BE THAT LAWYER

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Eddie Dabdoub discuss:Falling in love with your practice area but remembering it is a business.Transitioning from general law practice to a niche law practice.Getting buy-in from your team for the law firm growth.Taking care of your team to stop the turnover. Key Takeaways:There is a barrier of entry for those transitioning from a PI practice to a Disability Insurance practice.If you structure your practice like a well oiled machine, even less lucrative niches will pay off financially.Build a core team that allows your firm to grow together. Even when you’re in different rolls, you want the core team to all be focused on the same business goals.Your firm does not need to be built like everyone else’s. You are different, build your firm to reflect what is important to you. "My big advice is, if you want to scale a law firm, breakaway from the traditional model of assigning assistants and paralegals to attorneys. Instead, create different departments (even if they’re tiny), train your folks to be experts in that department, and have cases go through those departments as the lifecycle of the case carries it through the firm." — Eddie Dabdoub Read more from Steve at Above the Law: AboveTheLaw.com/tag/Steve-Fretzin/ Thank you to our Sponsors!Ready to go from good to GOAT? Attend PIMCOM the inaugural personal injury mastermind conference Sept 15-17, 2024. Use promo code BeThatLawyer to get $200.00 off at https://www.pimcon.org/Get Staffed Up: https://getstaffedup.com/bethatlawyer/Lawmatics: https://www.lawmatics.com/bethatlawyer/ Episode References:Rules of the Road: A Plaintiff Lawyer’s Guide to Proving Liability by Rick Friedman - https://www.amazon.com/Rules-Plaintiff-Lawyers-Proving-Liability/dp/1934833177 About Eddie Dabdoub: Edward Dabdoub is a nationally-known disability insurance lawyer. He is the founder of Dabdoub Law Firm, a firm that specializes in disability and life insurance claims for claimants.Born and raised in Kingston, Jamaica, he is one of five attorneys in his immediate family. Since becoming a lawyer, he has focused his law practice on representing people in this niche practice area and has grown his law firm from less than a handful of employees to a nationwide practice.With Eddie at the helm, Dabdoub Law Firm has litigated and won significant disability and life insurance cases in federal courts. Some notable victories include a win against the NFL Disability Plan for a former pro-football player who was denied disability benefits and recent victory for a liver transplant surgeon who could no longer perform transplant surgeries after sustaining a career-ending injury.Eddie has participated as a guest speaker at law conferences both on local and national stages, discussing disability insurance, life insurance, and ERISA for legal organizations such as the American Association for Justice and the Florida Association for Justice.Eddie is a double-Canes, having obtained an undergraduate degree in Economics and a juris doctor degree at the University of Miami. Before law school, he obtained a Masters in Business Administration from Florida International University. Connect with Eddie Dabdoub:Website: https://www.longtermdisability.net/Email: [email protected]: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edwarddabdoubLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dabdoub-disability-insurance-erisa-law-firm/Twitter: https://x.com/disabilitylawsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/dabdoublawfirm Connect with Steve Fretzin:LinkedIn: Steve FretzinTwitter: @stevefretzinInstagram: @fretzinsteveFacebook: Fretzin, Inc.Website: Fretzin.comEmail: [email protected]: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!YouTube: Steve FretzinCall Steve directly at 847-602-6911 Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Mark Silverman discuss:Building client relationships from the start of your career.Bringing your full, authentic self to your client relationships. Being forward with those you’ve served when asking for referrals. The art of bringing in new work from current clients. Key Takeaways:Even when you’re crazy busy, it is key to reach out to a client or post on LinkedIn or send a text to connect with those in your network. Everybody wins in referrals when there is a transferral of trust. Be honest about where you can add value and where, perhaps, you aren’t the best fit for your clients.Find what works for you and stay consistent with it. You are running a business and want to maintain that forward momentum. "The worst thing you can do, and what will tank your relationship and career quickly, is to sell something that you have no business doing." — Mark Silverman Read more from Steve at Above the Law: AboveTheLaw.com/tag/Steve-Fretzin/ Thank you to our Sponsors!Ready to go from good to GOAT? Attend PIMCOM the inaugural personal injury mastermind conference Sept 15-17, 2024. Use promo code BeThatLawyer to get $200.00 off at https://www.pimcon.org/Get Staffed Up: https://getstaffedup.com/bethatlawyer/Lawmatics: https://www.lawmatics.com/bethatlawyer/ Episode References: Matt Campobasso: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrc1921/Sales Free Selling Audiobook: https://www.amazon.com/Sales-Free-Selling-Death-Sales-Methodology/dp/B0D9HWPX6W About Mark Silverman: Mark serves as Locke Lord’s CMBS Special Servicer Team Leader. When borrowers and guarantors fail to meet their obligations, financial institutions, commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS) special servicers and other companies look to Mark to enforce those commitments, in or out of the courtroom. Mark frames and resolves issues involving creditors’ rights, loan workouts, bankruptcy and loan enforcement. He advises large, midsized, and small banks; financial institutions; and financial technology companies across the country, as well as the nation’s largest CMBS special servicers. Connect with Mark Silverman: Website: https://www.lockelord.com/professionals/s/silverman-mark-aLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marksilverman3/ : Connect with Steve Fretzin:LinkedIn: Steve FretzinTwitter: @stevefretzinInstagram: @fretzinsteveFacebook: Fretzin, Inc.Website: Fretzin.comEmail: [email protected]: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!YouTube: Steve FretzinCall Steve directly at 847-602-6911 Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Ray Koenig discuss:Developing a successful practice while remaining authentic to yourself. Integrating your charitable and civic pursuits into your successful private practice. Picking your extracurricular organizations intentionally and meaningfully. Benefiting from bar association participation and leadership. Key Takeaways:Try things you’re afraid of - they’re never as bad as you think they will be.You don’t always need to tell people what type of lawyer you are - for the general public you can build yourself up as a trusted advisor who solves problems. Being part of organizations is not enough - you should be building relationships and participating actively in those organizations. It’s not all about you. Be authentic, but also spotlight other people’s successes too. "Pick a board, pick an organization, that's doing the things that you're really interested in, but at the same time, has kind of the audience - the donors, the board members - that are people that you want to get to know for professional reasons as well." — Ray Koenig Take the BE THAT LAWYER challenge at Fretzin.com/BTLChallenge! Thank you to our Sponsors!Ready to go from good to GOAT? Attend PIMCOM, the inaugural personal injury mastermind conference Sept 15-17, 2024. Use promo code BeThatLawyer to get $200.00 off at https://www.pimcon.org/Get Staffed Up: https://getstaffedup.com/bethatlawyer/Lawmatics: https://www.lawmatics.com/bethatlawyer/Rankings: https://rankings.io/ Episode References: Roy Sexton: https://www.linkedin.com/in/royesexton/@theBar Podcast: https://www.chicagobar.org/CBA/YLS_Law_Students/_theBar_Podcast.aspx About Ray Koenig: Ray Koenig