10.880
So, you know, as we come towards the end of the show here, I always like to gather some feedback and advice that you would want to share with, you know, others in the legal community, others that are looking to start their own business, start at a law firm.
00:21:11.119 --> 00:21:17.839
Doesn't really matter where they're starting and where their beginnings are, but just some feedback and advice on what you wish you knew.
00:21:18.000 --> 00:21:22.000
Like you said, you went in and your super power was knowing nothing.
00:21:22.160 --> 00:21:30.160
Um, you know, there's a lot more disposed knowledge to date with different tools that allow you to know almost too much.
00:21:30.319 --> 00:21:44.400
What are some things that you want to share with the audience that you really wish you did know, you know, while you were building, while you were growing, while you were being head of HR, um, that you think would be really important for folks thinking about the same?
00:21:44.640 --> 00:21:46.400
I think anyone can do it.
00:21:46.640 --> 00:21:52.000
If this is truly your dream of owning your own business, it is totally doable.
00:21:52.240 --> 00:21:59.759
If a 20 year old lawyer who never went to business school had no business knowledge with$165,000 students.
00:22:00.240 --> 00:22:05.519
Debt and not like you know, savings or financial resources to start.
00:22:05.599 --> 00:22:07.200
It is totally doable.
00:22:07.440 --> 00:22:11.759
Something that I've developed 10 years after the fact has been my mindset.
00:22:12.400 --> 00:22:16.640
Working on your mindset and how you see things is the key difference.
00:22:16.799 --> 00:22:20.559
Like when I started, I was lucky that I did not know what my limits were.
00:22:20.799 --> 00:22:29.279
As you get wiser, and now with Chat GPT and all the different AI platforms, it will tell you, oh, it's these are all the obstacles.
00:22:29.519 --> 00:22:35.200
But uh you just you really have to think that you can do it, and then you'll be able to do it.
00:22:35.359 --> 00:22:39.839
And if you don't know how to do it, you can ask yourself, who knows how to do this?
00:22:40.000 --> 00:22:43.440
Pick up the phone, send the uh send an email.
00:22:43.599 --> 00:22:48.160
My my business coach is someone that I just email her and I said, Hey, will you mentor me?
00:22:48.240 --> 00:22:50.160
Will you, you know, will you help me?
00:22:50.240 --> 00:22:51.599
You you really went through my journey.
00:22:51.680 --> 00:22:53.839
I don't want to keep on struggling.
00:22:54.079 --> 00:23:09.920
Yeah, so there are so many resources out there, but you have to believe in yourself, work on your mindset every single day, put yourself first before the business because this will exhaust you and um destroy your family if you're not careful.
00:23:10.160 --> 00:23:20.559
Something that people are very misguided and they think, especially at the beginning, because it's hustle mode, you think that your business makes your personal life better, and it's not that way.
00:23:20.960 --> 00:23:25.359
The stronger your personal life is, the stronger your business will be.
00:23:25.519 --> 00:23:42.079
So when you're lost, when you're exhausted, start with the basics, start at home, clean up your house, organize the under this, whatever it is, like get your home life organized and bring that power into you know how you show up in the world.
00:23:42.319 --> 00:23:42.720
I love it.
00:23:42.880 --> 00:23:47.680
Lysandra, thank you so much for joining me and the great advice and you know feedback.
00:23:47.839 --> 00:23:54.480
Um, I definitely feel as though your superpower is exactly what you built it 10 years to be.
00:23:54.640 --> 00:23:58.880
So um, kudos to you and congrats on you know where you've come to date.
00:23:58.960 --> 00:24:04.720
And uh, it's just phenomenal to continue to watch that journey and also you know learn the inner workings of how you got here.
00:24:04.880 --> 00:24:06.640
So thank you for joining us today.
00:24:06.880 --> 00:24:08.160
Thank you for having me.
00:24:08.400 --> 00:24:09.279
Talk to you soon.
00:24:09.440 --> 00:24:10.000
Bye-bye.
00:24:10.240 --> 00:24:13.920
You've been listening to Behind the Bench Powered by Law Brokers.
00:24:14.079 --> 00:24:19.759
The raw, honest conversations that explore what it really takes to build and run a law practice.
00:24:20.000 --> 00:24:24.799
The moments of doubt, the hard decisions, and the stories that rarely get told.
00:24:25.039 --> 00:24:26.480
Thanks for spending time with us.
00:24:26.559 --> 00:24:29.039
We'll see you next time on Behind the Bench.
