Our E2 member Blake Wells is an attorney with The Small Business Law Firm of Thousand Oaks, where he focuses on labor and HR law, employment litigation, transactional work, contract drafting, negotiation and dispute resolution. He began his legal career representing Fortune 500 insurance companies in complex litigation matters and coverage disputes, giving him an intimate understanding of California’s court systems and the expertise to achieve effective results for his wide array of clients.
[An Echelon member for one year, Blake was introduced to our group through his boss Scott Williams.]
Why join Echelon? “It’s been a great way to network, to get new clients, and to develop collaborations with other professionals working in other disciplines. I do a lot of transactional work on mergers and acquisitions, since a lot of businesses are being sold these days. These kinds of deals take a village—and include, in addition to my work as an attorney, accountants and brokers who are experts in their fields. It’s different than selling a house, because selling a business has so many variables that have to be accounted for—the deals we do in this regard have to protect our clients’ good will, their logos, trademarks and brands, their existing inventory, their works in progress, etc. It really does take a village to get these deals done right in a way that’s fair for all parties.”
“Echelon’s not just a business network, it’s a knowledge network! My membership allows me to talk to people outside of my law firm, so I can pick their brains about lots of issues. Echelon is a blessing. My knowledge network has automatically expanded. I can ask questions about a variety of topics to the fellow members of my group.”
Blake explains how Echelon has helped him focus on his personal career development by providing him with skills he felt he was lacking, like how to market himself on social media, such as LinkedIn. “From Echelon, I’ve learned how to develop my personal brand and promote it amongst other professionals, not only to service my existing clients but also to expand my own business. My E2 group allows me to meet people in real life and discuss a broad array of fun topics. We take turns answering each others’ creative questions and get to know our fellow members really well… what they like, what they value, and how they confront and tackle a broad range of situations.”
When Blake isn’t practicing law, he enjoys spending time with his wife and young daughter—in fact, his second child is due in late July! His passions include cooking, basketball (Go Lakers!) and the occasional round of golf. Regarding his membership in Echelon, he says, “It’s an honor and a privilege for me to meet with my fellow Echelon members—these people are birds of a feather who motivate me to work harder and gain more knowledge. It’s been a real benefit for me both professionally and personally!”
