Ideas never come to fruition without discussion, planning, and active steps towards making those ideas come true.
Abe George is a product of the New York City Public School System. He was born, raised and still resides in Brooklyn, New York. Abe graduated New York University in the Fall of 2000 and later graduated from Hofstra University School of Law in 2004. In law school Abe developed a love for litigation and public service which is why when graduating law school Abe started his legal career at the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, working for the venerable and revered District Attorney Robert M. Morgenthau. Abe spent over 8 years as a prosecutor in the Manhattan D.A.’s office prosecuting crimes related to narcotics, guns, robberies, and homicides. Abe is now in private practice continuing to fight for those whose civil rights have been violated and continuing to represent those who have been wrongfully convicted pro-bono. )
Where did the idea for starting your own practice come from?
I decided to start my own law practice after almost 10 years in public service. I thought it was a time to get out on my own and start broadening my horizons. I continue the tradition of public service by continuing to serve the public in fighting for those whose civil rights are violated.
What does your typical day look like and how do you make it productive?
What is great about my life is that I don’t have a typical day, every day is different. One day I could start the morning in court litigating a case and in the afternoon I could be standing in the middle of a construction site trying to resolve a commercial dispute between contractors and landowners.
How do you bring ideas to life?
The best way to bring ideas to life is to talk out those ideas with smart people. Ideas never come to fruition without discussion, planning, and active steps towards making those ideas come true.
What’s one trend that really excites you?
I don’t think there are really many trends that excite me. I think it’s amazing to see how we don’t call car services on the phone anymore and how everything is done on an app.
What is one habit of yours that makes you more productive as an entrepreneur?
You have to work harder than your colleagues. If I am trying to finish something important sleep does not matter.
What was the worst job you ever had and what did you learn from it?
I don’t think I have ever had a particularly terrible job, I think I learned something from every gig that I have ever had. However, I do remember a friend in high school was trying to get me involved in his contracting business and on a warm summer day we were carrying 40 pound tubs of black tar to redo a roof and I realized that I wasn’t cut out for intense manual labor.
If you were to start again, what would you do differently?
I think everything in life happens for a reason, and I wouldn’t take back any step I have made.
As an entrepreneur, what is the one thing you do over and over and recommend everyone else do?
Every day you need to take 15-20 minutes to completely disconnect from work and let your mind relax, whether that’s going to the gym or sitting in quiet mediation.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business? Please explain how.
One thing that is huge in the legal profession is returning calls and meeting deadlines. I find those easy things help create a referral network that keeps on generating business.
What is one failure you had as an entrepreneur, and how did you overcome it?
I once took on a case in a jurisdiction that was way too far from home. I thought I could manage the project from 3,000 miles away but it was too difficult to handle. I wound up finding a colleague closer to the project and wound up giving up the project to someone else. It was an important lesson to learn, not to take on more than you could handle.
What is one business idea that you’re willing to give away to our readers?
I think the family kids entertainment realm is the way to go. The more I visit families with children’s birthdays I realize there is a huge gap in this arena.
What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why?
I went to Peter Lugers, a famous steakhouse in New York City, and treated myself and a good friend to a steak dinner.
What software and web services do you use? What do you love about them?
I am not sure that this question really applies to me. I use google and the typical Word Suite of products.
What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?
I think the 48 Laws of Power is a great book that everyone should read that gives you important insight on how to succeed in life.
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Mario Schulzke is the Founder of ideamensch, which he started a decade ago to learn from entrepreneurs and give them a platform for their ideas.