The Law Offices of Seymour Wasserstrum
Once an Entrepreneur, Always an Entrepreneur How Getting Fired From My First Law Job Helped Illuminate My True Calling 205 West Landis Ave. Vineland, NJ 08360 • 1040 Kings Highway North, Ste. 304, Cherry Hill, NJ 08034 December 2019 856-696-8300
This monthmarks the end of the decade and wraps upmy firm’s 46th year in business. On one hand, it’s hard to believe it has been that long, but on the other, the rollercoaster of experiences I’ve had— in the courtroom and out —has made the years fly. With the 2010s ending, I’ve foundmyself looking back at the beginning of my career. Ironically, I don’t think I really figured out what it means to be a lawyer (or enjoyed the gig!) until I was fired from my first job after law school. Until then, the road had been hard for my family. My parents were both Holocaust survivors and arrived in the U.S. by ship fromAugsburg, Germany, in 1949. Growing up, my family owned a chicken farm and a grocery store, but I had a bigger American dream: I wanted to be rich. I turnedmy first real profit at the ripe old age of 6. Back then, in 1954, 3 Musketeers bars were all the rage at the Jewish Day School where I went to kindergarten. Once or twice a week, a man named Mr. Kempler would stop by the school to sell kosher bubble gum and candy bars, and seeing howmany customers he had gave me an idea. I convincedmy father to buy me a box of 24 3 Musketeers bars at the wholesale food store. The wholesale price was $.04 per bar for a total of $.96, and I handed himover my life’s savings: $1. The very next morning, I took that box of 3 Musketeers bars onto the school bus, and suddenly I became Mr. Super Salesman. Those 3 Musketeers Bars went like, well, 3 Musketeers Bars—nobody could resist them. At the end of the day, I counted upmy profit, and I’dmade $.24 on an investment of $.96. That was a whopping 25% profit! I suddenly had visions of retiring as a multimillionaire before I was 18, buying an island
When Seymour first started law…
…46 years later!
in the Caribbean, and building a Playboy mansion. Life was sure looking good!
and redoubledmy efforts. My goal had changed, too. Now that I was onmy own, I didn’t just want to get rich: I wanted to help people. Today, nearly 50 years later, I can see how getting fired was probably one of the best things that ever happened tome. My one-man business has grown to fill two offices—one inVineland and one in Cherry Hill. I have more than 20 fantastic employees, and we really care about our clients. I feel blessed to be an attorney, and I am so grateful God has givenme the opportunity to help thousands of people throughmy practice. My teamhandles all kinds of cases, including bankruptcy, personal injury, and workers’ compensation (check out the insert in this newsletter to see all the different legal areas we handle), so if you’re in a legal jam, there’s a good chance we can help. Call us today at 856-696-8300 to ensure you have an experienced attorney on your side.
Maybe that experience should have givenme a clue that entrepreneurship was my destiny. Nevertheless, I figured that once I graduated law school and passed the bar, I would get a high- paying job and start living the easy life. Well, I got a great job, but then I was quite shocked when I learned that the partners actually expectedme to work hard—and work overtime! So, what do I do now? I figured I’d hang in there as best as I could, but I realized I hadmade a mistake, and being a lawyer wasn’t for me. So, after having worked there for about eight months, one Friday afternoon, my bosses called me into the conference room and toldme they were lettingme go. I cried, but after a couple of days it actually felt like a huge weight had been lifted frommy shoulders! All the stress of the job went away, and for my last fewweeks at the firm, I was 10 times the lawyer I’d been before. Instead of quitting lawwhen I left, I leasedmy own office
-Seymour Wasserstrum
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There’s No Expiration Date on Entrepreneurship THE JOYS OF STARTING A BUSINESS AFTER YOU ‘RETIRE’
As a nation, America is getting older. By 2030, 20% of Americans will be 65 or older. With people living longer than ever before and the baby boomers approaching retirement age en masse, older adults will continue to have a massive impact on the American economy at large. Normally, we think of seniors as people who cash in on the hard work they’ve already accomplished. Many young people even worry Social Security will be wiped out by the time they reach retirement age. But who’s to say older adults can’t contribute to the economy? If you’ve ever tried to change jobs late in your career or pick up some part-time work after retirement, you know it’s hard to be hired as a senior. Quartz recently called seniors “the economy’s most underused natural resource.” Until more employers understand the value and potential of older workers, entrepreneurship remains the most viable avenue for seniors wanting to work after their primary career has ended. There are a number of reasons why seniors find creating their own business to be rewarding and why they tend to succeed when they do. Unlike younger people, who often become business owners in an attempt to make a fortune, older entrepreneurs can be content with small, sustainable micro-businesses. They also approach their businesses with a wealth of experience that can’t be purchased. As a result, 70% of ventures founded by older entrepreneurs are still open five years later, more than double the rate of the general population.