represents individuals, families, financial and medical institutions, charities and governmental agencies in probate, trust, and guardianship controversies, including complex matters which require practical solutions. Ray continually provides quality, responsive, and efficient representation to his clients. Ray is dedicated to the needs of his clients, whether that requires aggressive advocacy in a courtroom, skilled negotiations to prevent or conclude litigation, or effective counseling to avoid future trust and estate controversies. Ray seeks ways to resolve difficult issues in the most effective manner possible. His success has resulted in appointments by judges as Guardian Ad Litem and defense counsel by judges in complicated guardianship matters, and as Special Administrator in problematic probate matters. Ray has decades of experience in a variety of aspects of controversies involving trusts, probate, guardianships and related fiduciary issues including will and trust contests, will and trust construction and reformation actions, citations to recover, breach of fiduciary duty claims, charitable disputes, and guardianship litigation. His years of practice have also resulted in his retention as an expert witness in matters involving guardianship and probate issues. His depth of knowledge has been informed by and led to many speaking engagements and publications. Ray serves as Co-Chair of the firm’s global Litigation practice, and as an elected member of the firm’s Executive Committee. Ray proudly served as Managing Member of the firm’s Chicago office from 2011 to 2023. Connect with Ray Koenig: Website: https://www.clarkhill.com/people/ray-j-koenig-iii/Email: [email protected]: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raykoenig/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/clark-hill-law/ Connect with Steve Fretzin:LinkedIn: Steve FretzinTwitter: @stevefretzinInstagram: @fretzinsteveFacebook: Fretzin, Inc.Website: Fretzin.comEmail: [email protected]: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!YouTube: Steve FretzinCall Steve directly at 847-602-6911 Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Randa Predergast discuss:Committing to your processes no matter how busy or slow your firm is. Why many lawyers struggle with billing and accounts receivable. Perceived value in your costs with your clients and setting expectations around billing with them. Handling difficult AR and collections with clients. Key Takeaways:Lack of processes, lack of time, and thinking emotionally about your costs are three of the biggest issues around lawyers receiving their proper payments. Lawyers make exceptions more than any other professional industry leading to higher levels of AR. You are not being exceptional when you make exceptions.You can have your clients on ACH and autopay as long as it is kept securely. This will nearly eliminate your AR. Book keeping and collections should not be done by the attorney. They are delegatable to other professionals. "We want to remove the attorney from this process as much as possible. I only like to bring them in on making decisions about stopping work because of non-payment. So all the tasks up until that point should really go to a legal assistant, admin, billing clerk, or something of that sort, not even a paralegal." — Randa Predergast Take the BE THAT LAWYER challenge at Fretzin.com/BTLChallenge! Thank you to our Sponsors!Ready to go from good to GOAT? Attend PIMCOM, the inaugural personal injury mastermind conference Sept 15-17, 2024. Use promo code BeThatLawyer to get $200.00 off at https://www.pimcon.org/Get Staffed Up: https://getstaffedup.com/bethatlawyer/Lawmatics: https://www.lawmatics.com/bethatlawyer/Rankings: https://rankings.io/ Episode References: The Go-Giver by Bob Burg & John David Mann: https://thegogiver.com/ About Randa Predergast: Providing expert services in law firm and case processes (including implementation and training), paralegal support, and billing clerk services on a 1099 basis. Connect with Randa Predergast: Website: https://mrsjunelegal.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mrs-june-legal-llc/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/attorneywhisperer/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@attorneywhisperer Connect with Steve Fretzin:LinkedIn: Steve FretzinTwitter: @stevefretzinInstagram: @fretzinsteveFacebook: Fretzin, Inc.Website: Fretzin.comEmail: [email protected]: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!YouTube: Steve FretzinCall Steve directly at 847-602-6911 Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Phil Fornaro discuss:Following the flow of everything in the industry. Understanding who your community is leveraging them. Core mistakes people make when networking. Building trust and providing value to clients in legal services. Key Takeaways:People are interested in talking about what they do, but if you’re not listening, you can’t figure out what their problem is, and you can’t help them. Being a giver is great, but making it reciprocal with networking partners is even better. Giving your card at an event is like 1/10 for making something out of it. Making a connection and writing down information on their card with a follow-up later increases that drastically. The key to conversion is to provide a solution. "Client development and business development have resulted in my best and most fulfilling relationships." — Phil Fornaro Take the BE THAT LAWYER challenge at Fretzin.com/BTLChallenge! Thank you to our Sponsors!Ready to go from good to GOAT? Attend PIMCOM, the inaugural personal injury mastermind conference Sept 15-17, 2024. Use promo code BeThatLawyer to get $200.00 off at https://www.pimcon.org/Get Staffed Up: https://getstaffedup.com/bethatlawyer/Lawmatics: https://www.lawmatics.com/bethatlawyer/Rankings: https://rankings.io/ Episode References: Phil Fulton: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philipfulton/Doug Sandler: https://www.linkedin.com/in/doug-sandlerKen Levinson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kenlevinsonatty/Buy Back Your Time by Dan Martell: https://www.buybackyourtime.com/ About Phil Fornaro: Philip M. Fornaro, a seasoned legal professional with 29 years of experience, serves as the Managing Attorney at Fornaro Law. His commitment extends beyond the practice of law; it's about delivering comprehensive solutions, fostering structure, and forging meaningful connections. Philip's ultimate aim is to enhance and optimize every situation, ensuring that everyone involved experiences profound satisfaction throughout the entire process and embraces the end result. Connect with Phil Fornaro: Website: https://www.fornarolaw.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fornarolaw/Light Bulb Moments Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/it/podcast/light-bulb-moments-its-all-about-the-energy/id1748362429 Connect with Steve Fretzin:LinkedIn: Steve FretzinTwitter: @stevefretzinInstagram: @fretzinsteveFacebook: Fretzin, Inc.Website: Fretzin.comEmail: [email protected]: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!YouTube: Steve FretzinCall Steve directly at 847-602-6911 Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and MerriLyn Gibbs discuss:Staying focused on your goals.How Assistants 4 Hire works differently from a recruiting firm to help your law firm succeed.The art of delegation.Business lessons from the game of golf.How you show up every day will determine the results you get. Key Takeaways:Delegation starts slow - you don’t have to delegate and forget, you can start with smaller tasks and check the work before the trust is built and you can truly let go of those tasks.If you’re looking for easy lead generation, start with your existing clients - reach out to them first, that’s where the low-hanging fruit is.Recognize the value in the bad shots - it’s not about how good your good shots are, it’s how quickly you can recover from the mistakes.Making mistakes is important. The key is not to keep making the same mistakes over and over. "There's so