You are not LUCKY to have a job! How To Create a Limitless Career featuring Cara Davis Little

Cara Davis Little works in employment policy during the day and plans weddings and podcasts during her free time. In Episode 74, find out how Cara created a career she loves because while Cara can do A LOT, she cannot do it all.

LISTEN TO LEARN

The formula for a great career
Why lawyers are excellent wedding planners
The importance of Black podcasters
How to explore ideas & careers that you love

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WE ALSO DISCUSS

Switching from BigLaw to the public sector
How to sustain law school friendships
The joy & challenges of parenting
The pressures of being a high achiever and example in your family

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You are not LUCKY to have a job! How To Create a Limitless Career featuring Cara Davis Little

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About This Episode

Cara Davis Little’s Background

Cara Davis Little initially went to law school to become a civil rights lawyer. After working in BigLaw (and hating it) Cara decided to work in the public sector. BigLaw jobs are in the private sector, where you work for a law firm or company to advocate for their interests. In contrast, public sector jobs are typically jobs where you work for the state or federal government, including being a Public Defender.

Because Cara did well in law school, she was encouraged to apply for jobs in BigLaw offices. Large law firms tend to use grades as the primary determinant on employment because better grades often mean competitive, ambitious, and hard-working BigLaw associates.

When Cara left BigLaw and began working in the public sector, specifically in employment relations law, Cara began to thrive. She enjoyed the challenges of this new area of law, and Cara used her familiarity with employment litigation from her BigLaw days to look at the other side of employment cases.

Business owners, lawyers, or anyone working a job that they hate should try dealing with their day hour by hour. Handle this hour and then handle the next hour before you worry about everything else, explains Cara Davis Little.

Why Law School

Doing well in law school offers many options for a new lawyer and Cara was no exception. After working for five years in traditional, boring, yet high-paying roles, Cara realized that money isn't enough to stay in a job. Cara decided that money is a tool and that her skills would be valuable in different roles.

"I am a testament to absolutely abhorring my work, loving my check, but not having the mental health to be able to spend it," explains Cara Davis Little.

In this episode, Cara explains the pressure placed on first-generation lawyers to be an example for their families or to feel “lucky” to earn so much money. However, your career (and where you spend a lot of your time) is worth more than a check. Cara believes you should explore your interests before law school and create a career and life that you love… even if that means wedding planning.

A mentor explained to Cara that three things are needed for a happy career: 1) pay commensurate with your skills, 2) enjoy your coworkers, and 3) like the work. Cara emphasizes that you should have AT LEAST two of these things to feel content with a job.

Like the work you’re doing and money but dislike your coworkers? Move on.
Love the money and coworkers but hate the tasks? This ain’t it.
Enjoy your coworkers and work, but cannot afford your bills? FIND A NEW JOB.

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Lawyer Side Hustles

After planning her own wedding in 2019, Cara Davis Little missed the organization, excitement, and of planning a wedding. Cara knew that she wanted to take her organizational skills and creativity into a new route, so she opened Wimberly & Co. Although Wimberly & Co. is based in Maryland, Cara offers wedding planning nationwide, depending on her schedule and the client's needs. Named for Cara's mother's maiden name and grandmother's married name, Wimberly & Co. was founded in February 2020.

Vulnerability of Podcasting

Cara Davis Little was one of three hosts of the Millennial Lov3: Sex, Love and I’m Selfish AF! podcast, which released new episodes from 2017 until 2019. Cara explains that podcasting was really important to her when her life was in limbo.

"My relationships were in limbo, I was new(ish) to a city, my career was in limbo. Podcasting was steady for me," shares Cara Davis Little in Episode 74 of You Are A Lawyer.

Although Cara thought Millennial Love was a fun idea, she was unprepared for how much she enjoyed the vulnerability of podcasting. Cara found freedom in sharing her voice, ideas, and dating stories with millions of people… And I do mean MILLIONS of people. Millennial Love was worthy of all the hype, with worldwide listenership and multiple podcasting awards earned for the podcast.

Cara Davis Little was a host of the podcast Millennial Lov3: Sex, Love and I'm Selfish AF! and the first podcaster that Kyla knew. But also, Cara was a young, Black woman who bought a microphone and had the audacity to be vulnerable with the world. Podcasts were still new in 2017 and until the final episode in 2019, the podcast was enjoyed and loved by every millennial who laughed, danced, and understood the podcast.

On the other side of the microphone, Cara enjoys being a podcast guest. Cara Davis Little has multiple appearances on the Hue I Do podcast, where Cara discusses her wedding in 2019 and the creation of Wimberly & Co. Cara also discusses Blackness & the Wedding Industry as well as the best ways to handle the Worst-Case Wedding Scenarios.

Motherhood and Lawyers

People cannot understand the demands of motherhood, being married, or even being a lawyer until they experience it. Being a planner, Type-A type of person, Cara was ready for parenting with all of her advice and knowledge gained from friends and family members... but it is more than book knowledge. Kyla and Cara discuss how parenthood makes you a better person because it brings out insecurities and differences in the ways that you were parented (for better or worse).

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