I’ll give it six months.
That was the comment made to my husband when I opened my own practice. It was a verbal defense mechanism uttered to diffuse the reality of having made a major life-changing decision. Change typically triggers anxiety, as it opens the door to risk. However, not taking the risk was not an option. Complacency quickly becomes a curse.
At the time, I was approaching my fifth decade of life. If not then, when? The ticking of my personal and professional biological clocks was loud, clear, and persuasive.
I opened the doors of Goidel Law Group PLLC on November 1, 2011.
The six months quickly turned into a year and the year into two years. And so on, and so on.
I am very pleased to announce that November 1 is the 10th anniversary of Goidel Law Group. The decision to create the firm was borne out of a desire to practice estate planning and elder law in a completely different and holistic manner. After working for and with other attorneys for decades, I gave into the urge to break out of the proverbial box and create new systems and processes. I recognized that there were better ways to deliver high quality services to individuals while enhancing their quality of life and that of their family members.
Starting with one assistant, Goidel Law Group has grown slowly yet strategically to the point where we now have a team of five smart, dedicated individuals, each of whom have brought their talents, passions, and skill sets to the table. While encountering certain challenges over the decade – personally, professionally, and pandemically – I can honestly report that I never regretted my decision. Our team has assisted hundreds of individuals in achieving their estate planning goals, protecting them, their loved ones, and their assets. But even more significantly is the realization that we have helped hundreds of people grappling with the challenges of aging, disability, or chronic illness to safely reside in the residence of their choice, keeping them out of restrictive care settings. Our goal has been and always will be to advocate for their needs as we provide support to, and lift some of the burden from, their family caregivers.
Through our Concierge Care Coordination® practice model, we create, implement, monitor, and maintain safe and appropriate care plans for our clients. Our entire team – including a licensed clinical social worker – works collaboratively to integrate each client’s care plan with their legal and financial planning. Our Your Voice, A Personal Proxy Program® allows us to support individuals without close family or friends on whom they can rely as agents. Because we are helping clients to navigate complex systems, while dealing with the most intimate details of their care, our clients quickly become part of our extended families. We want to help maintain their dignity, while enhancing their independence and quality of life. That is what we would want for our own loved ones.
I want to take this opportunity to extend my heartfelt appreciation to my amazing team, including Sara Meyer, Katie McAloney, and Karen Kretz; the dedicated financial and senior industry professionals with whom we have partnered and worked throughout the years; and, to our wonderful clients and their families. All of you have been integral to Goidel Law Group’s continued success. Finally, I want to thank my silent (and often not so silent) partner, my husband Eric, for his steadfast support, counsel, confidence, and patience.
The last ten years have certainly been a long labor of love. Exiting nascency and entering adolescence, Goidel Law Group will undoubtedly continue to learn, evolve, grow, and succeed. That’s exactly what we want for our children.
As we enter the next decade, I will be announcing additional programs and enhancements to our roster of services.