much more learning in the errant shots. And that is what makes you a better golfer. Because the next time you see that, it's easier and easier and easier. And it's really fun when you pull off those impossible shots." — MerriLyn GibbsTake the BE THAT LAWYER challenge at Fretzin.com/BTLChallenge! Thank you to our Sponsors!Ready to go from good to GOAT? Attend PIMCOM, the inaugural personal injury mastermind conference Sept 15-17, 2024. Use promo code BeThatLawyer to get $200.00 off at https://www.pimcon.org/Get Staffed Up: https://getstaffedup.com/bethatlawyer/Lawmatics: https://www.lawmatics.com/bethatlawyer/ Episode References: You Are a Badass at Making Money: Master the Mindset of Wealth by Jen SinceroAbout MerriLyn Gibbs: MerriLyn’s passion is simple: she is driven to help her fellow business owners thrive by empowering them to focus on what they love. As founder and owner of Assistants 4 Hire, MerriLyn has plenty of experience with managing her team and assessing the needs of her clients - but it doesn’t stop there! She also offers business seminars and productivity coaching for those not in need of outside assistance. Her know-how and unrelenting attention to detail make MerriLyn a pro at setting others up for success. Connect with MerriLyn Gibbs: Website: https://www.assistants4hire.net/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/merrilyn-gibbs-50283642/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/assistants-4-hire/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/merrilyn.gibbsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/Assistants4hireInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/assistants4hire/ Connect with Steve Fretzin:LinkedIn: Steve FretzinTwitter: @stevefretzinInstagram: @fretzinsteveFacebook: Fretzin, Inc.Website: Fretzin.comEmail: [email protected]: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!YouTube: Steve FretzinCall Steve directly at 847-602-6911 Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Nathan Ohler discuss:Moving past the status quo to something different.Saving yourself pain and frustration by crowdsourcing your problems with peer advisory groups.Topics that come up frequently in lawyer peer advisor groups.Top benefits of peer advisor groups for the members. Key Takeaways:In peer groups, you can realize that your firm’s problems are not unique to you and those problems are solvable.Goals and tactical plans are related but are not the same thing. You need to have a tactical plan in place to achieve your goals. It is 2% about the goal and 98% about the tactics and habits.Finding and retaining talent now, both young attorneys and support staff, is different than it was in the past.There are many different ways that peer groups or masterminds - not every type will work for every person, but there is a benefit in actively participating in these groups. "It is just linking back to these problems, and getting solutions to them. Hearing what is working from my peers who are living something similar to what I'm living. And I want to hear a diversity of solutions. So then I can go internalize which of those I want to test out. That environment of being able to hear not just one example, but maybe 10 is really powerful." — Nathan Ohler Take the BE THAT LAWYER challenge at Fretzin.com/BTLChallenge! Thank you to our Sponsors!Ready to go from good to GOAT? Attend PIMCOM, the inaugural personal injury mastermind conference Sept 15-17, 2024. Use promo code BeThatLawyer to get $200.00 off at https://www.pimcon.org/Get Staffed Up: https://getstaffedup.com/bethatlawyer/Lawmatics: https://www.lawmatics.com/bethatlawyer/ Episode References: Atomic Habits by James ClearGetting Things Done by David AllenProVisors: https://provisors.com/Sleep: Redefine Your Rest, for Success in Work, Sport and Life by Nick Littlehales About Nathan Ohler: Nathan Ohler is the President/COO of Nuooly, an exclusive Community for experienced independent/small firm professionals, such as attorneys and accountants. With prior experience on Wall Street and as an executive of multi-billion dollar businesses, he now focuses on enabling Nuooly member success by facilitating peer connections and providing business assistance. Connect with Nathan Ohler: Website: https://www.nuooly.com/Email: [email protected]: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathan-ohler/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nuooly/ Connect with Steve Fretzin:LinkedIn: Steve FretzinTwitter: @stevefretzinInstagram: @fretzinsteveFacebook: Fretzin, Inc.Website: Fretzin.comEmail: [email protected]: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!YouTube: Steve FretzinCall Steve directly at 847-602-6911 Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Karl Seelbach discuss:The way you do one thing is the one way you do everything.Building out and being consistent with expectations through SOPs and accountability charts.Setting aside time specifically to work on your business, not just in it.Hiring a coach to remove your blinders. Key Takeaways:Focus on the solutions - if something goes wrong, look at why and see how it can be fixed.Everyone and every firm is a work in progress. The little things that are sometimes forgotten are the things that need the most attention because they will make the biggest results.You don’t have to be the one to wear every hat. You don’t have to execute on every idea. Delegate what you can’t (or don’t want to) do.Attorneys are responsible for the work they file with the court. If you utilize AI the same way you would utilize a paralegal or law assistant, you can let the tech work for you."You can't just keep doing the same thing, it's not going to change, and you're going to burn out and end up in a bad spot. You have to hit the brakes and say, ‘Okay, look, I've got to figure out how to solve this.’" — Karl SeelbachTake the BE THAT LAWYER challenge at Fretzin.com/BTLChallenge! Thank you to our Sponsors!Ready to go from good to GOAT? Attend PIMCOM, the inaugural personal injury mastermind conference Sept 15-17, 2024. Use promo code BeThatLawyer to get $200.00 off at https://www.pimcon.org/ Get Staffed Up: https://getstaffedup.com/bethatlawyer/Lawmatics: https://www.lawmatics.com/bethatlawyer/ Episode References: Traction: https://www.eosworldwide.com/traction-bookeMyth: https://www.emyth.com/Who Not How: https://whonothow.com/ChatGPT Enterprise: https://openai.com/chatgpt/enterprise/Casetext: https://casetext.com/Lexis+ AI: https://www.lexisnexis.com/en-us/products/lexis-plus-ai.pageUnreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara: https://www.amazon.com/Unreasonable-Hospitality-Remarkable-Giving-People/dp/0593418573Mention Steve’s name and get $500 off your first deposition or upload at Skribe: https://skribe.ai/ About Karl Seelbach: Karl Seelbach is a LegalTech founder and seasoned litigation attorney with over 17 years of experience in the courtroom, representing clients in personal injury, business, and employment litigation. He is a skilled advocate and a tenacious fighter who handles cases with precision and an eye toward trial from day one. His adversaries describe him as "skilled" and "whip-smart." But Karl's legal expertise doesn't stop there - he's also the founder of Skribe.ai, a software platform for capturing testimony that's changing the game for attorneys and their clients. Prior to launching his own law firm in 2015, Karl worked as a litigation partner at one of Texas' largest law firms, Winstead PC, where he was mentored by some of the state's top litigators, including former appellate judges and veteran trial lawyers. Karl received his law degree from South Texas College of Law in Houston and his undergraduate degree from Stephen F. Austin State University. In his free time, Karl enjoys spending time with his wife and daughters in Dripping Springs, Texas as a #GirlDad who proudly cheers on his kids in volleyball, basketball, and more! Connect with Karl Seelbach: Website: https://skribe.ai/Email: [email protected]: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kwseelbach/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skribe-ai/Twitter: