JUNE – SUCCESS STORY
VirtualOffiCenters and Chris Tymchuck have a real success story. In 2010 she started Unique Estate Law and was a virtual client at France OffiCenters. As her business grew Chris had the opportunity to share office space with a few other people in her industry and left OffiCenters. Her business still growing, Chris was having a hard time practicing law and managing the office tasks. She found her way back to France OffiCenter as a full time client where we help her with manage her business and she is able to do what she does best; run a successful business.
1) Who are you and what do you do? My name is Chris Tymchuck and I help families plan and protect their, and their loved one’s, future through estate plans custom drafted to meet the unique needs of each family. I also offer assistance through the probate process after a death.
2) Which OffiCenters location does your business call ‘home-base’? France OffiCenter.
3) How long have you been an OffiCenters client? Two years with an ill-advised break in between.
4) What is your ‘elevator speech’? I am a trusts and estates attorney who works with people to build and protect their future. I specialize in assisting nontraditional families – unmarried couples, single parents and/or blended families – with complex estate planning issues
5) Where did you get the idea for your business? I was working through the complexities of drafting my own estate plan and realized that if it’s complicated for two attorneys to figure out, it must be impossible for those who have other things on their minds – or better ways to spend their time. I then decided to focus on the complex estate plans to ensure I would be able to assist anyone (traditional or not) with how to distribute assets to the future generation in the way he or she wants with minimal conflict or tax issues.
6) What makes your business unique? I focus on a unique, and underserved, market and spend considerable time and effort educating myself on the complex issues faced by someone who is in a nontraditional family. This generally means that the laws of inheritance are not set up for them and require someone with enhanced knowledge of laws (and sometimes loopholes) to help ensure their needs are met.
7) What are the keys to your success? I am passionate about what I do. I am overwhelmed by the number of people who do not have a will or health care directive and consider it a mission to educate as many people as possible so that my clients know their assets will go to the person(s) of their choosing or that they get to pick the person who will make their health care decisions if they are incapacitated.
8) How has officing with OffiCenters changed your business? My business was growing beyond my ability to manage every aspect of it (a good thing I know but still stressful) and I was able to seek assistance from the OffiCenters staff. Having someone answer the phone and warmly greet clients by offering them coffee or water is very valuable in building a relationship with that client.
9) What would you like people to know about you? While I am passionate about my career, the most important thing in my life is my family. I left a large law firm to pursue my own business so that I could have more client contact and also pursue the elusive work-life balance by spending more time with my family.
10) Do you use social media to attract clients? If so, which services do you use? I set up my blog at www.uniqueestatelaw.com to feed into Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.
11) When you have 30 minutes of free time, how do you use it? Depending on the time of day: 1) Enjoying my family; 2) reading; or 3) watching trashy TV (like Bachelorette trashy)
12) If you could be any animal, what would you be and why? My very spoiled, and loved, Jack Russell Terrier Jasper. He’s fierce and tenacious but warm and fun.
13) What is your favorite restaurant in Minnesota? There are so many to choose from but when we get a date night (babysitter and all) the first choice is Saffron. I once asked what was in their amazing potato dish and the server said “About 50 different spices.” I am happy to pay to eat at a restaurant that serves food I can’t possibly duplicate at home.
14) What is your favorite place to visit in Minnesota? Starbucks. Is that what you meant?
15) What is your favorite part of being with OffiCenters? Hearing my clients tell me that Fay and Jill are so warm and professional whenever they interact with either of them.
