Today we’d like to introduce you to Krystine Cardona.
Hi Krystine, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I am a first-generation Cuban American, born and raised in Miami, Florida. My parents arrived in Miami as elementary school-aged children with the bare minimum. They worked diligently to create a life full of opportunities for my younger brother and me.
Unlike many of my colleagues, I had no idea I would be an attorney when I was younger. What I did know was that I was passionate about women’s rights, which led me to law school. While in law school, my favorite class was Family Law. I could read about family law- All. Day. Long. It was so interesting!
I decided to begin working at a Family Law firm to ensure that pursuing this area was the best decision for me. I law clerked for a solo practitioner, Elizabeth G. Daugherty (thank you!), who allowed me to learn what goes on behind the scenes as a divorce and family law attorney. She encouraged me to attend seminars, observe her in court and gave me a front-row seat during client meetings. The experience was instrumental and created the basic tenets of how I currently run my law firm and represent my clients: with authentic, empathetic, and efficient representation.
During COVID, my husband and I discovered that we were going to have identical twin girls- yes, this was a surprise, and we learned that spontaneous twins are not genetic. After a seven-week hospital stay due to my high-risk pregnancy, our girls arrived. We are very blessed with two healthy babies.
I knew that returning to work would be challenging since flexibility was no longer a privilege but rather a necessity with two newborns. It became apparent that I would need to make a change. I decided to step down from my position as an associate at a reputable family law firm, redirecting my focus to our twins. During this chapter, I took on a couple of clients and primarily helped Joey, my husband, with his architecture firm.
If you know me, you know that while my intention was to slow down, this isn’t in my DNA. Soon after I went out on my own, the initial “couple of clients” multiplied, and my firm grew greater than I had expected. It has been gratifying to build a firm with a strong value system that empowers our clients, and ourselves, to grow.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
There is no “work-life balance” as a working parent. It feels more like a juggling act. So as a new-ish parent (my kids are currently toddlers), I try to take it one day at a time. I work during standard office hours, but as a business owner, there is always more to do – bookkeeping, marketing, sales, administration, and everything in between. I try to fit in additional work earlier in the morning or later at night to do my number one job, being a mom, while I am with my daughters. However, even with four-month-old twins, opening a firm wasn’t impossible. With a supportive partner who understands the workload of being a business owner and a compassionate family who assisted with childcare, I had the opportunity to open and grow my firm.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
Reach out to a seasoned professional in your industry. It may feel daunting, but every professional has worn your shoes once before. Try to invite them to coffee or lunch – ask how they began their career or what they would do differently. You would be surprised to see how many people would be open to this!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.kcpafamilylaw.cpm
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/krystinecardonapa
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KrystineCardonaPA/
Image Credits
Yesi Laver, @simplylively, and http://yesi.fun