https://x.com/KarlSeelbach Connect with Steve Fretzin:LinkedIn: Steve FretzinTwitter: @stevefretzinInstagram: @fretzinsteveFacebook: Fretzin, Inc.Website: Fretzin.comEmail: [email protected]: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!YouTube: Steve FretzinCall Steve directly at 847-602-6911 Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Chelsea Williams discuss:Why personal finance is so key to living a healthy, balanced life. The formulas for success at your firm and as an individual.The most common mistakes lawyers make around money. Tips for taking control of your money today. How to stay on top of your finances. Key Takeaways:Watch out for lifestyle creep. It doesn’t matter how much you make if you keep spending more than you bring in. Track your money. Having a personal budget is not restricting, it is setting a financial boundary. There are only two ways to change how much money you spend: you can trim the fat (even if it is just a rogue subscription) or through negotiating your expenses. It is the small things that bite into your spending. The biggest takers are Amazon, software, and subscriptions. "It doesn’t just stop at the money story, we have to hold all of our numbers accountable." — Chelsea Williams Take the BE THAT LAWYER challenge at Fretzin.com/BTLChallenge! Thank you to our Sponsors!Get Staffed Up: https://getstaffedup.com/bethatlawyer/Lawmatics: https://www.lawmatics.com/bethatlawyer/ Episode References: Rocket Money: https://www.rocketmoney.com/Profit First by Mike Michalowicz: https://mikemichalowicz.com/profit-first/Justin Krane: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinkrane/Mindvalley: https://podcast.mindvalley.com/ About Chelsea Williams: Chelsea has invested ten years of expertise into understanding law firm finance in order to create a framework that any law firm owner can follow to achieve time and money freedom. She's uncovered the common mistakes and struggles law firm owners face that keep them from profitability. Her company partners with law firms to establish a solid financial foundation and works with them to build the framework that gets them to a place of financial clarity, direction, and freedom. Connect with Chelsea Williams: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_money_whisper/Website: https://www.yourcoresolution.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chelseamwilliams-themoneywhisperer/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/core-solutions-group-inc/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chelsea.zeschkeFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourcoresolutionInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/core_solutions_group/ Connect with Steve Fretzin:LinkedIn: Steve FretzinTwitter: @stevefretzinInstagram: @fretzinsteveFacebook: Fretzin, Inc.Website: Fretzin.comEmail: [email protected]: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!YouTube: Steve FretzinCall Steve directly at 847-602-6911 Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Dennis Kennedy discuss:The intersection of the legal system and technology. Utilizing technology in ways that enhance the customer experience.Recognizing where you can free up time to do higher-level legal work. Why every lawyer should have a good, well-utilized CRM. Key Takeaways:Using technology for things like scheduling meetings, paying invoices, receiving payments, and other things not specific to the legal field is a great place to start if you’re unsure of where to begin. There are technology applications that can make your life easier and free up time to do the creative legal work that you want to do. Legal students and younger lawyers are used to using more technology and when they start working, at many law firms, it feels like taking a step back in their use of technology. Don’t let the fear of the unknown around technology stop you from leaning into and using it. "Figure out some problem that you have - something or some way you'd like to make your life easier that you think a technology might be to help you - then decide that you're not going to learn all of the technology, you're just going to learn one thing." — Dennis Kennedy Take the BE THAT LAWYER challenge at Fretzin.com/BTLChallenge! Thank you to our Sponsors!Get Staffed Up: https://getstaffedup.com/bethatlawyer/Lawmatics: https://www.lawmatics.com/bethatlawyer/ Episode References: Chuki Obiyo: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chukiobiyo/Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI by Ethan Mollick - https://www.amazon.com/Co-Intelligence-Living-Working-Ethan-Mollick/dp/059371671X About Dennis Kennedy: Dennis Kennedy is the Director of the Center for Law, Technology & Innovation at Michigan State University and a widely-known expert on law and technology. He teaches AI and the Law and other technology and innovation classes at MSU, and also teaches a legal technology literacy class at the University of Michigan Law School. Dennis has co-hosted The KennedyMighell Report podcast since 2006, wrote the book Successful Innovation Outcomes in Law and many other publications, and, before joining MSU, retired as Senior Counsel at Mastercard, where he focused on technology law. Connect with Dennis Kennedy: Website: https://www.denniskennedy.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dennismkennedyBlog: https://denniskennedy.blog/Podcast: https://legaltalknetwork.com/podcasts/kennedy-mighell-report/ Connect with Steve Fretzin:LinkedIn: Steve FretzinTwitter: @stevefretzinInstagram: @fretzinsteveFacebook: Fretzin, Inc.Website: Fretzin.comEmail: [email protected]: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!YouTube: Steve FretzinCall Steve directly at 847-602-6911 Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and John Sciaccotta discuss:Building relationships everywhere you go. Connecting authentically and building trust in the community. The time of building relationships and expected outcomes. Breaking out of the billable hour hampster wheel. Controlling your destiny. Key Takeaways:Get active, get involved, and maintain friendships within the legal practice. Wherever you have a relationship, give them a business card and tell them what you do. Tell them to think of you first. Make significant touches every single day - social media will allow you to do that easier than ever before. Step one is to be a great lawyer. But that’s not all there is to building your own business. You will need to understand more about business and sales than law school has led you to believe. It is never too early to start learning networking, relationships, and non-verbal communication. They are the ingredients to success as a human being, as well as in your law firm. "Life is about needs. If you can identify the need of a potential client or a referral source, and you can fulfill that need, you’re going to get what you want." — John Sciaccotta Take the BE THAT LAWYER challenge at Fretzin.com/BTLChallenge! Thank you to our Sponsors!Lawmatics: https://www.lawmatics.com/bethatlawyer/Get Staffed Up: https://getstaffedup.com/bethatlawyer/ Episode References: Start with Why Series by Simon Sinek - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07VVJF819 About John Sciaccotta: John C. Sciaccotta has more than 37 years of trial and litigation experience advocating for clients in complex civil litigation, arbitration, mediation and business counseling matters with a special emphasis on complex civil trial and appellate cases brought in federal and state courts and tribunals throughout the United States. John represents publicly and privately held domestic and foreign business entities, business owners, lenders, employers, municipalities, government bodies and individuals in transactional matters and disputes, which include: Counseling and advocating for business entities and their owners in disputes involving Business Divorce issues, including corporate control, valuation, corporate squeeze-outs, minority oppression, dissolution actions and breaches of fiduciary duty and business tort claims. In addition, John has been appointed as a Neutral Arbitrator and Mediator for many years to resolve and arbitrate business-related disputes. He serves on the Commercial Panel of the American Arbitration Association's National Roster of Arbitrators. Connect with John Sciaccotta: Website: https://www.agdglaw.