Next week, The Toups Law Firm will celebrate our first anniversary of being in business. Anyone that has started a business understands the balance of fear and excitement new entrepreneurs face. Our start was no different. Late last January, I “hung up a shingle” and started the firm with little more than a laptop, a printer, and a phone. From day one my goal was to operate efficiently while serving clients abundantly. As I look back on this first year I am blown away by the success of the firm, but even more importantly I am blown away by the number of people we have helped, educated, and inspired.
In our first year we have helped over 100 families rest easier at night knowing they have a plan in place in the event of death or disability. In our first year we have helped guide many grieving individuals through probate for the estate of their loved ones. In our first year we have helped several individuals qualify for Medicaid benefits to continue receiving the care they need. In our first year we have helped several others access the benefits they earned by serving our country. In our first year we helped families in need get their estate planning documents done free of charge through our volunteer and pro bono work. In our first year we helped.
In our first year we educated hundreds of people about estate planning, elder law, guardianship, and probate. In our first year we spent countless hours in the community presenting educational seminars. In our first year we met with over 100 other business owners to educate them about the importance of estate planning for their clients, and for themselves as business owners. In our first year we educated.
In our first year we inspired many to think about their estate plans as well as other difficult topics. In our first year we inspired many to put a plan in place to protect their families. In our first year we inspired many to get more organized with their financial documents. In our first year we inspired many to have more conversations with their families about their estate plans and their wishes. In our first year we inspired.
This was all possible with the support and encouragement of many. Thank you to the clients who trusted me to assist them. Thank you to the fellow business owners who supported me as I took on this new challenge. A huge thank you to all of the friends and family members who encourage and support me in ways big and small. Notably, a special thank you to John and Vivian Toups, my in laws, brochure models, document witnesses, marketing consultants, and general jacks of all trades. Finally, a thank you to my husband who was the first one to encourage me to take this leap of faith, and who patiently listens and encourages each time I face a new challenge. Here’s to our first year and all that we accomplished, and to many more years of serving clients and the community.