Starting a law firm is one of the biggest decisions an attorney can make, but the real skill isn’t deciding to open your own practice. It’s knowing how to make that decision, and every one after it, without losing sight of the life you actually want.
In this episode, Steve Riley sits down with attorney, entrepreneur, and Atticus Practice Advisor Jordan Ostroff to unpack his framework for making hard decisions with confidence. Jordan shares the moment his wife’s pregnancy announcement collided with $200,000 in firm debt, and how it pushed him to cut his marketing budget to almost zero just to get time back with his newborn son. He lays out a four part approach to high stakes decisions, including a Harvard study showing people are often happier when they can’t change their minds, and explains why he wrote his own obituary to figure out what actually mattered.
If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re building a business that serves your life, or a job that owns you, this conversation will challenge the way you think about both success and the decisions that get you there.
Subscribe & Review
Never miss an episode. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube.
⭐Like what you hear? A quick review helps more people find the show.⭐
Inside This Episode
- How to stop building your law firm around someone else’s definition of success.
- A practical framework for making big business decisions with more confidence and less second-guessing.
- Why most decisions don’t deserve your time, and which ones actually shape your future.
- How to transition from being a busy attorney to becoming the owner of a business that supports your life.
- Simple ways to test major decisions before making commitments you can’t easily undo.


