Dr. Adrienne B. Haynes, Esq.

I consider myself one of my family’s historians. I have spent countless hours on ancestry websites, watching family videos, going through pictures, and recording verbal history from my loved ones. I have traced my paternal and maternal family trees back several generations and have had some fun finds on the journey, like a pristine Collier’s Magazine from 1945 that had a few page spread on my great-great-great grandmother Effie Husbands. These records are as special to me as the handwritten recipes from my mom.  

I also have a few traditions in my business that I find are important to prioritize our mission and community. At SEED Law, we regularly host continuing education workshops for our clients and community members to help demystify business law and estate planning questions. For the ten year anniversary this year, we hosted a coffee social and relaunched the Community Office Hours program to continue providing mentoring to organizations like eFactory.

As we approach the holidays, I encourage you to reflect on and celebrate the history and traditions in your family and business. 

For family traditions, consider the following:

  • Document your family’s holiday traditions with photo, video, and digital memories. Which holidays do you celebrate, and how? 
  • Write down your top five family recipes for safekeeping. Clearly mark if the recipes are trade secrets! If you don’t yet have any family recipes, it’s never too late to start. 
  • Make a video sharing the key moments in your life story and the family memories that you can remember. These recordings are invaluable today and for future generations. The Midwest Geneolgy Center has “Tell Me a Story Oral History Kits” available for check out free of charge.
  • Preserve photos, writings, and mementos by digitizing or reviewing their storage for long term safe-keeping. 
  • Update your personal estate plan. A long term generational wealth plan requires documentation and years of planning, contributing, and updating. Go through your key estate planning documents and make sure everything reflects your wishes. 
  • Consider taking a genealogy class. The Black Archives of Mid-America and the Midwest Genealogy Center both host regular classes that offer resources and tools for individuals and families that want to expand their tools and research options. 

For business traditions, it’s a great time to reflect and give back:

  • Sponsor a holiday gathering to celebrate clients and stakeholders and highlight a local restaurant or event space. There are several businesses in the Northeast that would be great for a holiday party- Garozzo’s, PH Coffee, and The Museum of Kansas City to name a few. 
  • Review and update your business plan. A business plan should provide team members with a practical, up to date guide and strategic plan with a focus on the next 6-18 months. This plan should be reviewed quarterly and updated on an annual basis. Stop by The NEKC Chamber of Commerce if you’re looking for business resources.
  • Host a meeting with your professional service providers and key vendors. Schedule a meeting with lawyers, accountants, bankers, insurance agents, lenders and others who help support the compliance and sustainability of your company. Share any updated goals or strategies that you’re planning to incorporate to see how they can assist.
  • Consider your community contribution. It’s a great time of year to sponsor a charitable event or cause and to get involved in giving back. Consider working with a Northeast based nonprofit organization, your neighborhood association, or a local school. 

Developing traditions and taking a moment to celebrate with loved ones are important in building community. Happy Holidays from SEED Law!

Thanks for reading!

My name is Dr. Adrienne B. Haynes and I’m an entrepreneur and attorney based here in Kansas City. My law firm, SEED Law, has been partnering with business owners across the Northeast and the city for over 10 years. I loved living in the Northeast and I was fortunate to serve as an Entrepreneur in Residence for the Kauffman Foundation in 2017. Together with a dedicated group of Northeast residents and leaders, we explored a community designed innovation district pilot program. I was able to present this work during a TEDxUMKC Talk on Community Innovation Design in 2020.

Over the next few weeks, I’ll be contributing articles and resources on small business and estate planning legal considerations. If you have questions, please reach out directly at adrienne@seed.legal.