Spotlight on Women Leaders: Ilona Anderson, Founder of Carpe Diem Law Firm
Spotlight on Women Leaders Series
👉Celebrating women leaders across industries and advancing the conversation on leadership—reflecting CFW Careers’ expertise in retained executive search, global executive search, and professional coaching.
Welcome to our Spotlight on Women Leaders series, part of our Changing the Conversation initiative. This series reflects our founding commitment to advancing women in leadership by moving beyond identifying barriers to focusing on solutions, supporting women in their careers, while also influencing organizational practices and policymaking.
At CFW Careers, we combine the reach of global executive search with the insight of professional coaching, serving leaders and organizations. Since 1973, we’ve been committed to opening doors, creating opportunities, and helping anyone on the rise in their career not just succeed but thrive.
Ilona Anderson | Founder of Carpe Diem Law Firm
Today we’re speaking with Ilona Anderson, Founder of Carpe Diem Law Firm. Ilona, can you start by introducing yourself and describing your work?
I'm Ilona Anderson, founder of Carpe Diem Law Firm, a boutique legal practice based in Miami, Florida. I serve both sides of the spectrum: helping conscious entrepreneurs with trademark registration, employment compliance, and legal strategy, while also advocating for employees who've experienced workplace discrimination, harassment, or wrongful termination.
The name Carpe Diem, "seize the day," isn't just clever branding. It's a promise to my clients and to myself. For my clients, it's a reminder that time is of the essence when dealing with legal matters, and that they can offload those concerns to me and go enjoy their lives, knowing they're in good hands. For me, it means building a practice rooted in excellence and sustainability, where I give my clients my absolute best work without burning myself out in the process. I try to work smart, not just hard, and to always make time for what matters most and give myself permission to live a full, joyous life, no matter how demanding my business gets.
I'm originally from Moscow, Russia, and I came to the United States at sixteen on a high school exchange program. I fell in love with this country and the opportunities it offered, earned my law degree in Miami, and have spent the last nineteen years practicing law, including co-founding and growing a seven-figure employee rights litigation firm. But, in 2024, I made the decision to start fresh and build something that truly reflects who I am and what I value: a practice rooted in freedom, alignment, and purpose.
As someone who's been vegan since 1998, I'm also passionate about serving values-driven and vegan businesses. Kindness, ethics and integrity are at the heart of every decision and interaction, whether I'm counseling a business owner or standing up for an employee's rights.
You've shared that it's never too late to start fresh and make a pivot. How have your own career pivots shaped the way you advise women leaders and business owners today?
I've made more career pivots than I can count, and each one taught me something invaluable.
The first major pivot came when I was pregnant with my first child. I was working at a prominent personal injury firm, and I realized the firm couldn't give me the flexibility I needed to be the kind of parent I wanted to be. So I left – at six months pregnant – and went out on my own. That decision, terrifying as it was, led me to meet someone who became my law partner for the next decade. Together, we built a boutique employee rights litigation firm that grew to seven figures in revenue.
For ten years, I poured everything into that partnership. No maternity leave with any of my three children. No real vacations (I worked on all the trips we took and called them "workations"). Constant all-nighters. I was doing the job of multiple people, proving myself over and over again.
But that partnership also gave me so much: I had the flexibility to be there for my children without ever needing to ask permission (even if it meant working through the night after putting them to bed). I mastered a new practice area, grew by leaps and bounds as an entrepreneur, and discovered what I was really made of. For all of that, I'll forever be grateful.
And then, one day, I realized: the partnership no longer felt aligned. So I exited.
Leaving that firm was one of the hardest things I've ever done, especially in my 40s, when it felt like starting over from scratch. But I had something I'd never fully had before: myself.
After that, I co-created another seven-figure venture in a completely different space – helping businesses claim employee retention tax credits. But when that program froze and I was offered another lucrative opportunity, I realized I didn't want to just fill another role, even a well-paid one. I wanted to build something of my own, from the ground up, even though I wasn't 100% sure what that would look like. So I walked away from certainty and profit, trusting there was something greater (and truer) still waiting for me to create.
