This Attorney Built a Million-Dollar Digital Product Business

Amira Irfan’s advice to other entrepreneurs is to “believe in yourself and take risks.” She believed in herself and her ability to grow an online business that would allow her to walk away from a high-paying job as an attorney.

In this insightful interview, Amira shares how she used digital products to quickly grow her business’s revenue, and how she’s diversified to include several other income streams.

How much revenue and profit does the business generate?

Our business revenue is at seven figures, and we’re constantly adding new products and services to further increase our revenue and profits each year. 

Tell us about yourself and your business.

My name is Amira Irfan, and I’m the business lawyer and entrepreneur behind A Self Guru, a company that was formed to help entrepreneurs legally protect themselves through my affordable legal templates and services. 

After working as a business lawyer for over a decade, I decided to start this business because I knew business owners often struggle with the legal side of their businesses. After all, it’s not the most fun or exciting part of starting a business! 

Unfortunately, I watched my dad’s business get sued for $90,000 for a legal mistake that could have been avoided with a proper contract in place. So, I knew I wanted to become a lawyer and help other entrepreneurs avoid the same fate. I’ve had the honor of helping over 50,000 entrepreneurs now, and I’m excited to see this number continue to grow.

I have always been passionate about helping others, and it has been a fulfilling experience for me to assist entrepreneurs in protecting their businesses. My goal is to make legal protection accessible and affordable for all business owners, regardless of their size or budget.

At A Self Guru, we offer a variety of legal templates covering everything from website terms and conditions to client contracts. These templates are designed to provide business owners with the foundational legal protection they need to prevent any potential legal issues.

In addition to our legal templates, we also offer personalized legal services where I work with business owners 1:1 to help them with their legal and business questions, contracts, LLC formation, and more.

How does your business make money?

Great question, my business makes money online through these 5 ways:

1. Selling my own digital products, which are legal templates and bundles that all entrepreneurs need to legally protect themselves and their businesses.
2. Selling my own services, which are legal and business consultations, website legal audits, contract review and drafting, and helping businesses form LLCs, DBAs, and more. 
3. Affiliate marketing where I recommend other people’s products that I have personally used and invested in to grow or run my business online. 
4. Sponsorships where I work with brands and get paid to write a blog post, post on social media, or create a video.
5. Paid interviews where I am paid to speak at an event, summit, workshop, and training on a legal or business subject. 

By diversifying my business income streams,  I’ve been able to minimize risk and ensure success. 

What was your inspiration for starting the business?

After spending years working as a business lawyer, I realized there was a need for accessible and affordable legal help for entrepreneurs. Watching my own father’s business get sued solidified my determination to make this type of support available to others. 

So, I decided to start my own blogging business while still working full-time as a lawyer. This meant long days and weekends juggling both roles, but it was worth it to pursue my passion for helping others in the entrepreneurial world. My side hustle quickly grew into a full-time venture, and I was able to quit my 9-to-5 job as a lawyer to focus solely on A Self Guru.

Through my years of experience as a lawyer, I saw firsthand the challenges that small business owners face when it comes to legal matters. Many do not have access to affordable legal help, which can put their businesses at risk. That’s why one of the main goals of A Self Guru is to provide practical and cost-effective legal solutions for entrepreneurs. I believe that every entrepreneur deserves the opportunity to protect their business and thrive, without breaking the bank on expensive legal fees.

In addition to offering affordable legal services, A Self Guru also provides educational resources and guidance for entrepreneurs who want to understand their legal obligations and responsibilities. From blog articles to free legal guides, we strive to empower business owners with the knowledge they need to confidently navigate the legal aspects of running a business.

How and when did you launch the business?

I launched my business six years ago (2018) while working full-time as a lawyer during the day and then working on my business in the evenings and weekends. It was a lot of hard work and dedication, but I was passionate about my business idea and determined to make it successful.

How much money did you invest to start the business?

To start, I invested $700 in a blogging course because I knew starting an online business was hard work and due to my limited time, I didn’t want to waste valuable time trying to figure things out on my own. 

Then I spent another thousand dollars or so creating a professional website, buying the right business tools, and learning the different marketing strategies. All of this came out of my day job as a lawyer, but I knew it was necessary to invest in my business if I wanted it to succeed.

How did you find your first few clients or customers?

My first few clients or customers came from Facebook. Once people found out I was a business lawyer, I started getting lots of legal questions such as, “how to create legal pages for a website,” or “what kind of documents I need for my new online business to protect myself,” or “how to write a disclaimer for my website,” and so on. 

So, I knew there was a gap I could fill here.  I started offering my legal services and done-for-you legal templates to these individuals and businesses through Facebook groups, and then word of mouth spread. This eventually led to referrals and helped me gain more clients. Now my customers are my biggest advocates, sharing their experiences with my templates across various platforms. 

What was your first year in business like?

My first year in business was tough but rewarding at the same time! I worked 16+ hours a day because during the day, I had my full-time demanding job as a lawyer, and then I would work nights and weekends on my business. So there was no such thing as a “day off” for me. It was difficult, but I knew that this was what it took to get my business off the ground.

Fortunately, I created passive income in my business through my legal templates to save time. Instead of working with clients 1:1 to create legal documents for them, which is more costly and time-consuming, I decided to offer done-for-you legal templates that business owners can instantly download and begin using right away to protect their businesses.

