E53 In the Eye of the Storm: Standing Tall with Attorney Juan Cruz

In this episode of What It Takes: Business Owners Tell All, Jamie Seeker sits down with Juan Cruz, founder and managing attorney of JCA Law, PLLC, a Texas-based education law firm with offices in Laredo, San Antonio, and Corpus Christi. With nearly 30 years of legal experience and a track record that includes a win before the Texas Supreme Court, Juan shares the grit, strategy, and heart it took to build a respected firm from scratch.

Juan opens up about:

Walking away from big law to follow his own vision
Building a niche firm in education law
Balancing courtroom advocacy with smart business planning
Expanding across Texas without taking on debt
The power of kindness and trust in leadership
Why it’s vital to know your lane — and stay in it
Whether you're a legal professional, business owner, or aspiring entrepreneur, Juan’s journey is packed with real talk, hard-won lessons, and pragmatic wisdom for anyone navigating leadership under pressure.

🎧 Intro (Polished Version for Read-Aloud or Episode Description)
Welcome back to What It Takes, the podcast where we dig into the real stories behind successful businesses — and the bold people who built them.

Today, we head into the high-stakes world of education law with someone who’s been in the legal trenches for nearly 30 years: Juan Cruz, founder of JCA Law, PLLC. From winning before the Texas Supreme Court to advising school districts across the state, Juan’s journey is one of courage, clarity, and calculated risk.

With offices across Laredo, San Antonio, and Corpus Christi, Juan shares how he built a thriving firm without debt, how he earns trust in a politically charged landscape, and why true leadership shows up in the storm — not just the sunshine.

🎤 Outro (Spoken-Style Version)
Juan, thank you for sharing so much with us — not just the wins, but the values that guide how you lead. Your story is a reminder that what it takes to run a business isn’t just strategy or ambition — it’s trust, clarity, and yes, a whole lot of hard work.

To learn more about Juan and his firm, visit jca-law.com and follow @jcalaw on Instagram and Facebook — we’ll link everything in the show notes.

And hey, if today’s episode got you thinking differently about leadership, business planning, or staying true to your values — send it to a friend. Share it with someone who needs to hear it.

Thanks for listening — and we’ll catch you next time on What It Takes.