With so much potential to be found in senior-run businesses, it’s no surprise that organizations are rushing to empower older adults with the tools they need to succeed. Senior Planet, a coworking space for seniors with outposts nationwide, teaches classes on skills like website creation in a space that makes older learners feel welcome and comfortable. On top of being an important economic driver, entrepreneurship can be a wonderful way for seniors to generate meaning and value in their lives. It’s never too late to start the business of your dreams.
Royal Rinks CURLING ATHLETES EVERY FAN SHOULD KNOW Every four years, as some of the world’s best Olympic athletes battle for gold medals, the world falls in love with curling. Curling originated in 16th-century Scotland and is most popular in Canada, where many Scots immigrated. Now, 480 years after the first recorded instance of curling occurred on a frozen pond in Scotland, many devotees have left their mark on the sport’s history. These are just a few of the greats. Harvey Mazinke Curling Team In 1973, Canada held its collective breath as the Harvey Mazinke Curling Team took their final shot in a world championship match against Sweden. The rock ultimately failed to reach the rings, crowning Sweden as world champions and snapping the 10-0 record Harvey Mazinke had built during a week of competition. But regardless of that final score, Harvey Mazinke’s impact on the sport was not diminished. The team was crowned the Canadian Men’s Curling Champions in 1973, and the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame recognizes them as “ambassadors to the game.”
Roy Thiessen Choosing only one devoted coach to highlight is difficult, but it must be Roy Thiessen. Roy coached championship teams —or rinks, as they are called in curling— at both provincial and national levels. His expertise led him to chair the first Saskatchewan Summer Games in 1972, theWorld Junior Men’s Curling Championships in 1979, and theWorld Ladies’Curling Championships in 1983. Budding athletes can learn all of Roy’s secrets and the fundamentals of curling in the numerous books he wrote.
Joyce McKee Curling Team Without Joyce McKee, Sylvia Fedoruk, Donna Belding, and Muriel Coben, the Canadian Ladies Curling Association Championship, now called the Scotties Tournament of Hearts, would have never become the nationally recognized organization it is today. The aforementioned women were part of the Joyce McKee rink and were the first winners of the championship in 1960. Their style, play, and knowledge propelled women’s curling into the leagues of men’s competitions, proving that women could compete at just as high of a level as their male peers. To this day, the Joyce McKee rink’s accuracy is unparalleled. If you can’t wait another two years before curling hits center stage at the Winter Olympics, check out the podcast “Curling Legends” to get your fix of curling greatness.
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TAKE A BREAK
We all know reindeer visit our rooftops every Christmas Eve, but what brings them there? Follow the unique and complicated history of Santa’s reindeer to find out. A visit fromwho on what night? In the 1820s, Clement Clarke Moore penned a holiday poem that became the foundation for a phenomenon still alive today. Commonly known as “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas,”“A Visit From St. Nicholas” is a beloved story shared by every generation. It is in this poem that reindeer were first credited with powering Santa’s sleigh around the globe. Many popular songs, movies, and plays have preserved Moore’s vision of St. Nick, and his reindeer and their names are no exception. (Well, kind of.) Rudolph wouldn’t join the squad until a department store added him as part of their promotions in the 1930s. What’s in a name? Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, and Cupid were all brought to life by Moore, but have you ever heard of Dunder and Blixem? Though we now know the duo as Donner and Blitzen, Moore originally named them Dunder and Blixem— the Dutch words for thunder and lightning — but publishing companies wanted names that would rhyme better with the rest of the poem. Still, it was a few decades before Donner and Blitzen made their appearances in the version of the poem we know today. Reindeer burgers, anyone? Moore’s poem paved the way for Santa’s most famous form of transportation, but it was actually Carl Lomen, an Alaskan businessman, who mass-marketed reindeer as Santa’s companions. In the late 1890s, the Sami natives of Northern Europe, who were longtime reindeer herders, made their passage from Norway to the U.S. with a herd of reindeer to invigorate the Alaskan landscape and help their native neighbors. Lomen saw the reindeer as an opportunity and partnered with the Macy’s department store company to create a promotional Christmas parade in which Santa, led by his reindeer, a sleigh, and Sami herders, were prominently featured. Lomen’s goal was to promote his massive reindeer conglomerate for the production and sale of reindeer meat. Instead, a holiday story was born. WHAT ABOUT DUNDER AND BLIXEM? The Strange History of Santa’s Reindeer
CLASSIC ROAST CHICKEN
Inspired by Ina Garten
Ingredients
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1 chicken, approx. 5–6 lbs
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1 head garlic, cut in half crosswise
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Kosher salt
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2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
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Freshly ground pepper
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1 large yellow onion, thickly sliced 4 carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
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1 large bunch fresh thyme, 20 sprigs removed
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1 lemon, halved
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Olive oil
Directions
1. Heat oven to 425 F. 2. Rinse chicken inside and out, removing giblets if included. Move to a work surface, pat dry, and liberally season with salt and pepper. Stuff cavity with thyme bunch, lemon halves, and garlic head. Brush outside with butter, and then season again. Tie chicken legs together with kitchen string. 3. Meanwhile, in a roasting pan, toss onions and carrots in olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and 20 sprigs of thyme. 4. Place the chicken on the vegetables and roast for 1 1/2 hours. 5. Remove from oven, and let stand for 20 minutes covered with foil. 6. Slice and serve with the vegetables.