How this shapes the way I advise women today? When I work with women leaders and business owners, I see myself in them: dynamic, hardworking, capable women who are often over-delivering, under-charging, and struggling to set boundaries. I want to help them recognize that building a thriving business doesn't mean losing yourself in the process. That pivoting isn't failure – it's alignment.
I also remind them: it's never too late. Whether you're 25 or 55, starting over is always an option. In fact, every time I've recognized misalignment and pivoted, I've grown. Each time, even when I had to start from scratch, it felt like progress.
The biggest lesson I share? You are either a creator or a victim. If you want to build a beautiful life that not only looks good but feels good, you've got to stop operating from the victim mentality, even inadvertently. Your perception creates your reality.
Many women founders don't feel confident navigating legal issues. What advice do you give to help them feel more empowered and prepared when making people and HR-related decisions or decisions related to their brand?
This is such an important question, because so many women founders put off legal decisions until there's a crisis, and by then, it's often too late or much more expensive to fix. Here's what I tell them:
On Employment & HR Decisions
Start with clarity, not fear. Most women founders are afraid of making the "wrong" hire or the "wrong" termination decision because they don't want to get sued. But the truth is, most employment issues are avoidable if you:
Document everything. Keep clear records of performance issues, warnings, and conversations. If you ever need to defend a termination or disciplinary action, documentation is your best friend.
Have an employee handbook. Even if you're a small team, having clear policies around expectations, time off, remote work, and termination protects you legally and sets expectations for your team.
Trust your gut, but verify with your lawyer. If something feels off about an employee situation, don't ignore it. Call your attorney before you take action, not after. A 30-minute consultation can save you from a six-figure lawsuit.
Don't let guilt drive your decisions. I see so many women founders keep underperforming or toxic employees because they feel guilty about letting them go. But the truth is that keeping the wrong person hurts your business, your team, and – honestly – the employee too. It's kinder to everyone to make the tough call.
On Brand Protection & Trademarks:
Your brand is more vulnerable than you think. I can't tell you how many founders I've met who poured their hearts into building a brand, only to discover someone else trademarked their name or logo first – and now they can't use it anymore.
Here's my advice:
Search before you commit. Before you launch your business name, product line, or rebrand, have an attorney do a comprehensive trademark clearance search. It can save you years of heartache.
Don't wait until you're "big enough." The best time to file a trademark is when you're small and scrappy, not when you're already established and have something to lose. Filing early protects your ability to scale.
Think of trademarks as insurance, not expense. Yes, trademark registration costs money. But losing the ability to use your brand name after you've built a following? That costs infinitely more.
Get help from someone who understands your values. If you're building a conscious, purpose-driven brand, work with an attorney who gets it. Legal counsel should be aligned with your mission and help you protect what you're building without compromising your integrity.
The Bigger Picture:
You don't need to know everything; you just need to know when and whom to ask for help. The most empowered founders I work with aren't legal experts. They're women who recognize that bringing in the right advisor early saves them time, money, and stress down the road.
And here's the thing: your lawyer should feel like a partner, not a gatekeeper. If you're intimidated by your attorney or feel like you can't ask "dumb questions," you're working with the wrong person. Find someone who makes legal decisions that feels accessible, empowering, and aligned with your values.
4. How can people connect with you and learn more about your work?
I'd love to connect! Here's how you can reach me:
Website: carpediemlawfirm.com
Email: ianderson@carpediemlawfirm.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/ilona-anderson
Instagram: @carpediemlawyer
If you're a conscious entrepreneur looking for trademark protection, or if you're navigating an employment law issue (either as an employer or an employee), I'm here to help. I also love connecting with other women leaders and founders who are building businesses rooted in purpose and integrity.
And if you're on the fence about making a pivot, starting over, or taking a bold leap, reach out. I've been there, and I'd be honored to support you.
Through our work in retained executive search and leadership development, at CFW Careers, we’ve seen the powerful impact of amplifying women’s voices in business. This series celebrates women leaders across industries, sharing their perspectives and paving the way for the next generation.