An Open Letter to a Former Associate
Dear Former Associate,
A few weeks ago, you gave us notice that you were leaving our law firm. You agreed to stay on a few weeks to close out some of your open cases. We are very grateful that you provided notice and that you were willing to continue to work for a few weeks. Your actions were very professional; the same level of professionalism you brought to work every day for the past two years. Thank you.
Likewise, it was very professional to inform us that you planned to start your own law firm. Regrettably, we had a conflict of interest. We terminated your employment contract early but believe that we gave you fair pay and severance. To be clear, anyone that practices or plans to practice immigration law is a business competitor. This was not personal; it is the nature of business.
In lieu of using your name, I have addressed this letter towards a friend because we do still consider you our friend. We wish you success with your law firm. We hope that you learned a lot about business while working with us and that you will develop your own unique business strategy and company procedures. This is a large market, and we have no doubt that there are many potential new clients that need your services. You are a great attorney!
Since you are our friend, I want to share some of our experiences in hopes that you will avoid the pain that we lived through. My wife, Zaira Solano, started this business with a laptop, a cell phone, and two months’ rent in her bank account—with exactly $100 to spare. I met her when she was two years into her business. For the past five years, I have been privileged to watch the business grow through its phases. I frequently help with the business on the nights and weekends after I work my normal day job.
When Zaira started Solano Law Firm, she decided that she would be a business owner. Countless attorneys practice law, and many start their own company, but few make the conscious decision to be a business owner. Being an entrepreneur requires a different mindset than being a lawyer. I’m sure you already know that running a new business is extremely difficult. The first few years were challenging for us because Zaira had to do everything, from being the sales team to the marketing specialist, receptionist, accountant, bookkeeper, human resource manager, technology officer, and networking every day, on top of her duties as an attorney. When you joined the team, we had already hired specialists for each of these activities or outsourced them. Our monthly payroll expenses are now approximately $62,000, and we spend an additional $10,000-$20,000 per month outsourcing marketing, bookkeeping, information technology, accounting, and other management tasks. Even the smallest business is a machine with many moving parts.
My recommendation to you is to hire help or outsource business management tasks as soon as possible. We should have hired and outsourced more, and sooner. I can’t begin to count how many hours I spent learning web design, pay-per-click, email marketing, IRS regulations, etc. Or how many hours I spent combing over resumes and interviewing poor job applicants. There are invariably other experts that are better at these skills than we will ever be. Because of the overwhelming workload and variety of tasks, the first few years of our business crushed our souls. It strained our relationship. We had more than one nervous breakdown and a breakup. Now we find happiness when we can focus on the few passion areas that we love—helping clients and developing our team.
I’m sure you already know that running a new business is extremely difficult. The first few years were challenging for us because Zaira had to do everything, from being the sales team to the marketing specialist, receptionist, accountant, bookkeeper, human resource manager, technology officer, and networking every day, on top of her duties as an attorney. When you joined the team, we had already hired specialists for each of these activities or outsourced them. Our monthly payroll expenses are now approximately $62,000, and we spend an additional $10,000-$20,000 per month outsourcing marketing, bookkeeping, information technology, accounting, and other management tasks. Even the smallest business is a machine with many moving parts.
My recommendation to you is to hire help or outsource business management tasks as soon as possible. We should have hired and outsourced more, and sooner. I can’t begin to count how many hours I spent learning web design, pay-per-click, email marketing, IRS regulations, etc. Or how many hours I spent combing over resumes and interviewing poor job applicants. There are invariably other experts that are better at these skills than we will ever be. Because of the overwhelming workload and variety of tasks, the first few years of our business crushed our souls. It strained our relationship. We had more than one nervous breakdown and a breakup. Now we find happiness when we can focus on the few passion areas that we love—helping clients and developing our team.
