How do you build a business when you have the expertise but not the network? Start by finding people already where you want to go—and learn beside them.
In this episode of Unfiltered Solopreneur, Nikhil Vaish talks with family law attorney Ana Milena Goncalves about leaving a 20-year career, entering a new legal market, and building her own practice from scratch.
What does it take to build when you’re starting without connections? Ana’s answer is simple: find your people. Put yourself in rooms with people already doing what you want to do, listen, learn, ask for help, and build competence before chasing growth. When Ana entered New Jersey family law with no local experience, network, or clients, she attended CLEs, observed courtrooms, took pro bono and per diem work, and deliberately sought experienced guidance.
She also explains why asking for help—and risking rejection—became essential to her growth, including how approaching an experienced attorney at a networking event led to an important professional relationship.
Key topics covered:
Building competence before chasing growth
Finding your community, guides, and support system
Turning rejection and failure into lessons
Using lived experience as a differentiator
Using AI as a thought partner for business development
Ana also shares how Claude changed her business plan, website, ideal-client thinking, and approach to growth.
Unfiltered Solopreneur is a podcast about solopreneurship and the realities behind building a business on your own.
Who this is for: For established coaches and solo experts who already know their craft but are hitting the ceiling of doing everything themselves and want to build the relationships, perspective, and support needed for their next stage.
Five Related Search Phrases
How do I build a business when I don’t have a network?
How do you find mentors when starting your own business?
How do solopreneurs build connections in a new industry?
How can I use AI to help grow my small business?
How do I stop being afraid of failure as an entrepreneur?
Timestamps
00:00 — From Foster Care Work to Family Law
04:17 — When “I’m Unhappy” Becomes “I Have to Change”
09:31 — Finding a Way Out of the Black Hole
15:05 — Turning Hardship Into an Asset
18:13 — Betting on Herself With No Clients or Network
23:29 — Why Understanding Clients Goes Beyond Speaking Their Language
28:41 — You Can’t Write the Label From Inside the Bottle
31:00 — Choosing Your Own Lane Instead of Competing With Bigger Firms
35:15 — Build Competence Before Chasing Growth
37:36 — How Ana Went Looking for a Mentor
40:54 — Learning to Handle Rejection
42:19 — How AI Changed the Way Ana Runs Her Business
47:45 — Where Should a Solopreneur Start With AI?
49:31 — Ana’s Advice for Aspiring Solopreneurs
50:49 — Rapid-Fire Round
About the Guest
Ana Milena Goncalves | Solo Practice Owner & Attorney
Website: https://amglawllc.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amgfamilylawnj/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AMGFamilyLawNJ
Resources & Links
From Nikhil
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