Today, it is easier than ever for entrepreneurs to be multi-passionate, and some innovative business owners are seizing the opportunity to follow every interest. Leah Wise is a perfect example of today’s multifaceted business owner. As a lawyer, fashion stylist, mentor, and example for the Latina community, Wise has followed every passion with aplomb and has found success beyond her wildest dreams.
Smashing the glass ceiling
Wise developed an affinity for law and community work during a post-undergrad job with a state senator. Through that position, she saw how one person could have an impact first-hand. “I decided to become a lawyer,” Wise told Medium.
Immediately after passing the bar, Wise skipped past the steps of working her way up in someone else’s firm and decided to start her own in 2016. She entered the male-dominated field of personal injury law and, a mere four years after openng her firm, landed a $7.9 million dollar settlement in Texas.
Since opening her firm, Wise has been showered with accolades, from being twice named “Best Attorney” by the Valley Morning Star Readers Choice to the 2021 “Best of Bar” — a distinction held by only 1% of the nation’s lawyers. She also brought a youthful and modern approach to the legal profession in Texas, becoming one of the first lawyers in Texas to advertise on social media.
“I wanted to connect to my audience in a more personal way,” Wise explains. That personal touch and attention to audience engagement has become Wise’s calling card in every pursuit.
Wise admits to always having multiple hobbies and passions. As she established herself as a powerhouse within the legal field, she maintained her passion for fashion and opened Crashgal Couture in 2022. “We offer working women a clothing line that allows them to express themselves at an affordable price,” says Wise.
In addition to her fashion empire and law firm, Wise is also a real estate investor and has several tenants in South Texas — and she’s not done yet. “I look forward to dabbling in more business opportunities,” she says.
Empowering the next generation
You would think someone with so many irons in the fire wouldn’t have much time for anything else, but Wise has proven that if a venture or project means enough to her, she will find the time. “I’ve centered a large part of my practice around giving back,” Wise explains.
Philanthropy has always been important to Wise, whose entire career was kicked off because of her drive to help others. Recently, she founded a non-profit called the Wise Women Foundation, which focuses on empowering minority women and transforming communities through education, mentorship, and resources these communities may not have had access to before.
“We want women to overcome barriers and achieve their full potential,” Wise says about her work with the Foundation.
Wise relied heavily on mentors while pursuing her law degree and starting her own firm. Now, she is paying it forward and mentoring other women — especially young Latinas — to start their own businesses and become lawyers.
In addition to the Wise Women Foundation, Wise sponsored the Leah Wise Latina Student Hardship Fund at her alma mater, St. Mary’s University School of Law, which pledges $50,000 to the law school to aid Latina law students. She also enjoys highlighting local businesses on her social media pages to encourage her community to shop locally and support small businesses.
From strip club to business hub
Wise’s most recent move has turned heads. In March of 2023, Wise purchased the shuttered strip club Xoticas Gentleman’s Club and has been busy turning it into her new law firm home office, co-working space, and home for CrashGal Couture. For Wise, the purchase of the former strip club is a symbol of the rapid growth of all of her ventures.
“We grew so fast,” she said. “This is definitely an indicator of a quick growth. My hope is to create a beautiful space where my clients are comfortable walking in, and they feel like, ‘Hey, this lawyer clearly knows what she’s doing. She has won a lot of success for her clients,” Wise told KTSM News.
From law to fashion to transforming a strip club into a place where her 100% female-staffed firm can serve clients in style, Leah Wise proves that multi-passionate entrepreneurs are a force to be reckoned with. Going forward, she intends to grow her mentorship and philanthropic projects by fundraising for various causes, such as menstrual products for high schoolers and scholarships. She is also set to complete the renovations on the old Xoticas building by the end of 2024.
Every success that Wise has enjoyed is a testament to her grit and determination to make a difference. “Most people are so caught up in their own lives that they don’t have the energy to focus on what you’re doing,” Wise told Medium. “Of course, there are outliers and people who will criticize you, but the vast majority of people want to see you win.”
The post Leah Wise: Pioneering Leadership in Law, Business, and Women’s Empowerment appeared first on Women Daily Magazine.
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