Business

Plumber to CEO: Your Destiny isn’t Pre-Planned

Published

5 years ago

November 3, 2020

Chances are you’re not doing the career path you choose in elementary school. Additionally, you may have changed professions at least once already in your life. Financial Times suggests people plan for five careers in a lifetime. So, the truth is, your future isn’t pre-ordained.

Don’t Settle on Your First Choice

At 17, Darren Cabral started working as an apprentice plumber in Toronto’s housing projects. Hating the aspect of sitting behind a desk all day, he chose 80-hour weeks doing backbreaking labor in all weather conditions. By 20, Darren was already burned out.

His parents, immigrants that spent many years laboring, wouldn’t allow him to quit without trying to better his life. Darren went back to school and started working on his own business at the same time. Not years, but months after leaving the plumbing profession, he launched his first successful business—Toronto Skycam.

A year later, Darren sold his aerial imaging company to a larger tech firm.

Don’t Look Back

Darren Cabral didn’t lightly jump from one industry to another. He had over 3,000 hours invested in plumbing. He knew it would be a steady income and a pandemic-proof career. After all, people are always going to need plumbers. Had Darren stayed in that mindset, he would have never reached his true potential.

Don’t Stop Growing

Darren didn’t stop working on his future prospects when he started college. He kept pursuing successful business opportunities. Likewise, after selling Toronto Skycam, he didn’t stop building from his ideas.

The seasoned entrepreneur decided to move onto the digital marketing industry. He wasn’t qualified. But that wasn’t a barrier. He learned the ins and outs of social media advertising on Facebook and Instagram.

In 2016, the entrepreneur started Suits Social, a social media marketing agency that focuses on Facebook and Instagram advertising. Generating millions of dollars a month for their clients in a half dozen industries, helping them sell online, build their brand, and increase revenue in a very measurable way.

Don’t Give Up

Like working as a plumbing apprentice, he threw himself into learning and working, spending 60 to 70 hours a week in online marketing. The lack of experience and references hurt. Darren pursued every avenue of digital advertising, learning everything he could. Finally, after six months, he signed his first client.

At the end of the year, he made $18,000. Some people would give up at that point. Instead of throwing in the towel, Darren worked harder. After three years of not stopping, he’s a successful digital marketer. He’s the CEO of Suits Social and has days where he earns more in 24 hours than he did during his first year in the industry.

Don’t Let Education Stop You

If Darren Cabral let educational barriers get in the way of his goals, he wouldn’t be the CEO of a successful digital marketing agency. He taught himself everything he needed to know about digital marketing. Combined with his business education, Darren’s business, Suits Social, saw 2700% growth over three years.

His philosophy? Focus on results! Everything Suits Socal does revolves around running Facebook and Instagram ads as profitably as possible while providing measurable results across the board. His customers always know how their ads are performing and see results in realytime 24/7/365 no surprises. Don’t lock yourself into one mindset. Be like Darren, and never stop striving for more. There’s no reason you can’t go from sitting in a cubicle to the head seat in the boardroom.

Business

Click for Counsel: YesLawyer Wants to Make Lawyers as Accessible as Wi-Fi

Published

21 hours ago

April 1, 2026

Matthew Wiles

Photo Courtesy of: YesLawyer

Byline: Andi Stark

For many people facing a legal problem, the most difficult part is not understanding their rights but finding a lawyer willing to speak with them in the first place. Long wait times, unclear pricing, and administrative hurdles often delay even the most basic consultations. YesLawyer, an AI-enabled plaintiff firm operating across all 50 states, is testing whether technology can shorten that gap.

Founded in 2024 by 25-year-old entrepreneur Rob Epstein, the platform offers free intake, automated screening, and, in many cases, same-day conversations with licensed attorneys. The idea is simple: reduce the friction between a client’s first request for help and an actual legal discussion. In this interview, Epstein explains how the system works, where artificial intelligence fits into the process, and what problems the company is trying to address in the broader legal system

Q: When you say you want lawyers to be “as accessible as Wi-Fi,” what does that mean in practical terms?

A: It’s a way of describing speed and availability. Someone dealing with a workplace dispute, a serious injury, or an immigration issue should be able to move from an online form or phone call to a real conversation with counsel in hours, not weeks. YesLawyer is structured so that a client begins with a free case evaluation, goes through automated conflict checks and basic screening, and, in many instances, speaks with a lawyer the same day.

Q: How does the process work once someone contacts the platform?

A: We use a structured workflow. It starts with a short questionnaire and an initial conversation to capture basic facts. That information feeds into conflict checks and internal review. The system then proposes a match with a licensed attorney and provides a calendar link for a virtual consultation, often within 24 hours. After the meeting, the client receives a written legal plan outlining next steps, deadlines, and estimated fees.

Q: Where does artificial intelligence fit into that process, and where does it stop?

A: AI is used for organizing and routing information, not for giving legal advice. It helps with conflict checks at scale, case categorization, and structured summaries so attorneys can focus on the substance of the matter. Every consultation is conducted by a licensed lawyer, and all decisions about strategy or next steps are made by humans.

Q: What problem is this model trying to solve in the current legal system?

A: Delay and cost are still major barriers. Many civil plaintiffs face long waits just to get a first appointment, along with high retainers and hourly billing that make early legal advice risky. We try to respond with faster consultations, flat-fee options, and financing. The idea is to remove administrative friction so lawyers spend less time on logistics and more time speaking with clients.

Q: Some critics say platforms like this blur the line between a technology company and a law firm. How do you describe YesLawyer?

A: We describe ourselves as a national, AI-enabled plaintiff firm that connects clients with independent attorneys. That structure does raise regulatory questions, especially around responsibility and oversight. We focus on licensing verification, attorney-written case plans, and clear communication about fees and services.

Q: You’ve said the main bottleneck is “systems” rather than people. What do you mean by that?

A: The issue isn’t that lawyers don’t want to help more people. It’s that the systems around them make it hard to scale their time. Intake, scheduling, and document handling take hours. Automating those parts means attorneys can handle more matters without being overwhelmed by repetitive tasks.

Q: Does this model risk favoring only the most profitable cases?

A: That’s a real concern in legal technology. Automation often works best for repeatable, high-volume disputes. Our view is that lowering administrative cost can actually make it easier to take on smaller or more complex cases that might otherwise be turned away. Whether that holds over time depends on the data.

Measuring Impact Over Time

YesLawyer’s attempt to compress the timeline between inquiry and consultation reflects broader changes in how legal services are being delivered. As artificial intelligence becomes more common in administrative work, firms are experimenting with new ways to reduce wait times and clarify costs.

The company’s early growth suggests that many clients value faster access to an initial conversation, even before considering long-term representation. Whether this platform-based model becomes widely adopted or remains one of several emerging approaches will depend on regulatory developments, lawyer participation, and measurable outcomes for clients. For now, YesLawyer’s experiment highlights a central question in modern legal practice: how quickly can help realistically be made available to the people who need it.