Although the population of Raleigh, NC, is larger than either Minneapolis or St. Louis, it feels like a smaller community, where folks actively support one another and you bump into folks you know all around. Each of us small business owners working together to cultivate, nurture and continue this supportive community is such an honor and privilege. Amongst those in our community who join me in passionately bringing together a network of small business owners are both Mimi Soule, this month’s Female Founder Feature, as well as Becky Jacobs, the owner of Simple Change who first connected me to Mimi back in February of 2016. Mimi Soule, Founder of Soule Employment Law Firm, is a Small Business Resource, Employment and HR Attorney as well as Practical Advisor, but Mimi’s awesomeness goes well beyond the titles she includes on her LinkedIn profile. Mimi is brilliant, organized, great with details, immensely talented, caring, empathetic and invested in the success of those with whom she surrounds herself. Mimi truly embodies the “Pro Humanitate” motto of our alma mater, Wake Forest University. It’s an honor to include Mimi amongst my friends and inspirations. Enjoy a peek inside the mind and heart of this absolute rock star!

First Friday Female Founder Feature:

Mimi Soule

How would you describe your company and the products / services you offer?

We are an employment law firm that represents small businesses. We serve as a resource that provides a combination of both Human Resources and legal support. We draft work policies and contracts and also provide coaching to small business owners and managers on how to implement these documents to ensure legal compliance. Our goal is to reduce liability exposure overall by lowering the threat of employee complaints and charges, removing HR headaches and unnecessary legal costs, and, most importantly, helping to provide clients with confidence to handle - and effectively document - common HR issues that routinely pop-up.

What has been the most rewarding part of your journey in founding this company?

An integral part of building this practice has been building a network of other professionals who also support the local small business community – corporate attorneys, CPAs, human resource consultants, payroll providers, business coaches, commercial insurance brokers and commercial bankers to name a few. Through this amazing group of peers, I am able to send out multiple referrals a month. I love being able to both support my clients by providing good resources and, at the same time, help other professionals build their practices.

About what are you most proud?

I started this practice without a single client and just a belief that the small business community needed a legal resource with a focus on employment law and HR compliance. I had no specific proof or data to support my theory. Now, a little over a decade later, the practice supports more than 1,000 small businesses across the state.

Are you naturally organized, was it a skill you learned or is it something with which you regularly struggle, and what tips or tools do you use to stay your most organized?

I think that I am naturally organized. One thing that I have found that helps me the most is to make sure that my working environment is not just orderly and neat but also pretty – when I’m feeling stuck or disorganized, I often move my office furniture around to freshen up the space, bring in a new photo or decorative item that triggers a happy or funny memory or bring in a vase of flowers. It always amazes me how much my workspace impacts my productivity!

What words of wisdom would you have for someone who is overwhelmed with staying organized and / or productive?

When I get overwhelmed, I try to remind myself of a simple suggestion that my husband once gave me that always seems to help:

1. I write each task that needs to be done on a separate sticky note and, then, put them all on a wall in my office (or the back of a door).

2. I move the notes around to put the most important/urgent tasks at the top and the lower priority tasks towards the floor.

3. I remove the notes from the wall that I feel that I can complete that day and put them on my desk to work on. Each day, I continue to remove the notes until they are all completed.

4. And, each time I complete a task, I shred the note.

Seems a bit silly, but it helps me organize my thoughts, and, then, I get such a sense of accomplishment when I shred the note!

Do you use technology to help stay productive or organized? If so, what’s your favorite program, app or tech tool?

Absolutely – here are my favorites: I use Calendly to schedule all client appointments – no more endless back and forth emails; I set deadlines using Google Calendar and Google Tasks; and I use the Google Notes feature in Gmail to store key information that I often need to insert into emails routinely to avoid having to redraft the same information over and over again.

What have you found to be the most effective way to relax after a long day or super long week?

Although it has taken me almost 50 years to figure this out, I have realized that the best way to keep me grounded during a busy week is to force myself to keep the regularly-scheduled breaks/events that restore my energy and calm me down – two of my favorites: (1) I get up a little early each morning so that I can have a quiet cup of coffee curled up on the couch and read for pleasure or work on a puzzle or watch a silly show – it's such a relaxing way to ease into my day – even if it’s just 30 minutes; and (2) I have a standing date every Thursday after work with my sister – sometimes we go for a walk, sometimes we have a glass of wine, but we always laugh - a lot.

What is your favorite author / book?

The Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien. It was my late father’s favorite book, and my sister and I were strongly encouraged to read it when we were kids. The fundamental themes on friendship, love, courage and hope embedded in the story became a significant part of my childhood. I think I have now read them over 12 or 13 times and even took a class in college based on them.

What is your favorite inspirational quote?

“Butterflies are like women – we may look pretty and delicate, but, baby, we can fly through a hurricane.” (Betty White)

What is your go-to accessory?

A cute pair of shoes. I love shoes.

What are the fundamentals of your beauty routine?

Moisturize. Moisturize again – and maybe one more time. Then, add a little mascara.

What is your favorite food?

Anything my mother cooks.

What movie could you watch on endless loop?

I’m not sure I have a movie, but, if you asked me about a TV show, it would definitely be The Golden Girls. I can probably quote almost every episode.

What advice would you give your 21-year-old self?

Stop overthinking. Focus on what makes you happy. And go to the beach as often as possibles.

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