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The Law Offices of Seymour Wasserstrum
856-696-8300 WipeOutYourBills.com
PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
205 West Landis Avenue Vineland, NJ 08360
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Once an Entrepreneur, Always an Entrepreneur
1
The Power of Senior Entrepreneurship Get to Know Some of Curling’s Best Athletes
2
Classic Roast Chicken How Santa Claus Became Powered by Reindeer
3
4
Glamping at Its Finest
YURT SWEET YURT GLAMPING IN BEAUTIFUL LOCATIONS
Spruce Hole Yurt, Colorado
The allure of the great outdoors calls to many, but pitching a tent and cooking over a fire isn’t for everyone. If that describes you, consider the yurt: a small, permanent structure often outfitted with electricity, plumbing, and other modern amenities. Expertly nestled in remote locations, they provide comforts of home in the midst of nature. Here are just a few around the United States available for rent. For those new to the glamping scene, this is a great choice for an easy transition. With picturesque views of the Pacific Ocean, the Treebones Resort in Big Sur has an array of spaciously comfortable yurts to choose from. The resort has heated pools, a cozy lodge, and even a sushi bar. About an hour up the coastline, you can find a few shops, restaurants, and art galleries if you decide you’ve gotten your dose of nature for the day. Treebones Resort, California
Nestled in the San Juan Mountains about 10 miles north of New Mexico, this yurt is a snow- lover’s paradise. Skiing, snowshoeing, and hiking trails are plentiful in this backcountry location. At the end of a chilly day, come home to comfy beds, cooking supplies, and decor made to feel like you’re camping — but with sturdy walls to keep out the cold. For the glampers who truly want to get away, hike just under 1 mile into the woods of the Adirondack Mountains to discover rustic yurts beckoning you to cook over a fire or bundle up with a book. At night, the yurt’s domed skylight offers excellent stargazing. For those keen on winter activities, skiing and snowshoeing trails start right outside the front door. In the summer, enjoy hiking, fishing, and swimming. Falls Brook Yurts, NewYork
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The Law Offices of Seymour Wasserstrum
WipeOutYourBills.com 856-696-8300
Welcome to our first monthly newsletter. We value you for being our client, and we certainly look forward to helping you and your family as needed in the future. Many clients think of us as a bankruptcy firm and don’t realize that, in my 46 years as an attorney, I’ve helped thousands of clients resolve many kinds of challenging legal problems. So, if you or your family need any type of legal representation, now or in the future, please consider us as your family attorney. Remember, we always offer a totally free consultation, and by way of example, here are the types of legal matters we’ve helped clients with over the years.
• • • • • • • • • • • • •
Injuries from auto accidents
• • • • • • • •
Immigration
Job-related injuries Medical malpractice Slip-and-fall injuries Injuries fromdog bites
Loss of job—Wrongful termination
Sexual harassment
Real estate issues, buying and selling property
Wills, estates, powers of attorney
Injuries fromdefective products
Business law issues
Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma fromuse of Roundup
Patents, trademarks, and copyrights Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy
Social Security disability
Legal malpractice
• Reducingmortgage payments by loanmodification • Reducing car payments by cramdown • Getting back cars that have been recently repossessed • Stopping wage garnishments • Releasing frozen bank accounts • Restoring revoked driver’s licenses • StoppingTenant Eviction hearings • Stopping Sheriff’s sales of homes and other property • StoppingTax Lien foreclosures
Criminal cases Expungement
Traffic tickets, including DUI and revoked license
Immigration
• Divorce, child support, adoption, and other family law matters • Restraining orders • Name change
We serve our clients in two conveniently located offices. Our main office is in Vineland at 205 West Landis Avenue. Our Cherry Hill office is in the Cherry Hill Office Center at 1040 Kings Highway North, Suite 304.
We always offer a totally free, no-obligation consultation, and we will happily discuss with you any legal matter you may need help with.
Many people faced with a legal problem bury their head in the sand, do nothing, and pray their problem will disappear. Delaying and doing nothing don’t usually make things better. What usually happens is your problem gets worse, and worse, and worse, and something that could have been handled in a fairly easy way now becomes what could be a major catastrophe. We understand many people are often very nervous and afraid to see a lawyer. Well, as our client, you realize we aren’t your typical stuffy, highfalutin law firm. We’re very informal, friendly, and helpful. People coming in for the first time, feeling fearful and afraid, often leave with a smile on their faces, telling us how much better and happier they now feel.
In future issues, we will be writing articles on common legal problems our clients have faced. We hope you will find them helpful and share them with your family or friends.
For a free legal consultation, please call us at 856-696-8300. And, if you’d like more information on how we help our clients, please check out our website at WipeOutYourBills.com Thanks for being our client, and please enjoy the rest of our newsletter.
-Seymour Wasserstrum
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