Entrepreneurship also changed our relationship. Years ago, I believed in work-life balance and enjoyed the idea of being able to leave work in the office to come home and focus on the family. For an entrepreneur and small business owner, there is no such thing as work-life balance. We are always “on.” We cannot have a conversation without talking about the business in some fashion. The business is not the only focus in our lives, but it manages to weave into every aspect of our existence. Most of our vacations are business vacations, most of our friends are business colleagues, most of our books are business books, network events are date nights, and many of our friends raise their children in their businesses. Zaira regularly works 80 hours a week and spends much more time than that talking and thinking about the business. I enjoy working hard, but Zaira is beautifully relentless.
Zaira and I had one particular date night a few years ago. We were trying to figure out how to remotely manage an office in Atlanta while living in Florida. This was a topic that we argued about multiple times. On this date night, Zaira prepared a PowerPoint presentation for me on how we could make the new business model work. Imagine! Friday night in downtown Orlando, sitting at a beautiful cafe next to Lake Eola, most couples were out getting a nice dinner while the babysitter watched their children. Lovebirds walked by, dressed up on their way to go dancing or see a play at the theater, and here Zaira and I are having a glass of wine and reviewing our business plan on an iPad. That’s romantic!
At first, I fought against this. I tried to maintain work-life balance and separate the two worlds. This put a lot of strain on our relationship. My recommendation is that you forget the myth of work-life balance. We were a lot happier when we stopped fighting our natural entrepreneurial spirits.
For entrepreneurs, there is no such thing as work-life balance. There is only life, and life includes the business, our relationships, our family, and friends. They all support each other. Now, we schedule date nights and reading time at the beach the same way we schedule conference calls and performance reviews (quarterly calendar meetings). We regularly talk about business at home at all hours of the day, night, and weekends. The business is an extension of our relationship. We love each other. We love the world. We want to develop a deep and meaningful relationship, and we want to have a meaningful impact on the world. The business is an extension of our love.
Finally, I want to share with you a valuable lesson that we learned about growth. Last year, your salary as an associate was greater than Zaira’s, the CEO. On paper, you may have seen large revenue numbers, but as I already discussed, we have huge overhead costs. Our salary costs are high, the cost of service providers is much higher than you probably expected, rent and other facilities are expensive, and there are numerous other costs associated with operating the business. Year after year, we have grown between 33% to 125% annually. We grow because we continue to invest in the business. Last year, we hired our office administrator. This was an expensive hire. It cost us over $10,000 just to find and recruit her. It cost us almost another $10,000 to train her. These costs and her entire salary came out of Zaira’s pay. For four months, Zaira did not pay herself anything to cover the initial investment in the office administrator. For four months, the work didn’t stop, but the pay sure did.
We reinvest a lot into the firm. Hiring our office administrator is one example. Other examples include the firm retreats, family days, coaching services, and marketing campaigns, to name a few. These investments are required for growth, and growth allows us to help as many clients as possible.
This year, we are in a better position. If Zaira decided to level her growth, she could pay herself over $100,000 this year. But small changes to the business could dramatically impact her salary and benefits. For example, if she decided to hire two new paralegals or if there was a 30% dip in new clients, Zaira’s salary would reduce to near minimum wage. Imagine working 80+ hours a week as an attorney and CEO to make minimum wage!
The truth that few people talk about is that small business growth is cyclic. You will have hard times and good times. You will have some months where you will make more money than you ever dreamed possible, and other months when you will question your life choices as you cry yourself to sleep.
My recommendation is to expect it, prepare for it, and don’t be surprised when the world appears to be crashing down on you. We fall so that we can learn to pick ourselves back up. This is a hard lesson, but one of the most important. It is why most solo-practitioners give up after six months and either apply to work for a larger law firm or try to teach at a university instead.
In conclusion, we really do wish you the best of luck as you start your own business. We have no ill-will towards you as long as you have no ill-will towards us. We have an abundance mindset and welcome anyone that is compassionate, professional, and eager to serve the immigrant community. They are severely underserviced and need our help.
My wife is the CEO, not me, but I am sure that she will agree that being an entrepreneur is the most difficult thing she has ever done in her life, but also the most rewarding—cliché, I know. Although Zaira and I are not parents, I believe that some mothers will even tell you that being an entrepreneur is more difficult than raising a child.
We wish you the best of luck and look forward to seeing your business grow and develop.
