“My defining moments growing up in an impoverished country and subsequent immigration to the United States served as an inspiration for me to launch my firm” with Catherine Delcin
Catherine Delcin is the founder Delcin Consulting Group. Originally a biotech consulting firm she created in 2011, it has evolved into a rapidly growing boutique law firm focusing on business, civil litigation, intellectual property, and immigration law. Catherine Delcin has expanded her practice to offices in San Diego, Los Angeles, Northern California, Washington, D.C., and Miami, Florida.
As an articulate and well-known author and speaker, Catherine has contributed to the American Bar Association Journal, Business Home Magazine, and various life-science publications, including Outsourced Pharma, Pharmaceutical Online, and the San Francisco Trial Lawyer Magazine.
Can you tell our readers about your background?
I was born and raised in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti. Coming to America has enabled me to pursue my aspirations as an entrepreneur and an attorney. My journey has not been without its challenges, but my humble roots have enabled me to transition and thrive against the odds.
What inspired you to start your business?
My defining moments growing up in an impoverished country and subsequent immigration to the United States served as an inspiration for me to launch my firm, Delcin Consulting Group. I began my legal career in 2011 with an unwavering devoted interest in providing legal services to existing businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs.
Where is your business based?
Delcin Consulting Group is headquartered in California, with offices in San Diego, Los Angeles, Northern California, Washington, D.C., and Miami, Florida.
How did you start your business? What were the first steps you took?
The initial step for starting the firm was a business plan. There was a lot of research around how to strategically position a firm of this type, including the competitive landscape and the overall market differentiation. It took a while, but eventually, we identified our point of difference of creating a hybrid firm that offers both consulting and legal services.
What has been the most effective way of raising awareness for your business?
The majority of our clients come through referrals. I have found that I don’t necessarily need to shout about our firm from the rooftop; simply doing the best job for our existing clients does the job.
What have been your biggest challenges, and how did you overcome them?
When I first launched the firm, we had a challenging time establishing ourselves as a hybrid firm. We found ourselves with the ability to serve niched areas and clients. Once we identified our client base, everything fell into place.
How do you stay focused?
We are pulled in so many different directions. It is hard to stay on task when there are so many distractions. My best method of staying focused is to remind myself of the purpose for what I’m doing and how it helps my overall goal. If they don’t align, then I am off track and need to reconsider my plan or actions.
How do you differentiate your business from the competition?
Our firm offers a unique value proposition of hybrid services, which includes a component of consulting in addition to the legal services for all our practice areas. To date, our greatest accomplishments include sustaining long-term client relationships, our litigation success rate, and the diversity and breadth of experience of our team.
What has been your most effective marketing strategy to grow your business?
Although we use traditional marketing strategies, our most effective marketing strategy to date is word of mouth. Our firm receives a lot of referrals from existing clients.
What's your best piece of advice for aspiring and new entrepreneurs?
For those aspiring and new entrepreneurs, I would encourage them to align their endeavors with the right timing. One of the most important lessons that I have learned is to pursue dreams or aspirations at the right time. Often, we get an idea or a dream we would like to pursue, and we get so excited that we go full steam ahead without checking on the timing element. Not everything can be pursued all at once. Our surrounding circumstances must be in alignment prior to launching ourselves on the entrepreneurial track.
What's your favorite app, blog, or book? Why?
My favorite business book is How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie. It has served me well as an entrepreneur to manage and build business relationships. The book discusses the psychology of self-governance and the introspection needed to establish and manage business relationships effectively. It transcends generational bounds with principles that are still applicable and helpful today.
What's your favorite business tool or resource? Why?
Regardless of industry, a task manager is a must for companies or professional organizations who want to increase their productivity. The task manager on Google helps improve overall productivity with Delcin Consulting Group by enabling us to designate, assign tasks, and keep track of many different projects. Administratively, there are varying projects that are critical to our governance. Being able to have the bird's-eye view on the various projects at all times with knowledge of the stakeholders and who and what is required to get to the end goal is of utmost value.
Who is your business role model? Why?
The person whose life inspires and influences my business philosophy of never giving up is Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln had repeated failures in his life; however, that did not stop him from aspiring to hold the highest office in the US. Despite his failures, he dared to believe and hope that he could win big at life, and he did.
How do you balance work and life?
I do my best to balance work and life. Inevitably, there are times when one must take priority over the other. During those times, I remind myself what is more important and prioritize accordingly.
What’s your favorite way to decompress?
I have found that the best way to decompress is to seek a connection with nature. I have grown fond of hiking, beach activities, and garden explorations. I typically do that with my family, and that allows us to spend some quality time together.
What do you have planned for the next six months?
The next six months will be focused heavily on the continued growth of the firm and building necessary internal infrastructure.
How can our readers connect with you?
Instagram: @CatherineDelcin
Threads: @CatherineDelcin
LinkedIn: @CatherineDelcin
