Melissa Barlas always wanted to be her own boss. Now an award-winning practitioner, she’s found the right balance in her firm, having invested in the right processes and people and can relish the experience, both personally and professionally. In this episode of The Boutique Lawyer Show, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Conveyed director and founder Melissa Barlas, who recently won the Sole Practitioner of the Year category at the Australian Law Awards, about her upbringing and being the first in her family to enter the legal profession, identifying a point of difference and the perspective she’s gleaned from that difference. Ms Barlas also reflects on the state of affairs for sole practitioners in the current climate, anticipating the hurdles to be overcome in the near future for such business owners, being a thought leader and wearing the multiple hats of small-firm owners, striking the right balance so that one can still enjoy the journey of running a firm, investing in the right people and processes, and remembering why one decided to go out on their own and ensuring it is a rewarding experience. If you like this episode, show your support by rating us or leaving a review on Apple Podcasts (The Lawyers Weekly Show) and by following Lawyers Weekly on social media: Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. If you have any questions about what you heard today, any topics of interest you have in mind, or if you'd like to lend your voice to the show, email [email protected] for more insights!