You come from a history and family who were all in the real estate industry. Growing up, did you always dream about becoming a lawyer?
Actually, quite the opposite. In addition to my parents being brokers, my grandfather was a principal broker and auctioneer for 60 years. In fact, about 70% of the rest of my maternal family (I have 88 second cousins in Wilson County) worked in the industry as well. I grew up wanting nothing to do with Real Estate and have told my family I wanted to be a doctor since 10 years old. I received my undergraduate degree in Biochemistry Cellular and Molecular Biology from The University of Tennessee. I met many well-respected doctors who told me, “Unless you have some spiritual calling to be a doctor - don’t do it. By the time you get out, it’ll be an entirely new industry.” Hearing that advice as a 22-year-old going into my final year of undergrad, it hit me that this profession wasn’t for me. From there, I finished my BCMB degree, went back home, and ended up clerking for a local law firm to see if law school was a possibility. Turns out, I loved it. I just loved the freeing aspect of business... and the rest is history.
Tressler & Associates focuses on business law, estate planning, and real estate law. What made you choose these particular sectors of law?
While in law school, it was a natural fit for me to be drawn to transactional law because of my upbringing in the real estate industry. I built my practice within the real estate vertical of the law and through the years, quickly understood that business law and estate law overall supported the practice of real estate law.
You and your team seem to be so approachable and genuine! How have you accomplished this internally?
That is a huge compliment! From the beginning, my vision was to not be what the traditional, cold, elitist, overly competitive practice that law has become. When this country was first started, the practice of law was a service to the public and paid for by our public tax dollars. So, yes, we truly are approachable! We will call you back within 24 hours or less, and we will not over bill you past the initial retainer without speaking to the client first. Basically, we fight every day for our clients to be the exact opposite of what those stereotypical law firms are out in the marketplace.
Tressler & Associates have made incredible commitments to giving back to 5 different organizations in our community. How/why has this become such a focal point in your business?
I’m a giver through and through. I was raised to give back to our communities; not only with money, but with your time and experience. I’m a firm believer you have to reciprocate what has been given to you; rather than take more than you’ve been given.
Estate planning can be very overwhelming to some. What wisdom could you give as it pertains to planning for the future?
Listen, very few people get up in the morning and think about planning for their death. Further, the legal profession, historically, has driven this practice by fear! I usually say, ‘50% of estate planning is for the client’s wishes and the other 50% is planning for their loved ones.’ I know that this perspective has helped ease the minds of our clients’ families.
What is your best piece of advice to give to a new business owner?
Stay in the lane of your traffic! I, too, was guilty of getting distracted by other needs of the business the first couple of years into beginning my firm. I advise business owners to budget for the professions they will need as their business matures. Save a few hundred dollars so that you can have an attorney on retainer, a CPA ready to go as needed, etc. Many business owners call us when the problem has already happened. If we had been involved in big decisions from the beginning, we would have had a much better chance at avoiding the problem that manifested itself out of the business owner getting out of his or her “lane of traffic.”
We might be biased, but Nashville is very lucky to have you! What about Nashville has been special to you and your career?
Nashville/Middle Tennessee is just in my DNA; I’ve never lived anywhere else. I love to travel the world when able, but I’m always happy to come back home. It is true Nashville has changed so much, but that’s because the world finally discovered what a treasure our city is. You can have all the ‘things’ you want in Nashville; from urban life downtown to rural, country areas that move at a much slower pace. You’ve really got the best of both worlds.
What do you think sets Tressler & Associates apart from a typical firm?
These three words are the core foundation of our purpose-driven law practice: Faith, Love, and Gratitude; with love being the most powerful of them all. We know that this could easily be interpreted that our firm is weak and all “lovey dovey” - as my Granny Hobbs used to say. It couldn’t be more opposite. At our firm, we rarely use the word ‘clients’. The ‘client’ is truly part of our family, and we protect them, their assets, their goals, and their intentions- just as family would.