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-c-sciaccotta-7472535Twitter: https://x.com/ScilawFacebook: https://facebook.com/JohncsciaccottaInstagram: https://instagram.com/jcscilaw Connect with Steve Fretzin:LinkedIn: Steve FretzinTwitter: @stevefretzinInstagram: @fretzinsteveFacebook: Fretzin, Inc.Website: Fretzin.comEmail: [email protected]: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!YouTube: Steve FretzinCall Steve directly at 847-602-6911 Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Erin Andersen discuss:Why lawyers have a hard time finding and retaining great talent.Hiring for personality and culture, not just skills.Hybrid work, salary transparency, and why you should be using LinkedIn to hire your next talent.Seeing hiring as an investment, not just an expense. Key Takeaways:Don’t just hire to fill a seat - understand your culture, understand your needs, and hire the right person for that right position.If a firm is open to training in certain areas, a personality fit may be a better hire option for longevity and retention as the person will be the right fit for your firm.Use LinkedIn (and other social media platforms) to scan your hiring candidates. You can learn things that they may not include on their resume, application, or cover letter.Many recruiting firms, like Erin’s, have a 90-day guarantee on your hires. Working with a recruiting firm can help you to find the right fit for your law firm. "I think it's actually better to look where you want to be in 10 years, and then backtrack and figure out how to get there." — Erin Andersen Take the BE THAT LAWYER challenge at Fretzin.com/BTLChallenge! Episode References: Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself: How to Lose Your Mind and Create a New One by Dr. Joe Dispenza - https://www.amazon.com/Breaking-Habit-Being-Yourself-Dispenza-ebook/dp/B006M7A8JI/ Thank you to our Sponsors!Lawmatics: https://www.lawmatics.com/bethatlawyer/Get Staffed Up: https://getstaffedup.com/bethatlawyer/ Episode References: Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself: How to Lose Your Mind and Create a New One by Dr. Joe Dispenza - https://www.amazon.com/Breaking-Habit-Being-Yourself-Dispenza-ebook/dp/B006M7A8JI/ About Erin Andersen: Erin Andersen is a hiring specialist for law and accounting firms. She specializes in hiring both support staff and Associate Attorneys on a flat-rate basis to make hiring more accessible for law firms which in return lets them scale more efficiently. In addition, she is certified in workplace culture and therefore makes this a part of her hiring process. Erin offers free consultations which can be booked by emailing: [email protected] Connect with Erin Andersen: Email: [email protected]: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yourbrandnetworker/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yourbrandnetworker Connect with Steve Fretzin:LinkedIn: Steve FretzinTwitter: @stevefretzinInstagram: @fretzinsteveFacebook: Fretzin, Inc.Website: Fretzin.comEmail: [email protected]: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!YouTube: Steve FretzinCall Steve directly at 847-602-6911 Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Matt Campobasso discuss:Preventing problems before they have a chance to happen repeatedly. Assessing the risks you want to take when your company is growing and evolving. Pros and cons of private practice versus an in-house career. How to successfully network with a general counsel. Key Takeaways:Good prevention doesn’t eradicate all risks but stops many unnecessary risks. All risks aren’t bad, but you want to have the option of which risks you want to take. Working at a larger law firm right out of school allows you to learn from many other lawyers and can give you a broader perspective on different aspects of legal. In your own practice (or in a law firm in general) you want to be working on and building your book of business - rarely are clients going to fall into your lap with no relationship building on your end. When reaching out to a potential client, do your homework first. Try to understand where they are at and what their pain points are. "I've said this for a long time, the best lawyers know the best way to protect their clients is to know their clients, and there's no better way to know your client from the inside." — Matt Campobasso Take the BE THAT LAWYER challenge at Fretzin.com! Thank you to our Sponsors!Lawmatics: https://www.lawmatics.com/bethatlawyer/Get Staffed Up: https://getstaffedup.com/bethatlawyer/Green Cardigan Marketing: https://greencardiganmarketing.com/ Episode References: Upstream: The Quest to Solve Problems Before They Happen by Dan Heath - https://www.amazon.com/Upstream-Quest-Problems-Before-Happen/dp/1982134720 About Matt Campobasso: Matt Campobasso is the General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of Enfusion, Inc., a publicly traded fintech company headquartered in Chicago. He also serves as a member of Enfusion’s Executive Committee and as Co-Chair of its Operating Committee. Campobasso joined Enfusion in September 2020 as Deputy General Counsel and assumed the role of General Counsel in November 2022. During his time with Enfusion, the company went public via an October 2021 IPO and is traded on the New York Stock Exchange. As General Counsel, Campobasso oversees a team of nine lawyers who manage Enfusion’s legal operations and risk for a global organization with offices in eight countries. The team prioritizes a business-first approach that combines “range” and “upstream thinking” aimed at solving problems before they arise and employing legal strategies that safeguard and advance business strategy. In addition to Enfusion, Campobasso’s 18 years of legal experience include time spent as a government prosecutor, as an associate and then partner with Freeborn & Peters (now Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP), and, most recently, as general counsel for TruQua Enterprises (acquired by IBM in 2020). Campobasso earned a J.D. from the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law and an undergraduate degree in psychology from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Connect with Matt Campobasso: Website: https://www.enfusion.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrc1921/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/enfusion-llc/ Connect with Steve Fretzin:LinkedIn: Steve FretzinTwitter: @stevefretzinInstagram: @fretzinsteveFacebook: Fretzin, Inc.Website: Fretzin.comEmail: [email protected]: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!YouTube: Steve FretzinCall Steve directly at 847-602-6911 Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Michele Ross discuss:Why patience and time are key to anything worthwhile.Avoiding repeated mistakes and moving forward with improvement.Business management tools to make your law firm more efficient.Building a great team that works toward the same vision. Key Takeaways:You will have to find your way forward from the mistakes you make - and you will make mistakes. Don’t let them keep you down.It is a balancing act and, as a law firm owner, the key is removing hats with delegation and technology. You cannot do everything all the time.Understanding your values will help make hiring decisions easier because you know who you are looking for, even if you haven’t met them yet.Ask your employees what their goals are - not just within the office, but outside of the office as well. "Be interested in what your employees can contribute beyond just work product. Make them a part of the movement and the vision, because they're the ones that can really open your eyes up." — Michele Ross Join our interactive webinar, "Quality Over Quantity: