We had the good fortune of connecting with Gianni Avalos and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Gianni, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
Upon passing the bar exam, I embarked on a job search within various law firms, with clear criteria in mind: the flexibility to work remotely, a substantial income in the six-figure range, and the potential for additional earnings through origination bonuses. Yet, throughout numerous interviews, it became evident that finding all three aspects in a single job was a challenging endeavor. One memorable interview involved a potential employer contacting a reference I provided to a previous firm, where a close friend still worked. After providing a glowing reference, the potential employer raised an intriguing question. They inquired whether I’d maintain my work ethic after the birth of my child, considering my role as a single mother. This question prompted me to reflect on their assumptions about my priorities. It was at this point that I realized that everything I sought in a job could be forged within my own business, free from the judgment of a boss who might misconstrue my commitment due to my status as a single mother.
Risk-taking played a pivotal role in starting my firm. A TikTok video I posted after receiving my bar exam results went viral, paving the way for me to create a community for single mothers online. While contemplating monetizing my TikTok account as a marketing tool for my law firm, I encountered skepticism about the risk of limiting my audience. Nevertheless, I took the leap, while understanding the power of niche marketing. One impactful book I read while awaiting my bar exam results was “The Game Changing Attorney” by Michael Mogill. It featured a chapter that emphasized the power of niche marketing, focusing on a lawyer who positioned himself as the exclusive DWI defense attorney for a specific highway. I was unaware of this when reading the book, but that principle has since been a significant driver of my success.
As I ventured into entrepreneurship, I set a monthly income goal of $3,000, a sum necessary to cover childcare, car expenses, baby essentials, and diapers. I’ve always been a woman of faith. I knew that God had more for me. He showed me grace and probably laughed when I only prayed for $3,000 a month. As my business grew, I heeded the advice of a business coach who advocated the concept that “the less you do, the more you make.” I started to reinvest significantly in my business in multiple attorneys, more marketing tools, and efficient systems that would progress the nature of my business.
All in all, the pressure to succeed as a single mother with a single income has never allowed me room for failure. My goal is to make social media marketing less taboo for the legal community and be a great lawyer of integrity for my generation.
What should our readers know about your business?
What you are most proud of or excited about. My son. My business would not exist without him. Most people associate shame with single motherhood, but I’ve learned that you shouldn’t be ashamed of your trials. It’s what’s made you YOU. What most people thought would set me back in life turned into the reason I own a million-dollar law firm. My son is my “why.” I’d be nothing without him.
How did you get to where you are today business-wise.
Having integrity. Your word is the most valuable asset you own. Once you sell it, you can never buy it back. I use this principle every day in business. It’s about doing the right thing even when nobody is watching. This will get you very far and will give you a legacy your kids will be proud to follow.
What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way.
I’ve learned that time flies when you are operating a successful business. We live in a very fast-paced society. People told me to give it 3 years before I start seeing real money in my law firm. Our annual revenue last year is now what we make in one month, and I started the firm last year. Don’t live by the standards of others. It’s good to move at a healthy pace, but your pace shouldn’t mirror every other’s. God has a unique plan for you. That’s the pace you move at.
What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
I want people to know that it’s okay to stand up for a cause, and just because I stand for single moms doesn’t mean that I’m bitter against men or a victim of circumstance. I always say that you don’t have to be a hurt woman to help hurt women. The brand represents resilience and strength. Don’t be afraid to niche down even when others don’t get it.
Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Definitely my parents. I come from a lineage of entrepreneurs, with my father being a man of restaurants through my upbringing. I witnessed my family going through both remarkable highs and challenging lows. I learned early that economics is a major factor in driving the revenue of your business. Nonetheless, my father’s work ethic was unmatchable, and he was especially demanding of me. I began working alongside him at the age of 10, and he held me to higher standards than any other employee. By the time I was 12, he entrusted me to manage one of our family restaurants while he worked at another. I was only paid $20 a day. I wasn’t there for the money though. I enjoyed watching my dad work and teach me things I wasn’t learning in school. I have this core memory of me when I was a kid, probably middle school age. I was sitting in the living room with my dad and telling him that I think I want to be a lawyer one day but expressed doubts because it seemed like a stressful career. He looked at me and said, “Why would you let stress stop you from being who you want to be? You’re going to experience some level of stress in every aspect of your life.” That stood with me forever. However, my dad is also a man of very little patience, and I definitely inherited that personality trait. I have my mom to thank for making me aware of this weakness in me. She taught me to have grace and patience with not just others but myself. These life lessons from my parents have been instrumental in shaping who I am today.
Website: SingleMomAttorney.com
Instagram: @SingleMomAttorney
Facebook: @SingleMomAttorney
Other: TikTok: @SingleMomAttorney