Saludos,
Robert Solano
Chief Advisor
Solano Immigration Law Firm
The Medicines That Change Us: An Overview of Sacred Plant Medicines
When people talk about psychedelics, they often lump together a wide range of substances—some plant-based, others synthetic. Each has its own personality, its own rhythm, its own way of teaching. Before you consider stepping into this world, it’s important to understand what these medicines are, where they come from, and why people across time and cultures have turned to them in moments of crisis, transformation, or deep seeking.
What Are Traditional Psychedelics?
The word “psychedelic” comes from the Greek psyche (mind) and deloun (to make visible or reveal). In simple terms, psychedelics reveal the mind. They break down the filters that normally shape our perception of reality—allowing us to see ourselves, others, and the world with fresh eyes.
Traditional psychedelics typically refer to substances that activate the serotonin 2A receptor in the brain, resulting in altered states of consciousness, enhanced introspection, and often spiritual or mystical experiences. These include LSD, psilocybin, mescaline, DMT (as in ayahuasca), and ibogaine.
A Brief History: From Ancient Civilizations to Modern Labs
Psychedelic plant medicine has been part of human history for at least 8,000 years—maybe longer. Indigenous peoples across the world have turned to these sacred plants for healing, ceremony, and connection with the divine. In the American Southwest, tribes used peyote in spiritual rituals that still continue today. In Central America, the Mazatec and other Mesoamerican cultures used psilocybin mushrooms in ceremonies guided by curanderas. Deep in the Amazon, ayahuasca has been brewed for generations by Indigenous communities in Peru and Brazil.
As someone of Taíno heritage, I take pride in knowing my Caribbean ancestors also practiced plant medicine through a sacred snuff called cohoba, which contained DMT and was used in spiritual rites. These traditions aren’t isolated. Across Africa, tribes have long used iboga in coming-of-age ceremonies, and even in ancient Greece, the Eleusinian Mysteries likely involved psychedelic compounds like those found in ergot. Wherever humans have sought meaning, healing, and connection, the plants have been there—offering their wisdom.
Modern psychedelic history often starts with LSD, a synthetic compound first created by Dr. Albert Hofmann in 1938 and rediscovered by him in 1943. In the 1950s and ’60s, psychedelics were widely studied in clinical settings for their potential to treat alcoholism, depression, and trauma. Leading researchers like Dr. Stanislav Grof and institutions like Harvard (via Timothy Leary and Richard Alpert, later Ram Dass) helped bring these medicines into the public conversation.
But the cultural explosion that followed—centered on anti-war movements, free love, and spiritual awakening—sparked a backlash. By the early 1970s, most psychedelics were classified as Schedule I substances in the U.S., effectively halting all research and criminalizing their use.
We’re now in the midst of what many call the “psychedelic renaissance,” with clinical studies, decriminalization movements, and renewed public interest bringing these tools back into mainstream conversation—not just for healing trauma but for expanding consciousness, improving mental health, and reconnecting with purpose.
Let’s walk through the most well-known psychedelic medicines being used today.
Ayahuasca: The Vine of the Soul
Ayahuasca is a sacred Amazonian brew made from two plants: the Banisteriopsis caapi vine and the leaves of the Psychotria viridis shrub, which contains DMT. The vine contains MAO inhibitors that allow the DMT to be orally active, leading to a long, often intense journey lasting 4 to 6 hours.
Used for centuries by Indigenous communities across the Amazon basin, ayahuasca is not a casual experience. It is traditionally consumed in ceremony, guided by shamans who understand the plant’s power and can help participants navigate its psychological and spiritual terrain.
Expect visions, emotional purging (often physical vomiting), and a deep sense of connection to nature, spirit, and ancestral memory. Ayahuasca often “teaches” through direct, sometimes challenging confrontation with the self.
If you’re considering ayahuasca, seek experienced facilitators who honor the cultural lineage of this medicine and prioritize safety, preparation, and integration.
Psilocybin: The Mushroom That Opens Doors
Psilocybe
Psilocybin is the active compound in so-called “magic mushrooms,” found in species like Psilocybe cubensis and Psilocybe semilanceata. These mushrooms have been used in Mesoamerican rituals for thousands of years, known to the Aztecs as teonanácatl, or “flesh of the gods.”