Getting More Qualified Clients" on June 11th, and secure your spot today! Sign up now at lawmatics.com/webinars Thank you to our Sponsors!Lawmatics: https://www.lawmatics.com/bethatlawyer/Get Staffed Up: https://getstaffedup.com/bethatlawyer/Green Cardigan Marketing: https://greencardiganmarketing.com/ Episode References: Tom Dunlap: Scaling Your Law Firm with Business ExpertsShoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike by Phil Knight About Michele Ross: Michele L. Ross is an experienced business attorney and commercial litigator who focuses her practice in the areas of business law, real estate law, and employment law matters. Having represented a wide range of commercial clients in the transactional arena, as well as in a litigious setting, Ms. Ross' track record of success in and out of the courtroom has consistently helped her to achieve efficient and satisfying results for clients while minimizing the costs and delays that clients seek to avoid.M. Ross & Associates, LLC is located in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey in Bergen County and serves all of Northern New Jersey. Ms. Ross recognizes that the interests and financial position of each client varies considerably, which is why providing uniquely tailored legal solutions, in the most cost-efficient manner, is what distinguishes M. Ross & Associates, LLC from other small law firms.Prior to establishing M. Ross & Associates, LLC, Ms. Ross gained substantial, sophisticated experience in high-stakes employment litigation where she represented several Fortune 500 companies while employed at national and international law firms located in New York City. Today, clients benefit from Ms. Ross' comprehensive legal background and her ability to provide personal attention and individualized service to her clients. Connect with Michele Ross: Website: https://www.mrossllc.com/Phone: 201-568-2064LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/m-ross-associates-llc/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mrossllc/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/litigationlane/ Connect with Steve Fretzin:LinkedIn: Steve FretzinTwitter: @stevefretzinInstagram: @fretzinsteveFacebook: Fretzin, Inc.Website: Fretzin.comEmail: [email protected]: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!YouTube: Steve FretzinCall Steve directly at 847-602-6911 Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Kerry Barrett discuss:Being on camera is a requirement - make it work for you.Public speaking and having a camera presence.Tips to do better with camera media content and presence.Performing and speaking to engage your audience. Key Takeaways:When speaking to a group, in person, or on camera, you do not want to fall into legal speak. You need to speak to who your audience (or client) is in a way that they understand.Look at the camera, not at your screen. It gives a connection with the audience that appears you’re looking directly at them.Your voice is what creates the connection. Make sure you use your voice to repeatedly bring the audience in.Preparation is key in your webinars. Know what your purpose is, know what your goal is, and keep your audience engaged from start to finish. "You want to have a very specific agenda, you want to have very specific language, and you want to recognize that people tune out if you look like you don't have a specific purpose, or frankly, if you're boring." — Kerry Barrett Join our interactive webinar, "Quality Over Quantity: Getting More Qualified Clients" on June 11th, and secure your spot today! Sign up now at lawmatics.com/webinars Thank you to our Sponsors!Lawmatics: https://www.lawmatics.com/bethatlawyer/Get Staffed Up: https://getstaffedup.com/bethatlawyer/Green Cardigan Marketing: https://greencardiganmarketing.com/ Episode References: Goal Diggers Podcast with Jenna Kutcher: https://jennakutcherblog.com/goal-digger-podcast/ Connect with Kerry Barrett: Website: https://www.kerrybarrett.com/ The Kerry Barrett Show Podcast: https://www.kerrybarrett.com/podcast/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@IAmKerryBarrettLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/kerrybarrett/Twitter: https://twitter.com/IamKerryBArrettFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/IAmKerryBarrettInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamkerrybarrett/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@iamkerrybarrett Connect with Steve Fretzin:LinkedIn: Steve FretzinTwitter: @stevefretzinInstagram: @fretzinsteveFacebook: Fretzin, Inc.Website: Fretzin.comEmail: [email protected]: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!YouTube: Steve FretzinCall Steve directly at 847-602-6911 Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Adrian Mendoza discuss:Flipping the script on sales to professional development. Spending your time in the best way for your skills and interests. The importance of qualifying questions and building the right relationships. Tips for networking effectively. Key Takeaways:Networking is about building relationships, not just about getting the business. It’s planting seeds to see what grows over time. In order to know what to give, you have to listen. Don’t be so focused on giving your pitch that you’re ignoring what the other person’s needs and concerns are. Ask the qualifying questions. If they are not the right fit for you, it would be a waste of your networking time. You can say no and it be kind. You may not be the right fit for someone, but you may be able to introduce them to someone who is. "If we believe that networking is about developing those relationships that you want, then it has to be based on trust. And if you're not sincere, people will see through it right away. People know when you're when you're putting on a front, when you're putting on an act. And honestly, nobody likes that." — Adrian Mendoza Take the BE THAT LAWYER challenge at Fretzin.com! Thank you to our Sponsors!Lawmatics: https://www.lawmatics.com/bethatlawyer/Get Staffed Up: https://getstaffedup.com/bethatlawyer/Green Cardigan Marketing: https://greencardiganmarketing.com/ Episode References: ProVisors: https://provisors.com/In Our Time Podcast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/598SVYJ2smP8qJlpH29y7Vj/podcasts About Adrian Mendoza: Adrian is the managing partner of Lillig & Thorsness, Ltd. where he leads the litigation group. His practice includes business disputes, trust and estate litigation, fraud claims, and employment law matters. Adrian represents clients in the manufacturing, hospitality, real estate, legal, banking, and construction industries. Connect with Adrian Mendoza: Website: https://www.lilliglaw.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrianmendoza/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lillig-&-thorsness-ltd./ Connect with Steve Fretzin:LinkedIn: Steve FretzinTwitter: @stevefretzinInstagram: @fretzinsteveFacebook: Fretzin, Inc.Website: Fretzin.comEmail: [email protected]: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!YouTube: Steve FretzinCall Steve directly at 847-602-6911 Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Erik Reid discuss:Why you should consider international hiring for your US-based company. What to consider in doing remote versus in-house staffing. The red flags to catch if you did make a wrong hiring decision. Changing the stigma around international hiring. Key Takeaways:Using an aptitude test can help you understand someone’s potential within your organization even before you understand if they are the right fit for your organization. Every role is different and different personalities will thrive in those different roles. Communication and clear instructions can give you amazing experiences with virtual staffing and help you delegate the things on your list that are not worth your hourly rate. Any role that can be worked remotely, can be worked internationally. "If you want to break staffing down into the simplest form, it's 50%. Are they able to do the job? Are they cognitively able to do the job? Do they have the skills for it? And then the other 50% is, are they the right fit for the role? Is the role the right fit for that? And that's very subjective." — Erik Reid Take the BE THAT LAWYER challenge at Fretzin.com! Thank you to our Sponsors!Lawmatics: https://www.lawmatics.com/bethatlawyer/Get Staffed Up: https://getstaffedup.com/bethatlawyer/Green Cardigan Marketing: https://greencardiganmarketing.com/ Episode References: Atomic Habits by James ClearHow to become 37.78 times better at anything | Atomic Habits summary (by James Clear) About Erik Reid: Erik Reid is the Co-Founder and Owner of Virtustant, a company dedicated on staffing exceptional international talent with companies worldwide. Starting the venture at 24 in the height of Covid, Erik has built a fully remote global business that staffs hundreds of individuals with dozens of companies. Under his leadership Virtustant has established itself as an innovative tactical solution in the realm of HR, empowering enterprises to expand operational teams swiftly and cost-effectively, ensuring sustained excellence and competitiveness. Connect with Erik Reid: Website: https://virtustant.