Today we’d like to introduce you to Aisha McKinney
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I have known since adolescence that I wanted to be an attorney; but it really wasn’t until I graduated from undergrad that I began to take the steps necessary to fulfill this journey. During undergrad I had taken a few practice LSAT tests with the local Black Law Student Association and didn’t score so well (because I really wasn’t studying). I took my poor test scores as a sign that I should take a year off from school and get some legal experience, so that is what I did! Fast forward some months later, I am accepted into law school and beginning my legal journey. While in law school, I had the opportunity to intern/work for some pretty cool places; but the most fulfilling role I had, was working as the legal department manager for a loan servicer that was founded by an Angel Investor out of Miami. At this company I was given so much autonomy that I practically ran the legal operations myself (though I was supervised by an Attorney). I had developed such a great rapport with the Founder/CEO that when he decided to launch a new finance company, he moved me over to the new venture. There I was named Corporate Counsel and COO. I was tasked with the responsibilities of developing SOP’s, underwriting deals, evaluating and analyzing lead campaign results, reviewing and negotiating agreements, and training the staff on processes. This was the foundation of my experience as a business attorney. I learned so much that by the time I left the company I had launched an online clothing boutique with a partner and helped a close friend to launch an online media platform based around events in Miami. Unfortunately, in 2015, I was faced with the loss of my mother and couldn’t bare the pain of the memories remaining in Miami; so, without a job lined up, I made the bold move to relocate to Atlanta, GA. Relocating to Atlanta was one of the boldest decisions I have made to date; but, it was definitely the most rewarding! It was because of this bold move that before the age of 30, I have served as the SOLE Corporate Counsel for various businesses in different phases of profitability. These businesses include the successful finance startup in Miami which raised over million dollars in the seed round; a multi-million-dollar private equity company which served as an industry leader in the commercial parking industry and was acquired by a tech company which, after acquisition, was valued above $1 billion dollars; and a U.S. subsidiary of a publicly traded company on the U.K market which is known for its leading technology in fraud prevention. I have been sought after by recruiters of multiple million dollar companies not only because of my stellar record of success with contract negotiations, corporate governance, risk analysis, and regulatory compliance but primarily because of my specialized ability to optimize procedures for legal teams which has a tendency of reducing costs and nearly doubling sales for companies within a year of my employment. Today, I have been blessed with the opportunity to serve as the founder and managing attorney of my own virtual law practice, Evolutionary Ventures Law Group, LLC, which services clients in both Florida and Georgia. My journey has certainly been an eventful one, but I credit each of these experiences with providing me with the skills, the knowledge, and confidence to branch out into the world to help entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs develop their ideas, concepts, and businesses into evolutionary ventures.
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?
I faced many struggles to get to where I am today. I grew up in an environment which lacked the resources and opportunities to help me navigate my journey in becoming an attorney. In fact, I knew of zero attorneys and had not the slightest clue on how to qualify for law school until I became a paralegal on the opposite side of town. I struggled with severe anxiety and depression for the first two years of law school, which led me to transfer to a school closer to home; and that anxiety and depression became amplified by 1000 when my mother passed 11 months after my graduation from law school. On top of beginning my career in a new city, with little to no support, I was always met with distrust and skepticism by my corporate peers because many of these peers believed that my age and race instantly underqualified me to serve amongst an executive team or to make high stake decisions. I was constantly met with the requirement to get a stamp of approval from my Caucasian counterparts before my advice and work product would be considered valid. Despite these obstacles, none of these situations could ever make me question my own abilities because I always worked twice as hard as my peers to ensure that I possessed the knowledge and skills to exceed any expectations. Having this positive perspective of self is how I overcame majority of the obstacles thrown in my direction.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
I started Evolutionary Ventures Law Group (“EVLG”) back in 2018 in reaction to my frustration watching many minority business owners fail to successfully scale their businesses. I recognized that many of these business owners had the skills and the industry knowledge necessary to grow their businesses into million-dollar enterprises but lacked the business basics which could propel them to the next level. So I developed EVLG with that every day business owner in mind. I have taken my experiences from working internally for large corporate clients who have produced exponential growth to develop a practice that could assist smaller businesses with doing the same. I have had the opportunity to be mentored by some of the nation’s most successful CEO’s and multi-million-dollar entrepreneurs and have been a part of the strategy meetings to close deals, to structure finances, to develop systems, and to acquire capital. These are nuggets that some of my competitors could only hope to experience. And because of these experiences, what I bring to the table is more than just basic legal knowledge, but a wide range of entrepreneurial experience to provide counsel and consulting in a wide array of business areas. My current service offerings include counseling and consulting on contractual matters, protecting intellectual property, business formation and governance, estate planning, and business startups. But this year, I will be offering new services/products that I know my current audience will find useful in their own businesses. I realize that we are in a DIY kind of generation; so in developing these new products/services, I am hoping to be more of a resource to young entrepreneurs who are looking to develop working business knowledge themselves without necessarily relying on attorney’s/consultants for every move they make in their businesses. My firm is the “go to” firm when it comes to business strategy because I am known for thinking outside of the box and defying the traditional roles of a “Lawyer”.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
I have a strange addiction to real estate. Most people have a shopping problem with things like bags, shoes, or clothes but I have a shopping problem with houses; so much so that I have purchased and sold two new construction properties in the span of 2 years (which may possibly be three by the end of this year). I honestly don’t know why I like real estate this much, but I can tell you that on stressful days, riding around and seeing nice homes in random neighborhoods, relieves my stress.
Pricing:
- Business Formation Services – $150 per application (+ state registration filing fees)
- Contract and Document Review Services – $75 per page ($300 minimum)
- Copyright Registration – $150 per application (+ copyright registration filing fees)
- Trademark Registration – $750 per mark (+ trademark filing fees)
- Business and Startup Consulting – $300 per hour ($300 minimum)
Contact Info:
- Email: amckinney@evlawgroup.org
- Website: https://www.evlawgroup.org/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/evolutionary_ventureslaw/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EvolutionaryVenturesLaw/
Image Credits
Mike Dawkins Michael Ables Ebonee Neicole Design Agency
