When Ari Tenzer told colleagues, clients and friends he was leaving one of the premiere and highest paying law firms in South Florida to hang his own shingle at the tail end of a recession, the reaction ranged from surprise to disbelief.
“Most people were very surprised,” said Tenzer, 34. “The market wasn’t great. There really wasn’t a clear path to what I was doing. In their defense, I didn’t really know where I was headed. Everyone said I was brave and admirable, but behind closed doors I’m sure they thought I was crazy.”