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erik-reid-b0a077126/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/virtustant/ Connect with Steve Fretzin:LinkedIn: Steve FretzinTwitter: @stevefretzinInstagram: @fretzinsteveFacebook: Fretzin, Inc.Website: Fretzin.comEmail: [email protected]: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!YouTube: Steve FretzinCall Steve directly at 847-602-6911 Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Christina Martini discuss:How Tina pivoted from engineering to legal.Selling big law by increasing the stickiness factor through cross-selling.Minding your assets in networking and cross-marketing.Building your book of business authentically.Key Takeaways:The practice of law is not that different from having and nurturing the relationships in your life. Everything is all about relationships which are dynamic and require proactivity.Good business development, whether in a solo firm or in big law, requires a multi-pronged approach. Leverage existing clients, leverage your network, and talk to your peers. The right work for you is out there, but you’ve got to ask for it.Be prepared and have dynamic conversations with your potential clients. It will help build and nourish the relationship, but it will also create opportunities.As a woman, embrace who you are, embrace your femininity and who you want to be in the world when you go to market. Be authentic in your relationship building and in building your book."The rubber really meets the road when you cross-sell your clients into areas that are completely unrelated to yours. That's how you institutionalize clients. That's how you increase the stickiness factor." — Christina MartiniFind out more about the 10 Easy-to-Execute Hacks to Unlock Your Full Potential at: fretzin.com/eventsThank you to our Sponsors!Lawmatics: lawmatics.com/bethatlawyerGet Staffed Up: getstaffedup.com/bethatlawyerGreen Cardigan Marketing: greencardiganmarketing.comEpisode References: Strategy and the Fat Smoker: Doing What’s Obvious But Not Easy by David MaisterEmotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ by Daniel GolemanAbout Christina Martini: Christina L. Martini is a partner with McDermott Will & Emery and serves as the Global Head of the Firm’s Trademark Prosecution & Controversy Practice. Tina focuses her practice on domestic and international trademark and copyright law, as well as domain name, Internet, advertising, unfair competition and entertainment law. She has extensive experience in counseling, prosecution, enforcement, due diligence and licensing matters, and in assisting clients in protecting their intellectual property rights through litigation and other means. Tina has also served as an expert witness regarding issues on trademark, unfair competition and trade dress law, as well as USPTO practice. Described as a “juggernaut in the trademark market,” Tina is a trusted advisor with a proven track record of successful outcomes for clients.For many years, Tina has also been selected as one of America's leading intellectual property lawyers by Chambers & Partners, which has also given MWE’s Chicago Trademark Group a Band 1 ranking. Tina has also been rated AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell and designated an Illinois Super Lawyer.Tina is the host of “Paradigm Shift with Christina Martini” and is co-host of WGN Radio's popular show "Legal Face-Off." Since 2010, Chicago Lawyer has featured her legal column, "Inside Out.”Connect with Christina Martini:Website: mwe.comEmail: [email protected]: paradigmshiftshow.comShow: wgnradio.com/wgn-plus/legal-face-offLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/christinamartiniX: twitter.com/TinaMartini10 & twitter.com/McDermottLawFacebook: facebook.com/McDermottWillandEmeryInstagram: instagram.com/christina_louise_martini & instagram.com/mcdermott_lawConnect with Steve Fretzin:LinkedIn: Steve FretzinX: @stevefretzinInstagram: @fretzinsteveFacebook: Fretzin, Inc.Website: Fretzin.comEmail: [email protected]: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!YouTube: Steve FretzinCall Steve directly at 847-602-6911Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-SturkieAudio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Josh Branch discuss:Building trust with your network, clients, and prospective clients. Developing your relationships and reputation. The importance of preparedness to trust and likeability. Finding natural affinities for helping to build trust. Key Takeaways:Building a relationship without trust will not lead to successful, healthy places. Sometimes the truth is painful, but trust is built on honesty with everyone you’re talking to.Clients who have trust in their lawyer are more likely to have a great rapport and feel confident in their representation. People can tell when you’re feeding them a line and are not going to follow through. The key to trust is reliability and following through on those things you promise. "What you're demonstrating is that you committed to something and you executed on it. There's a connection that happens when people can really know they can count on you versus just hearing you talk about them counting on you." — Josh BranchFind out more about the 10 Easy-to-Execute Hacks to Unlock Your Full Potential at: https://fretzin.com/events Thank you to our Sponsors!Lawmatics: https://www.lawmatics.com/bethatlawyer/Get Staffed Up: https://getstaffedup.com/bethatlawyer/Green Cardigan Marketing: https://greencardiganmarketing.com/ Episode References: Podcast: Smartless - https://www.smartless.com/ About Josh Branch: Josh’s interest in law began at the early age of 16 when he began working in a law firm as a high school student. Attending depositions and being inundated with the legal profession at an early age and with an inherent ability to argue succinctly, it was known by many that Josh would become a lawyer from an early age. Growing up around medical doctors has also proved advantageous for Josh in his legal practice, in that he has learned and become familiar with a person’s physiology, which is continually being applied to his practice of personal injury law in Athens. He attended undergraduate school at the University of Georgia and went to law school at Florida Coastal School of Law in Jacksonville, Florida. Josh began his legal career in Pensacola, Florida working at an insurance defense firm, though his passion was always to help individuals rather than corporations. After enduring Hurricane Ivan, he was forced to move from Pensacola and eventually relocated to Athens, Georgia where he is devoted exclusively to pursuing justice for plaintiffs. Dedication to the injured individual’s plight remains his devoted pursuit. Connect with Josh Branch: Website: https://www.thegeorgiainjuryattorney.com/Phone: 