“I got frustrated where I was and thought, ‘I can either do something about it or shut up’. So, I did something about it.”
– Chris Newton
Want to learn more about how Newtons Solicitors began?
Our very own Chris Newton got to chat with ActionCOACH’s Mike Moss on Business Spotlight Harrogate & East Yorkshire. He reflects on his 15-year business journey, from starting Newtons Solicitors to managing an extensive team of legal experts across various locations in Yorkshire, Cumbria, and the North East.
Take a look at the video below and discover how Chris managed to shape his career success!
Transcript:
Mike: What was the inspiration for you, Chris – the reason why you went so low in the first place and went out on your own to start your own business? And has that changed for you at this point? Or is it the same, plus a few more things?
Chris: So, in the beginning, I guess I got frustrated where I was and thought, ‘I can either do something about it or shut up’. So, I did something about it. I remember going home to my wife – we had two young children and a mortgage, so not the best time to start a business – I remember going home and saying, ‘I fancy starting my own law firm’, and Sarah said, ‘Do you know what you’re doing?’. But she supported me, bearing in mind the house was going on the line.
So, it was born out of that initial frustration of wanting to do things the way I wanted them done. It would make you laugh if I told you the sort of things we looked at doing and the things I made my wife do with looking into businesses. It never occurred to me to have law as our business. I saw it as the bread and butter – the backstop. But then I started thinking, ‘Well, what do I know? What am I good at? Law – that’s the obvious one to make our business!
And, one of the beauties of my job is that you deal with a lot of clients in a lot of businesses, and you get inspired by what other people have achieved. As I’m aware, I’ve moved up fifteen years further along in age, and the younger people will hopefully look at me and be inspired by what I’ve achieved!
Fifteen years ago, I’d look at some of my clients, be inspired by them, and think, ‘I want to have a go at doing that’. I don’t want to look back and regret things. You know whether you’ve got it in you; you know whether you’ve got that fire and that drive – occasionally, you meet people and recognise it. I met somebody recently who is leaving their job to set up a business, and I said to them, ‘I can see a lot of me in you’ – I could see that energy.
So, it was the clients, really, who inspired me, and then I remember one particular client who’s still with me – a good friend – and they had paid for me to go down to London in mediation to represent them.
In mediations, there is a lot of sitting around, and I found myself sitting whilst the client went up to the whiteboard and started mentoring me about my business, saying, ‘How do you make your money as a lawyer because you only have so many hours to sell?’. And he said, ‘You’ve got to employ other lawyers and expand the business – it can’t just be you on your own.’
And I blame him for what’s happened. He won’t accept responsibility, but he is responsible!
Seeking Legal Advice from Newtons Solicitors?
This was just a snippet of Chris’ interview; you can find the full interview on Business Spotlight’s YouTube channel. If Chris’ story has inspired you and you are looking for a team of legal specialists equipped with the right experience and knowledge to assist you, please reach out to us today.
One of our solicitors will gladly talk you through your best options, whether you require help with commercial property, family law, or any of our other services for individuals or businesses.