Agatha Kluk: Giving Small Businesses a Voice
Ladderworks is a publishing platform of diverse picture books and online curriculum with the mission to empower over a million kids to become social entrepreneurs. Our current series features interviews by our interplanetary journalist Spiffy with inspiring Social Entrepreneurs, Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Builders, and Changemakers who are advancing the UN SDGs.
Hey, friends! It's Spiffy, back again on Planet Earth with an eye on changemaking leaders making the world a more equitable place! I have another great interview for you this week. Today, I’m excited to cruise around with Agatha Kluk, a founding partner at Kluk Farber Law. Are you ready to be inspired?
Spiffy: Thanks for joining me, Agatha! Tell me, what challenge are you addressing through your organization?
Agatha: Glad to be with you, Spiffy! I am a lawyer for new companies who are changing the world through their products and services! Most of my clients have never started a business before, so they look to me to help them make sure that their company can be successful and legally sound. Lots of tricky issues come up when you start a business, such as how to hire employees, how to protect your name and your brand (your intellectual property), and how to handle disagreements. We help our clients solve many of the problems that they face in their businesses!
Spiffy: Very cool! What motivates you to do it?
Agatha: My clients are my personal motivation! My clients are some of the most passionate and focused entrepreneurs who want to change the world. When you start a business, there are many challenges, like not having a lot of money and, in some cases, not having a lot of people who believe in you and your ideas. Everyday I get to advocate for my clients’ rights and be their personal cheerleader for their success!
Spiffy: What would you say is the impact of your work?
Agatha: My work helps many small businesses have a voice! I work hard to make sure that my clients are protected. For example, I make sure that their name, works, and other ideas are protected under intellectual property law so that others can't copy or use their work. Sometimes larger businesses will try to copy our clients’ work—we then help our clients fight those businesses to make sure they are not able to get away with it!
Spiffy: Awesome! Tell me about a recent milestone or initiative by your organization. What impact does that make?
Agatha: I am a lawyer, but I also started a small business myself: my law firm! My law firm recently got bought by another major law firm in New York City. This was a huge achievement for me and the partner at my law firm, because very few women-founded businesses are ever acquired.
Spiffy: Congratulations on that success!
Agatha: Thank you! Even though it was very difficult at times, we are so proud of how hard we worked and how many clients we were able to help. We hope that other female entrepreneurs can see that if they continue to work hard every day, they too can build something that helps others!
Spiffy: Thanks for speaking with me today, Agatha—it’s been an honor!
Agatha Kluk advises and partners with emerging, high-growth, and mature companies looking to scale. As a corporate partner at Perkins Coie, she provides strategic advice on deals at every stage of the company lifecycle, including formation, funding, financing of equity and debt, as well as mergers and acquisitions. Prior to joining Perkins Coie, she built and scaled a boutique law firm from a solo practice to a team of more than 20. Her firm, Kluk Farber Law, was acquired by Perkins Coie in 2022. (First published on the Ladderworks website on February 15, 2023.)
The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the interviewee and do not necessarily reflect those of Ladderworks LLC.
© 2023 Ladderworks LLC. Edited by George Romar. Spiffy’s illustration by Shreyas Navare. For the Ladderworks digital curriculum to help K-3 kids advance the UN SDGs, visit Spiffy's Launchpad: Creative Entrepreneurship Workshops for K-3 Kids and their caregivers here.