The Lawyer for Entrepreneurs: Meet Colynn O’Brien, Founder of Iluma Law

By Emily Merrell

Starting a business can be daunting, but finding the right lawyer to help you start your business can be equally challenging. How do you find someone that “gets” what you’re doing? Colynn O’Brien, Founder of Iluma Law does just that. She helps entrepreneurs with the legal aspects of their business so her clients can focus on the important things – like their business! 

SDS: As the founder of Iluma Law, why was it important to you to start a law firm for small businesses and entrepreneurs? 

COLYNN O’BRIEN: I’ve always loved encouraging others to go for what they want and live their best lives. After working in big law and representing hundreds of clients through every stage of the legal process, it became clear that my legal experience, creativity and love of all things legal and entrepreneurial were the perfect combination. I wanted to help entrepreneurs with the legal aspects of their businesses, so I started lluma Law Firm to do that. I love that I get to give my clients peace of mind, legal guidance and a support system throughout their entrepreneurial journeys.

SDS: How does small business law vary from big business? How are they similar? 

CO: The laws are generally the same, but the application can be a bit different. The proper legal strategy for a large corporation can vary greatly from the proper legal strategy for a small coaching business, but both types of businesses have to comply with many of the same laws. For example, just as Nike registered its trademarks for its swoosh and slogan “Just do it” to protect its brand, small companies should consider registering the important elements of their brands for trademark protection. Just as Nike’s website needs to comply with privacy and anti-spam laws, so do small businesses’ websites.

SDS: What is the biggest challenge you see entrepreneurs struggle with when running their own business? 

CO: There are two things. First, I see a lot of entrepreneurs struggle internally. Many entrepreneurs are the only person they know who is starting their own company, and that can be lonely and scary at times.

I also see entrepreneurs struggle with putting all the pieces in place. They usually want to deal with marketing, legal, and accounting down the road once they have become established, but if they don’t at least get the basics in place on the front end, it will likely cost them more money, time and energy later on.

SDS: If you had to pick three legal documents that every entrepreneur should have, what would they be? 

CO: Client Contract: Put it in writing! Make sure you and your client know what each expects of the agreement on the front end. That way, if a dispute arises, you have a contract to go to.

Trademark and Copyright Protection: Protect your brand and content! Don’t spend time, energy and money building a brand without protecting it. Conducting a thorough trademark search to make sure your brand’s not already in use and registering your trademark as soon as possible will give your brand the most protection.

Privacy Policy: If you don’t have a compliant privacy policy on your website, you could face penalties. You can find more information on all of these on my website, ilumalaw.com, my Instagram account (@ilumalawfirm), and my email list, which you can sign up for here.

SDS: What has been the most surprising part of starting a business for you? 

CO: How much time the business side and running the company takes. When you have just started a business, there’s so much to do. I have a lot more freedom, but the business takes up more time and energy. I was much better with boundaries when I worked for other people. Generally, nights and weekends were off limits for work in those days unless I had a big hearing or deadline. Now, I find myself wanting to work into the wee hours of the night.

SDS: What advice do you have for individuals contemplating starting a business? 

CO: On the mindset side, be confident, but listen to advice from others in similar situations. Find a community of like minded people to exchange ideas and share stories with. All those emotions you are feeling are a part of the journey! Embrace them and don’t be afraid to outsource when you have the opportunity to.

On the legal side, again, get your basic legal protections in place. Make sure you have a good client contract that’s clear and easy to understand. Protect your business and your brand by conducting a trademark search and registering for trademark protection if necessary. Make sure your website is compliant with privacy and anti-spam laws. Being proactive on the front-end and having these basic legal protections in place will save you money and headaches later on.