Meet Salma Benkabbou of The Benkabbou Law Firm!

Hello, Boss Babes! I’m so pumped to introduce you to Salma Benkabbou of The Benkabbou Law Firm, PLLC. Salma is a business lawyer based in Tampa, FL. She’s incredibly kind-hearted, wicked brilliant, & is always focused on helping others the best way she can. Salma was born in Fes, Morocco and lived there with her mom, dad, & brother until she was 10. There was so much to adapt to after her family immigrated to the United States & settled in Tampa. Her father was a lawyer, and Salma knew at a young age that this was the path she wanted to follow, too. After graduating from law school at Charlotte School of Law, Salma moved to Washington, D.C. to experience life in a fast-paced, exciting city. It was a great experience in lots of ways, but it was also a total grind and left Salma wondering what it was she really wanted from life. The answer was being close to her family in Tampa and working for herself in her own practice. She’s been running her own biz since 2014 & she wouldn’t have it any other way. Get to know Salma in her Boss Babe Feature & enjoy her words. Stay boss. xx

-G

Take a peek into Salma’s daily life!

Tell us about yourself and what you do!

I am The Millennial Business Lawyer™ with my own boutique practice in downtown Tampa, The Benkabbou Law Firm, PLLC. I practice exclusively in business law. I help entrepreneurs in various business industries from photographers, business coaches to fashionistas. I absolutely love helping entrepreneurs protect what they worked so hard to create. I call their creations Creative Greatness™ because in my opinion it is! My clients range from start-ups to multi-million dollar companies. I help with business formation, contracts, trademarks, copyrights and trade secrets.

How did your business begin?

My business began when I realized that I wanted the freedom to work for myself and offer legal services to creatives like myself. I love everything about business, it's so incredible to learn about the various ways my clients are solving every day problems and sharing their creativity with the world. It's energizing and inspiring to see their businesses grow as well.

What’s 1 challenge you’ve faced and 1 success you’ve had since you’ve created your business?

I have faced many challenges since I started my law practice, even though I am a lawyer by trade, I am a business owner as well. Facing the hurdles of entrepreneurship is challenging at every stage. But if I were to identify one challenge that I can isolate, it would have to be the challenge of trusting the process. The entrepreneur process is one that is up and down and sometimes all around. I had to get comfortable with the uncomfortable. It can be challenging, but I am happy to have found the charm in the entrepreneurial struggles. 

I have to admit, it's really hard for me to identify successes. To be honest, every goal reached only motivates me to set another higher goal. My favorite success to date would probably have to be when I helped one of my clients secure a trademark license agreement that has allowed him to generate a passive revenue stream for his business. It was great to see the look on his face when the deal closed and he was able to sit back and watch his business scale.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received and has it come in handy for you?

The best piece of advice that I have received would be to just have faith that everything will workout in the end. Sometimes it gets hard and it can feel pretty overwhelming. But when you believe in your dream with such a conviction that failure does not scare you, you truly learn to just trust the process.

When are you at your happiest?

I am my happiest when I am able to exchange positive energy with others. Whether I am around my family, a client or just walking my dog. I am big on energy and it's so amazing when I connect with others who are positive and have a genuine aura about them.

What do you tell yourself when things get difficult?

No matter what happens God will see you through it and so just believe in yourself and have faith that it will all work out. This in fact my personal mantra.

What are you grateful for?

I am grateful for everything in my life. My successes, my struggles and my failures. There is always something to be grateful for and I do not for one second take God's blessings for granted. Whether I am learning a lesson, being redirected to something better or enjoying the fruits of my labor. I am truly blessed to be able to live out my life on my terms and on God's time. No matter how hard things get, it is still a blessing to wake up everyday and live in my purpose and help others achieve greatness!

What’s 1 personal goal and 1 business goal you plan to accomplish this year?

The main personal goal I have is to give back to the community and to be of service to young girls and empower them with the courage to reach for greatness. 

My main business goal this year is to scale my business earnings by 25% and to make my mark in the Tampa Bay Area.

Where can you be found on a Tuesday afternoon?

Either at my office working, or checking-in on my parents.

Where can we find you on a Friday evening?

You can find me curled on my couch with a glass of wine and my dog on my lap.

Where can you be found on a Sunday morning?

You can find me at the gym, my office, the beach or having coffee with my parents.

Finish these sentences:

I love: LOVE. I truly believe that we can only reach our fullest potential when we operate from a place of love.

I’m always looking for: opportunities to grow and learn something new.

My inspiration is: the woman I aspire to be.

I’ll never: say never, because we truly never know.