Meet Kara Vaval

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kara Vaval and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kara, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I cannot say that starting my own business and becoming an entrepreneur was ever a dream of mine. I graduated law school in May, 2008 and sat for the Florida Bar in July, 2008. The bar results were set to come out in September and as I waited to find out whether I had passed the bar or not, I found out I had passed a pregnancy test and was going to be a mom. At the time, I was a brand new rookie, green behind the ear attorney with no legal or business experience and aspirations of making partner at the firm where I was working. However, as soon as my son was born, I knew I had to find an alternative to my associate position at that boutique securities litigation law firm because I just couldn’t see myself missing out on my son’s milestones just to go put money in someone else’s pocket. Three months into my maternity leave, I was running out of money in my savings and I needed to do something other than go back to my job.

My prayers were answered when a woman walked up to me at a local target, offering me a facial with Mary Kay cosmetics. She booked me for a facial appointment and by the end of our time together, I had signed up to become a beauty consultant, paying $100 for my starter kit. I always say that I bought my freedom for $100 because starting that beauty business gave me the time freedom I was looking for that my job would not afford me. I took a chance on myself and entrepreneurship and never looked back. Soon after starting my Mary Kay business, I launched my very own law firm, Vaval Law, a personal injury law firm, funded by my beauty business. 16 years later, I continue to enjoy that time freedom along with the financial independence that comes with starting one’s own business.

About 6 years ago, a little before COVID, I decided to start yet another business. I’ve always been a student of my life and when I looked back at the success of my law firm and the unconventional way I had structured and built it, I saw a blueprint that I could offer women lawyers who are faced with what I was once faced with: needing to balance career and family, and not wanting to choose one over the other. That gave birth to the Laptop Lifestyle Lawyer brand through which I have been providing courses, trainings, and coaching to women lawyers looking for time freedom and financial independence. Today, I continue to support women lawyers through my programs and I’ve expanded my services to women in general, helping them build the confidence and abundant mindset they need in order to become both financially and emotionally independent, so they can create the life of their dreams.

What should our readers know about your business?
For the past 16 years, I have been running a busy virtual personal injury law practice, serving the injured in South Florida. What I’m most proud of is that I started this business with no business experience and very little legal experience and was able to develop it into what it is today. Taking a bet on myself and entrepreneurship has truly paid off. I was able to create a wonderful life for myself and my kids and was able to have a positive impact on the lives of the many women I have had the opportunity to work with and coach. I’m grateful for the time freedom my business model created for me. Because of that time freedom, I was able to publish my first book 28,000 Days…Make Yours Count! back in 2016 and was also able to create courses and programs to help women succeed in their businesses and their own lives. That to me is priceless!

I can still remember receiving the letter from the Florida Bar approving my program for 11 CLE credits! As unconventional as it was, I knew I had a solid blueprint that could help women lawyers create their version of legal success and it was great to know that the Florida Bar did too! I have since helped a number of women lawyers start their own virtual law firms and increase their cash flow by adding personal injury law as a practice area and achieve the time freedom and financial independence I once desired for myself. Most recently, I have expended my services to women at large who wish to become financially and emotionally independent and empowered. I founded the InPowerment Institute, LLC, through which I deliver courses, trainings and one-on-one coaching to women desiring to create lives they love and bring them joy and happiness.

I can’t say that building my businesses has been easy, but they have certainly brought me immense joy and fulfillment. I have been blessed to do what I love to do and I can say that the adage “when you love what you do, you never work as day in your life” is absolutely true. As I look back at even the hardest days in business, I can find lessons I needed to learn to grow to the next level. Everything has served my greater good. Nothing was ever lost.

What I want people to know and learn from me and my story is that it doesn’t matter where you start or the route you take. The fact that you see people succeeding by taking a certain path doesn’t mean you need to take the same path to meet the success that awaits you. We are all running our individual race, competing against who we were yesterday and not against each other. What someone else is doing is none of your business. If you stay in your life and utilize the skills, talents and gifts that were built into you, you will meet with your version of success in due time. It may take longer than you would want it to take but you will get there. Be committed to the journey and not the destination and be more focused on becoming a better version of yourself than anything else. The results and blessings you are looking for will start chasing you once you are the version of yourself that can best receive them.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If my best friend visited the area, the beach would unquestionably be on the agenda. Living where most people beach vacation has its perks. The Setai in Miami Beach would be my top pick for a beach day. Being that I am an avid tennis player, some time on the tennis court would probably find its way onto the schedule as well. We would probably head to Midtown Athletic Club where I’m a member and get some rallies in under a clear blue South Florida sky. And then we would EAT! I love food and love that South Florida offers such an exquisite diverse culinary experience. With restaurants like Osaka, Chateau ZZ and Cipriani, we’re guaranteed to have our taste buds jumping at dinner, while enjoying the posh surroundings of these beautifully executed concepts. I’m not a big drinker anymore but I can see Casa Neos, Mila and the outdoor bar at Casa Donna being good options for drinks. For breakfast and lunch, I would mostly likely take my friend to Crema Gourmet Espresso bar, where the food is always delicious and the environment friendly and inviting. For brunching, Jaya at the Setai and Catch would be my top picks

As for some sight seeing, Wynwood and the Design District would make the list down in Miami. I would definitely want to fit a drive to Palm Beach into the schedule, stopping by RH for lunch and taking a walk down Worth ave for some shopping. I would also take my friend for a walk through the iconic Breakers’s hotel property and grabbing a bite at their Seafood Bar.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
As I think of the people who have influenced my success, the first person who comes to mind is my late father. I lost my dad tragically back home in Haiti when I was only 14 years old and my burning desire to make him proud with everything I do, has been one of the main driving forces behind my success. From my career choice to the kind of human I choose to show up as in the world, making my father proud has remained center in my decision-making.

I’ve also been blessed to belong to an amazing family, full of cheerleaders. Their unconditional love and support has kept me believing in myself even when my faith wavered.

Next is the love, support and quality friendships of my amazing girlfriends. I often say that one of the best things that came out of my Mary Kay starter kit are my girlfriends. Their friendships have stood the test of time and they have remained constant through the seasons of my life and versions of me.

I’ve also had the privilege of working with some incredible coaches who have significantly impacted my life, 10x’ing my productivity and results and propelling me to my goals in a fraction of the time it would have taken me alone.

Lastly, there were the books I read that helped me elevate my thinking. Three in particular have had a significant impact on my life and my success, starting with the Power of the Subconscious Mind by Joseph Murphy. I was already 31 years old when I found out there was two parts to my mind one conscious and one unconscious, and that the majority of what I did was informed by this unconscious mind that I couldn’t see, but yet was running me. Next is The Science of Getting Rich by Wallace D. Wattles and Bob Proctor’s Paradigm Shift video series. The wisdom contained in these books helped me reprogram my mind in the area of money, moving from scarcity thinking to abundance thinking, helping me build a world around me that once lived only in my imagination. And then there’s Napoleon Hill’s Think and Grow Rich. I must have listened to Earl Nightingale’s 45 minute condensation of this book 100 plus times. When you understand the power of your mind, and do the work to reprogram it to put it to work for you instead of against you, the game changes. You move from the passenger seat of your life to the driver seat and your entire world opens up.

Website: https://www.karavaval.com

Instagram: @karavavalesq

Linkedin: @karavavalesq

Facebook: @karavaval

Youtube: @karavaval