Sheela Murthy

In the professional world, individuals generally hope to follow the path to a field of endeavor about which they are passionate. After a few years of working, it is natural for the more ambitious of these to try going out on their own, to start their own financial, medical, or legal practices. The success rate for such fledgling businesses, however, is not very high. The brightest star in a particular professional field is not automatically endowed with the skills needed for management, the perseverance to survive market volatility, or the expertise to strategize growth or marketing efforts. Yet, Sheela Murthy faced those odds with an indomitable can-do spirit and came out on top.

In 1994, the dining room table of her home held a fax machine, and that was the beginning of the Law Office of Sheela Murthy, later known as the Murthy Law Firm. Her husband took a sabbatical from his position as photography professor at the renowned Maryland Institute, College of Art, in Baltimore. He secured the murthy.com domain name and built a website. From the moment she went online, Sheela became a much sought after source of information. Foreign nationals and their employers found clarification on matters of U.S. immigration law. This sounds so logical, now. It even has a name – strategic inbound marketing – but, at the time, the idea of giving her knowledge away seemed counter intuitive. An attorney’s knowledge is her product. By providing information on the law, though, Murthy built a base of loyal readers and potential clients. She demonstrated her understanding of the law, and her genuine, caring nature.

The secret to her success as an entrepreneur has been the use of technology. Through her law firm’s website, MurthyDotCom, she was attached to a brand recognized worldwide that signifies trustworthiness, knowledge, care, and compassion, empathy for each immigrant, family, and business using U.S. immigration law. Murthy’s firm is probably the world’s most successful example of social entrepreneurship. Her focus is not to make a profit, but to help others, change lives, and empower every immigrant going through the immigration process.

Widely acknowledged by the business community, Murthy has been honored in many ways over the years, and she continues to give back. She mentors young women in business. She lends her talents in her role as Chairwoman of the Maryland Chamber of Commerce, and serves on numerous boards and committees.

A list of Sheela’s mentions in the media and her public appearances is available here.