Unlike ayahuasca, psilocybin mushrooms are easy to cultivate and widely accessible. A typical journey lasts 4 to 6 hours, often marked by vivid visuals, emotional insight, and a sense of unity with nature or the universe. At higher doses, people often report ego dissolution or mystical experiences.
Psilocybin has shown great promise in clinical research, particularly for treating depression, end-of-life anxiety, and addiction. It tends to be gentler than ayahuasca and is often a good starting point for people new to psychedelics.
That said, psilocybin can still bring up intense emotions. Setting, support, and intention matter just as much as with any other medicine.
Mescaline: Heart-Opening, but Handle with Care
Mescaline is a naturally occurring compound found in several cacti, including peyote, San Pedro (Echinopsis pachanoi), and Peruvian torch. It produces a long (8–12 hour) psychedelic journey often described as heart-centered, visionary, and grounded in gratitude and interconnectedness.
Peyote is central to the spiritual traditions of many Native American tribes and is used in formal ceremonies held by the Native American Church (NAC). Due to overharvesting and the slow growth of peyote, the supply is limited, and many Indigenous leaders ask that non-Native individuals refrain from using peyote unless formally invited to ceremony.
San Pedro, also called Huachuma, which grows more abundantly and rapidly, is often used in South American ceremonies and is a more accessible option for those seeking mescaline’s effects. Most people say that the differences between peyote, San Pedro, and synthetic mescaline are indistinguishable.
If you’re drawn to mescaline, do your research and approach with deep respect. The energy of this medicine is relational—more about connecting to your heart, to the Earth, and to community, rather than blasting into other dimensions.
Ibogaine: The Warrior’s Journey
Derived from the root bark of the Tabernanthe iboga shrub in Central Africa, ibogaine is a powerful, long-acting psychedelic known for its unique ability to interrupt addiction—particularly opioid and stimulant dependence.
Used in the Bwiti spiritual tradition of Gabon, iboga has been called a “sacred wood” and is typically consumed in intense rites of passage lasting 24 hours or more. The ibogaine experience is less visual and more introspective, like watching a rapid-fire film of your life while your body remains deeply still.
While ibogaine has shown remarkable results in clinical and underground settings for treating addiction and PTSD, it carries real physical risks, especially for people with heart conditions. Ibogaine treatment should only be done in medical or well-supervised retreat settings with proper screening and emergency protocols in place. Most modern ibogaine treatment programs have you hooked up to an EKG the entire time because the risk of heart arrhythmia is very dangerous. For those battling opioid addiction, this risk may be worth it.
MDMA: The Heart Medicine for Trauma
Although not a classical psychedelic, MDMA (commonly known as “ecstasy” or “molly”) has become one of the most studied substances in psychedelic-assisted therapy, particularly for treating PTSD.
MDMA works by flooding the brain with serotonin, dopamine, and oxytocin, creating a state of openness, safety, and emotional trust. This allows people to revisit traumatic memories without being overwhelmed by fear or shame.
Clinical trials by MAPS (Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies) have shown that with trained therapists, MDMA-assisted therapy can lead to profound healing for survivors of war, sexual assault, and childhood trauma.
MDMA doesn’t typically produce ego dissolution, but it opens the heart. It helps people feel connected to themselves and others—and that alone can be transformative. It is most beneficial in reprocessing trauma when combined with talk therapy.
Final Thoughts
Each of these medicines offers a unique path—some gentle, some intense—but all with the potential to open doors to healing and self-discovery. They’re not magic bullets or quick fixes. But with the right support, preparation, and respect, they can help you face what’s been holding you back and reconnect with what matters most.
If you’re curious and want to explore these medicines further, I invite you to join my free webinar, Psychedelics 101: What Every First-Time Journeyer Should Know (sign up here). It’s a safe space to learn, ask questions, and get grounded in the basics before deciding if this path is right for you.
Your journey deserves thoughtful guidance. I’m here to help.