Kevin Henderson is the co-founding partner of SMB Law Group and the SMB Center. He’s also the host of the Mundane Millionaires podcast. Kevin is a seasoned corporate lawyer with over a decade of M&A, venture capital, and public capital markets experience.
In 2022, Kevin and his partners Sam and Eric launched a new boutique law firm focused on providing high-stakes M&A experience to small business entrepreneurs. SMB Law Group was founded with the mission to become the leading SMB-focused transaction law firm for searchers, buyers, operators, sellers, and investors.
They represent clients in everything from professional services to manufacturing. Kevin has also represented cannabis businesses in corporate and commercial transactions, from startups to MSOs.
In addition to SMB Law Group, Kevin sits on the board for Hope’s Door New Beginning Center, a non-profit that provides shelter, aid, and other resources to those affected by domestic abuse.
Listen in for some great takeaways about building a professional service firm that helps those who need it most while attracting top talent in the industry.
You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in…
- Learn more about Kevin Henderson [3:50]
- Why Kevin, Eric Pacifici, and Sam Rosati founded SMB Law Group [6:00]
- Why SMB Law Group’s messaging has resonated so much [11:49]
- Attracting top talent by remaining a remote team [16:22]
- Addressing a statement by a law firm about refusing to hire Jews [20:08]
- What professionals caught up in the “prestige” of their employer need to know [25:12]
- Why sharing personal information about his family is important to Kevin [29:13]
- The mission of the Mundane Millionaires podcast [33:54]
- What Kevin did today that put him in the right mindset for success [39:24]
Why Kevin, Eric Pacifici, and Sam Rosati founded SMB Law Group
Kevin met Eric when he was hired as a brand new associate at the law firm Kevin worked at in Dallas. They’ve been friends ever since. Eric had stumbled across a small business ETA (entrepreneurship through acquisition) community on Twitter. Instead of starting their own business, the people in this community would buy lucrative businesses.
Eric originally came across them because he’d thought about buying a business. But he went viral after tweeting about M&A and gained thousands of followers. His DMs were full of people looking for a good lawyer.
Kevin and Eric quickly realized there was a lack of high-quality M&A lawyers in the small business space. So they decided to launch a law firm dedicated to the niche. Sam was brought on as a partner who brought a whole different skillset to the mix: the ability to run a business.
Why SMB Law Group’s messaging has resonated so much
There are many ethical rules around advertising in the legal space, so marketing on social media can be tricky at best. It’s hard to say anything publicly without running afoul of ethical rules. So many lawyers shy away from participating in public spaces.
Secondly, people who go into law aren’t always entrepreneur-minded. They don’t think about marketing. But Kevin, Eric, and Sam were willing to navigate the world of social media. They gained a first-mover advantage.
Lawyers are often thought of as third-party counselors as opposed to business partners. But Kevin, Eric, and Sam seek to build deep strategic relationships with their clients. Many of these people don’t have anyone to turn to and SMB is there to help them navigate the space.
What professionals caught up in the “prestige” of their employer need to know
If you think you’ll get something by working for a prestigious employer, you need to realize there may be a trade-off. You may have to trade on moral, personal, and ethical issues to get ahead. It is never worth your integrity.
A prestigious company may roll out the red carpet for you, but at the end of the day, the company won’t hesitate to kick you to the curb. Kevin notes that you must be strategic with what you’re chasing in your career.
Kevin also notes that you can trade on work at prestigious law firms. It can be a stepping stone. But you can’t ride out a career on a company’s prestige. Think carefully about your values. You won’t get a level of ownership over your personal life working for large law firms. If you want that life, go ahead and chase it with eyes wide open.
Why sharing personal information about his family is important to Kevin
Kevin points out that professional services is a changing landscape. In the past, if you were hiring a wealth manager, you were hiring a reputation. It’s changed in the digital media age. People don’t want to hire law firms. They want to hire a lawyer that they like and think of as a strategic partner. That’s why Kevin seeks to get to know people on a deeper level. He wants people to understand who he is and what he’s about.
Listen to learn about why they started the Mundane Millionaires podcast and the stories they seek to tell.
Resources & People Mentioned
Connect with Kevin Henderson
Bio
Kevin is an experienced corporate lawyer with over a decade of M&A, venture capital, and public capital markets experience. Having worked for elite law firms such as Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP and Cooley LLP, Kevin has been involved in high-stakes transactions for clients such as AT&T, Halliburton, JPMorgan, Toyota Racing, and TPG. In 2022, Kevin and his partners Sam and Eric launched a new boutique law firm focused on providing high stakes M&A experience to small business entrepreneurs. Since launching in May 2022, SMB Law Group has closed over 50 small business transactions totaling in excess of $250 million! Kevin has been recognized by Super Lawyers as a rising start in the areas of both mergers & acquisitions and securities, is a frequent speaker on M&A and entrepreneurship through acquisition at conferences and universities around the country, and is licensed to practice law in California, New York and Texas. In addition to SMB Law Group, Kevin manages a growing portfolio of private direct and venture capital investments through his investment company, Nine20 Capital. Recently, Kevin and his partner Eric launched the Mundane Millionaires Podcast, where they interview small business entrepreneurs who are building time and financial freedom through with “mundane” businesses.
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