Among the twists and turns of entrepreneurship, it is a great relief to know there are trusted professionals to guide you through every stage of life and business. Dedicated to protecting the assets of businesses and creators, Katie Charleston, Founder of Katie Charleston Law, PC is well-versed in the requirements to make this possible. With a business approach, client connections, continued education, and risk-taking, Charleston aims to achieve professional growth while helping businesses prepare, maintain, and protect their future.
As the leader of a national asset protection law firm, Charleston works to cultivate success by relying on business skills that set her company apart from others. “I see myself as a businesswoman first and an attorney second,” she shares. In addition to the duty of providing top-tier legal services to clients, running a successful business is instrumental to the positive outcomes for everyone involved. “This allows me to not only run the law firm like a business but to spot and assess areas of growth, as well as loss and liability for my client before any legal analysis,” she adds. This method helps the team at KCL to stand out where a great law firm is a great business.
Utilizing various strategies, Charleston and her team aim to progress the firm’s capabilities that also generate growth. “Education, coaching, and a bit of risk-taking are responsible for the growth of my law firm,” she says. While each harbor a special purpose to support KCL, these tools work together when protecting the assets of every client that is represented. “Continued education is necessary to take you to the next level in any business and there must be some level of risk to take that education and apply it to grow. Risk often comes with hiring, as well as delegation and planning. It is essential to the growth process.”
To create value for her customers, Charleston explains the process of developing strong client relations that last. “I approach each client matter as a relationship rather than a transaction,” she explains. This includes the time and dedication to learn the ins and out of clients, from their business and family to their lifestyle and goals. “Taking this time allows me to better serve my clients, but also leads to their return in the future,” she adds. This goes hand in hand with implemented systems that remind KCL to connect with them regularly and stand by to assist in their next legal matter.
In a practice area where the properties of companies are at stake, Charleston is often reminded of loss to be the biggest mistake that leaves businesses without needed protection. “Building assets is a waste of time and resources if you are not going to protect them,” she states. Just like an author who writes a play but doesn’t file a copyright, Charleston explains the negative outcome for business owners who fail to secure their assets and allow others to profit. “A business owner who has spent an exponential amount of time on branding, but fails to protect it with trade dress and trademarks will get less money for their business when they prepare to sell and allows the market to profit from what they built while they fail to enforce their rights,” she adds. For that reason, Charleston and her team remain devoted to making the livelihood of others their business.
Too often seeing companies on the wrong side of the business, Charleston shares her advice on due diligence for new and seasoned enterprises alike. “Hire professionals to research the names, slogans, and logos you intend to use before registering your business or trademarks and spend money on branding,” she says. With liability and rebranding at risk, substantial costs might also occur. Contrary to new businesses, Charleston explains the requirements for established businesses to remain protected. “More seasoned entrepreneurs need to pay attention to how their business has evolved and what protectable assets have been created that are not fully protected. Systems, training, and processes can and should be copyrighted to prevent employees from walking away with your systems and setting up shop using your assets.”
Going forward, Charleston looks to achieve professional success not only for her company but by reaching far to defend as many clients as she can. “I intend to continue to grow the firm in my mission to protect as many businesses and creators and their assets as possible.”
