Criminal defense lawyer, Haitham Amin started his career at the Solano Public Defenders Office before continuing as a Deputy Public Defender at the Marin County Office. After gaining invaluable experience in his work with the public, Haitham decided to open his private practice, the Amin Law firm in San Francisco in 2013.
As the Principal Attorney at Amin Law, Haitham (AKA Sam) limits the number of cases he accepts in order to give each of his clients the personal attention they deserve while working closely together through collaborative work practices. Amin Law firm has seen exponential growth since its’ beginning and that can be attributed to Haitham’s hands-on approach to growing his brand using social media. Social media can be a make or break tool when it comes to branding these days, but not everyone gets it right. Haitham recognizes the importance of engaging with followers and working for your personal brand on social media instead of thinking that it will come to you. He often emphasizes the social part of social media and takes advantage of tools like direct messaging as a means of engaging. Navigating the current ad space can be just as tricky as navigating the law at times but Haitham shows that both can be done through hard work and creativity.
His successes have not gone unrecognized, Amin law firm has been the recipient of numerous awards and achievements and most recently Amin Law had the honor of being named Attorney & Practice Magazine’s 2020 Award for Top Criminal Defense Firm.
Where did the idea for your career come from?
I graduated with a Law degree and then worked in the public interest sector for many years. I decided to make the shift to private practice in 2013 because I had gained a lot of experience. It takes a great deal of confidence to put your name on a business but I knew that I was ready for the opportunity.
What does your typical day look like and how do you make it productive?
I like to start my day with a little caffeine and some quite meditation. I spend that time thinking about what I am grateful for and what I want to accomplish next. I don’t like to stagnate so I am always looking for how I can grow as a person, how I can grow my brand, or what other ventures I could take on. Next, I look at what I am doing that day to put those goals into action. I also set aside time in the morning to post something thoughtful on social media. I make sure it is relevant to what is on the minds of my followers. Then I will take some time to engage by either responding to comments or direct messaging. These are all productive things I like to accomplish before I head over to the office to meet with my clients for the day or to court.
How do you bring ideas to life?
Through action. Don’t hesitate, just take the leap right into testing out your ideas. If they don’t produce the desired results right away that’s okay, that just means you have the data you need to run the test again.
What’s one trend that excites you?
People have been spending more and more time connecting via video conferencing and I am very excited to see where this can take us in the near future. I am a big proponent of using social media as a branding tool and I love how it brings people together, so I am already thinking of ways to integrate the use of video more into my branding.
What is one habit of yours that makes you more productive as an entrepreneur?
I believe that if you have a productive and healthy life you will be a productive entrepreneur and businessman, so I am ridged about sticking to a healthy routine. I wake up at the same time every day even if it is the weekend. Young entrepreneurs can sometimes get lost in the freedom and flexibility of their lifestyle, so I always recommend setting a good schedule for yourself and sticking to it.
What advice would you give your younger self?
Hesitate less. Once I learned to be a risk-taker, I found that I was a much more productive person. You must let go of that fear that holds you back. I wish I had done that sooner but at the same time, I am stronger now from the things I had to overcome in my younger years.
Tell us something that’s true that almost nobody agrees with you on.
You shouldn’t have a TV in your bedroom. It’s just one of those things I’ve always felt really strongly about. It is such a disruptive force to watch TV right before trying to fall asleep and I value my routine too much to corrupt it.
As an entrepreneur, what is the one thing you do over and over and recommend everyone else do?
Engage, create social media posts like videos to remain visible and relevant so that you don’t get lost in the sea of content.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business?
I try to post on social media at least once every day. Using social media to grow your brand is an invaluable tool because you can engage with your followers and stay abreast of growing trends.
What is one failure you had as an entrepreneur, and how did you overcome it?
As I was working on growing my brand through social media, my techniques didn’t always work. It can initially be discouraging when you don’t see any growth and you may feel as though you are failing. It can take some time to learn what will get the right kind of positive reactions that will result in the kind of booming growth that you want. You overcome it through perseverance. Just keep posting and engaging, get creative and make sure that you are paying attention to current trends and you will get there.
What is one business idea that you’re willing to give away to our readers?
There has been a noticeable shift in businesses starting to realize that their employees are just as productive working at home. I think there is some big potential there. Businesses may need someone to help them with that transition, you could start up your own small business as a “employee wellness liaison” or something of that sort.
What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why?
I recently spent a day finding local places to spend my money at. I bought lunch at a local restaurant and found a locally run specialty shop where I picked up a few gift cards so that I could support them and also spread the word about their shop.
What is one piece of software or a web service that helps you be productive?
Shift is a great desktop app for having all your different email accounts and apps in one place. It is great for workflow, increases productivity, and does away with wasting time on logging in and out a dozen different places.
What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?
Principles: Life and Work by Ray Dalio. The book is based on Dalio’s ideas of “radical truth” and “radical transparency” and includes hundreds of practical lessons. I don’t think anyone could come away from reading it without learning at least one valuable lesson that they can put into practice.
What is your favorite quote?
“Tough times never last, but tough people do.” Robert H. Schuller
Key Learnings:
• Don’t hesitate, take the leap and start testing out your ideas.
• Stick to a healthy routine by waking up at the same time every day and take some time for thoughtful meditation in the morning.
• Engage with your followers and try to post at least once a day but make sure that your posts are thoughtful and relevant so that you don’t get lost in the sea of content.
• Support local businesses, you will always feel good about spending your money that way.
Steve (Stefan) Junge hails from Germany and helps with the day-to-day publishing of interviews on IdeaMensch. While he and Mario don’t share a favorite soccer club, their enthusiasm to help entrepreneurs is a shared passion.