These were legal templates such as a privacy policy for your website, a disclaimer for your website, terms and conditions for your website or online course, and other essential business contracts that entrepreneurs need, such as an LLC operating agreement, affiliate agreement, and more in our VIP legal bundle.

This allowed me to make money in my first month of business and at the end of my first year, I had generated over $200,000 in revenue. This was a major milestone for me, and it showed that my hard work and dedication had paid off.

What strategies did you use to grow the business?

To grow my business, I utilized various strategies such as:

1. Online marketing: I focused on building a strong online presence through social media and digital marketing tactics such as SEO, email marketing, and content marketing.
2. Collaborations and partnerships: I partnered with other businesses in similar or complementary niches to expand my reach and gain new customers.
3. Customer satisfaction: I made sure to prioritize customer satisfaction and provide exceptional service to retain loyal customers and gain referrals. That’s how we have been able to maintain a consistent 5-star rating for over 6 years now!
4. Continuous learning: I have always been open to learning new skills and techniques, which has helped me stay ahead of the game in a constantly evolving market.
5. Diversification: In addition to my legal templates, I also offer coaching and legal services for businesses that need more personalized legal guidance. This has helped me reach a wider audience and increase my revenue streams.

Tell us about your team.

We have five freelancers on our team, and everyone is remote. Two customer support VAs, one social media manager, and two blog post writers. 

What are your future plans for the business?

I’m constantly looking for ways to innovate and improve my offerings to meet the ever-changing needs of entrepreneurs.

In the future, I plan to expand into other related areas such as live coaching and hosting workshops and seminars on legal and business topics.

I am also quite busy creating niche-specific legal templates based on popular demand. Every single template in my store was created because business owners asked for it. So whenever there’s a new request, I try to accommodate my customers. For example,  I currently have legal templates tailored specifically for coaches, freelancers, podcasters, interior designers, bloggers, and so forth. These were all created because my customers requested them, and I saw a need in the market for these types of templates. 

So I would say that the future of my business is focused on continuous growth, expansion, and meeting the needs of entrepreneurs. I’m excited to see where this journey will take me and my business in the years to come. 

How did you make the transition from side hustle to full-time?

I decided to transition from side hustle to full-time when I made $78,000 in a single month from my online business.  I had always dreamed of being my own boss and having the freedom to work on something I was truly passionate about, so I took the leap and never looked back. It was scary, but it has been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. 

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A post shared by Amira – Lawyer, 7- Figure Blogger, Coach (lets collab) (@aselfguru)

What was the turning point when you knew your business was successful?

The $78,000 month! I knew it was time to quit my 9-to-5 job and become a full-time entrepreneur. Before that, I was working on my business as a side hustle and burning myself out. But once I saw that kind of growth and profit, I knew that my business had become successful.

What is the most important lesson you’ve learned growing the business?

One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is to always prioritize customer satisfaction. That’s why we have consistently maintained a 5-star rating for 6 years now! And we still get tons of love notes from our customers daily. 

Your customers are the backbone of your business, and without them, you wouldn’t have a successful company. This is why it’s crucial to make sure they’re happy with your products and services at all times. 

We have worked really hard to provide excellent customer service and that’s evident by hundreds of video and written testimonials we’ve received. 

Also, all of our legal templates were created because our customers requested them. We listened to their needs and constantly strive to improve our products and services based on their feedback. This helps us build strong relationships with our customers, leading to loyalty and trust. 

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A post shared by Amira – Lawyer, 7- Figure Blogger, Coach (lets collab) (@aselfguru)

What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome?

One of the biggest challenges I had to overcome was creating a work-life balance. Because I started my online business while working full-time as a lawyer, it was difficult to manage my time effectively and find a balance between work and personal life.

I often found myself working 16+ hours a day,  neglecting my health and relationships in the process. It took a toll on my mental and physical well-being, causing burnout and affecting my productivity.

To overcome this, I had to become more disciplined and prioritize my tasks. I had to set clear boundaries for myself, such as designating specific working hours, making time for breaks and self-care, and learning to say no when necessary. It was also important for me to communicate my schedule with those around me, such as my family and colleagues, to avoid any conflicts or misunderstandings.

Additionally, I had to learn how to effectively delegate tasks and trust others with certain responsibilities. As a perfectionist, it was hard for me to let go of control initially, but I soon realized that delegating tasks not only helped me focus on more important aspects of my business but also allowed others to develop and grow their skills.

What advice do you have for other entrepreneurs?

Believe in yourself and take risks.

As an entrepreneur, one of the most important pieces of advice I can offer is to believe in yourself and your vision. Starting a business is never easy, but with self-confidence and determination, you can overcome any obstacle that comes your way.

It’s also crucial to take risks. As the saying goes, “No risk, no reward.” 

Taking calculated risks is necessary for growth and success in business. Be willing to step outside of your comfort zone, try new things, and take chances. You never know what opportunities may arise from taking risks.

What is your favorite quote?

“Every entrepreneur was once an amateur.”

What are some of your favorite books, blogs, podcasts, or YouTube channels?

As a business owner, I’m always looking for new sources of inspiration and information. Some of my favorite resources include:

• “The 4-Hour Workweek” by Tim Ferriss: This book completely changed my perspective on work and productivity, and it helped me streamline my business processes.
• Marie Forleo’s blog and YouTube channel: Marie Forleo is an incredible business and life coach, and I always find valuable insights and advice from her content.