Welcome to our WBE Spotlight Series! Today, we’re thrilled to shine the spotlight on Jeana Goosmann, Founder, CEO, & Managing Partner of Goosmann Law Firm. Join us as we delve into Jeana’s entrepreneurial journey and uncover the driving force behind her success in the legal industry.
What inspired you to start your own business?
My vision was and still is to ultimately feed America through Agricultural and Estate Tax Legislation. My experience as a lawyer taught me how to be proactive, and that in return helped to guide me when I started my own firm. I had previous experience as a law firm partner, so I had seen the hard work required to keep a successful firm running. I had great mentors who encouraged and guided me along the way, and this allowed me to envision myself starting my own firm. I began thinking, “I can lead the firm,” and the more I believed in myself, the easier it was to go out and start a firm of my own.
I started the firm in 2009 with a vision to provide strategic legal advice with big city style and small-town service. I defied the risks of starting my own firm, and in 2013 I launched Trust Law Counsel to give clients a full-service experience to ensure they receive the most personalized estate plan that helps preserve their wealth and legacy. I wanted to create a boutique estate planning department that was unique, with fixed fees, collaborative team approach, and business mindset. As an approachable firm, with the understanding of family and all of life’s events in between, I strive to provide exceptional service to clients in life’s most sensitive moments. I sold the vision I had to my team early on and they see the passion we have for what we do every day. I not only care about our clients, but I care about what they care about. I get to know them as a person and find what matters to them.
What is a business milestone or achievement that you are most proud of?
Giving up was never an option for me. As a leader, you will have difficulties, and how you respond to those is key. When you respond to failure with compassion it gives your team room to grow and develops a culture of trust rather than fear. With a team of high achievers, they are way harder on themselves than you could ever be.
Once when I was a new lawyer, I did a presentation project for a partner and when the partner returned to the office after having stumbled on an audience question, she ripped me apart for not having prepared her enough. It made me feel small, hurt embarrassed and ashamed. I try and remember this moment. While we are human and not perfect, take a deep breath and work to be emotionally patient. As a leader, look at what you celebrate. These are opportunities to set up culture building moments. Your job as a business leader is to see to it that your team is successful, that they have what they need to win. Because when your team wins, so does your business.
What challenges have you faced as a woman business owner, and how did you overcome them?
I had to overcome the additional hurdle of commanding the respect of others as a young female professional in the first year of my business. As any young professional knows, people may see you differently than a professional with 20-plus years of experience. Learning to be confident in myself, even when others doubted me, helped me to earn the respect of others. Respect is something that is not always given freely. One of the biggest challenges for women is that we want to do it all; run a business, volunteer, be a good friend, raise a family, support your spouse, and do it all really well. It’s not just about work-life balance which is why I use a strategy called MashUp. It’s been a guiding principle in my life and has allowed my entrepreneurial spirit to thrive, but not at the expense of the rest of my life. The MashUp strategy is born through the acknowledgment and acceptance that life is not static, it’s not simply a screenshot in time. You don’t ever stop being you. I’m still a lawyer when I’m at my kid’s soccer game. I also need to figure out how to eat well when I’m traveling for work. Life is a dynamic reality, with seasons that come and go, constantly shifting. Once you embrace your own unique rhythm and cadence, you’ll find all the elements of your life coming together and you flow from one area to another with ease.
What advice would you give to aspiring women entrepreneurs?
I found that asking the right people and strategically thinking through decisions helped me to become the business owner I am today. Seeking advice from a credible professional, one who can also serve as a mentor, will be one of the best decisions you make for your business.
Have great ideas, persevere, and work hard and you will eventually reap the rewards. After all the risks, challenges, and trial and error, I am now at a team of 65 and growing! I have not been afraid of letting go or embracing change, and I know that the decisions I have made have led me to where the Goosmann Law Firm is today. I have gained the respect of my community, led my team to think big, and I have never steered away from my vision. I was recently told by someone that I am a business owner, who just so happens to be in legal. I found that comment extremely rewarding.
With a business mindset, hiring and promoting the right people, developing a strong professional culture, and capturing hot markets, I have been able to beat the odds, defy the risks, and watch my firm grow.
Goosmann Law Firm
Goosmann Law Firm is one of the largest certified woman-owned law firms in the Midwest with offices in Sioux City, IA, Omaha, NE, Sioux Falls, SD, and Spirit Lake Iowa. Our team helps business leaders win disputes, protect their wealth, and close deals so they can spend time on what’s worth it. With a team of 30 attorneys and 30 support staff, we’ve done over two billion dollars in deals and had 500+ trials in state and federal courts over the past 15 years. Our attorneys are licensed in several Midwest states, mainly serving Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota. We provide legal services in the following practice areas and industries: agriculture, banking, bankruptcy, blockchain, business, construction, divorce & family law, employment, estate planning, finance, litigation & trial law, manufacturing, real estate, transactions, and trust law.
Have great ideas, persevere, and work hard and you will eventually reap the rewards…