706-850-4994LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-branch-a1127624/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-law-office-of-joshua-w-branch-llc/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheLawOfficeofJoshuaWBranch/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thelawofficeofjoshuawbranch/ Connect with Steve Fretzin:LinkedIn: Steve FretzinTwitter: @stevefretzinInstagram: @fretzinsteveFacebook: Fretzin, Inc.Website: Fretzin.comEmail: [email protected]: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!YouTube: Steve FretzinCall Steve directly at 847-602-6911 Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Robert Plotkin discuss:Giving information away. Writing a lead-generating book while maintaining your law practice.Benefits of writing a book above other kinds of content marketing. What to do before publication, during promotion, and after publication. Key Takeaways:Even if you gave someone your entire process, nobody will be able to execute like you do because you have value to bring to the situation. Break your book down into small, manageable bites. Also, consider sharing some of the information as you go and get feedback as you go so it feels less monumental of a task. Having a good outline in place is crucial - it gives you opportunities to break your script into smaller tasks that can be tackled in your 15 or 20 free minutes. Have multiple ways of distributing your content - audio, digital, and print. People consume content in different ways, but you can also repackage that content in your content marketing. "The thing about a book is it sends this separate meta message about your clout, your credibility as an expert. I think most lawyers who are writing a book are trying to use it to establish or cement themselves as an expert, a thought leader, someone who knows how to get certain things done for their clients in the law and a book sends that meta message at just order of magnitude higher level. There's another meta message: by someone seeing that you wrote a book, they know you're someone who took the time and has the discipline to write a book. Even if they never read it, that sends a message to them." — Robert PlotkinFind out more about the 10 Easy-to-Execute Hacks to Unlock Your Full Potential at: https://fretzin.com/events Thank you to our Sponsors!Lawmatics: https://www.lawmatics.com/bethatlawyer/Get Staffed Up: https://getstaffedup.com/bethatlawyer/Green Cardigan Marketing: https://greencardiganmarketing.com/ Episode References: The Paradox of Choice by Barry Schwartz About Robert Plotkin: Robert Plotkin is a patent attorney who has specialized in obtaining software patents for his clients to maximize company value for over 25 years. He focuses on obtaining patents that his clients use to attract investment, generate revenue, and secure successful exits. His clients have gone toe-to-toe against the biggest tech companies in the world in patent litigation and emerged victorious. He is a co-founder of the boutique patent law firm Blueshift IP and is sought out by the world's leading software and AI companies to obtain, enforce, and leverage patents for success. Connect with Robert Plotkin: Website: https://blueshiftip.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertplotkin/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/blueshift-ip-llc/ Connect with Steve Fretzin:LinkedIn: Steve FretzinTwitter: @stevefretzinInstagram: @fretzinsteveFacebook: Fretzin, Inc.Website: Fretzin.comEmail: [email protected]: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!YouTube: Steve FretzinCall Steve directly at 847-602-6911 Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

In this episode, Steve Fretzin, Josh Blum, and Dr. Andre Caruso discuss:Mistakes attorneys make that fail to gain trust.Why trust matters and the different dimensions of trust.Ways we can quickly build trust.Making the right first impression. Key Takeaways:People hold how they feel about you higher than how competent you are.You do not always need to be in lawyer mode. Turn off the lawyer speak, be more authentic and human, and you will improve your trust and likeability.Put a little effort into building trust. You need to talk about more than the obvious or the weather.Treat people they way they want to be treated. It is your responsibility to adapt to their communication style to be more trusted. "When you can create some sort of connection with someone, it's going to help build that idea of trust. Even if it is just that subconscious thought of that connection." — Dr. Andre Caruso Find out more about the 10 Easy-to-Execute Hacks to Unlock Your Full Potential at: fretzin.com/events Thank you to our Sponsors!Lawmatics: lawmatics.com/bethatlawyerGet Staffed Up: getstaffedup.com/bethatlawyerGreen Cardigan Marketing: greencardiganmarketing.com Episode References:Start with Why by Simon Sinek About Josh Blum: Josh Blum has worked for nearly 20 years within the professional services and financial services industries and worked with thousands of advisors, attorneys and accountants in his career educating them and their clients on how to successfully become trusted advisors to their clients.Considered a subject matter expert Josh has served as President of the Financial Planning Association of Miami is a published author and currently sits as Chair of the Board of the FPA of Miami.In addition to the educational services Josh provides and his pro-bono work he is also cofounder and partner in JB and The Doctor and IVOLVE Performance & Development. JB and The Doctor provide soft skills training to professionals to achieve greater productivity, enhance communication and minimize the cost of employee turnover. About Dr. Andre Caruso: Dr. Andre Caruso, affectionately known as ”The Doctor” or “Doc”, combines his deep knowledge of psychology with extensive practical experience across many sectors. Earning a Doctorate in Psychology from Nova Southeastern University, his career has seamlessly transitioned from the hospitality industry along with significant roles in nonprofit organizations and special education, integrating with behavior modification and mindset development. This diverse experience underscores his ability to apply behavioral insights to effect positive, lasting change in both individuals and organizations.Doc's approach to educating is both scientifically grounded and deeply empathetic, focusing on empowering individuals and teams to reach their full potential. Through innovative program development and hands-on training, he has dedicated his career to enhancing personal and professional growth. With over two decades of experience, Dr. Caruso stands out as a pivotal figure in the field, embodying a unique blend of theoretical knowledge and practical wisdom to inspire insight, resilience and growth. Connect with Josh Blum and Dr. Andre Caruso: Website: jbandthedoctor.comJosh’s LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/josh3837Doc’s LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/drandrecarusoInstagram: instagram.com/jbandthedoctorFacebook: facebook.com/jbandthedoctorYouTube: youtube.com/jbandthedoctor Connect with Steve Fretzin:LinkedIn: Steve FretzinTwitter: @stevefretzinInstagram: @fretzinsteveFacebook: Fretzin, Inc.Website: Fretzin.comEmail: [email protected]: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!YouTube: Steve FretzinCall Steve directly at 847-602-6911 Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Jen Lee discuss:Breaking the mold of traditional legal molds within ethical guidelines.Legal models that are changing the game for attorneys.The growing demand for legal services in underserved communities and non-traditional markets.How COVID changed the legal landscape. Key Takeaways:The billable hour contributes to lawyer burnout and work-life imbalance as attorneys feel pressure to work long hours to pay off high student loans and meet law firm expectations.Some variations for fee models include flat fees, hybrid, unbundled services, subscription models, and passive income (such as a sponsored podcast, a course, a book, etc.).Part of your job as a lawyer is helping your clients accurately understand the costs of your services necessary to solve their problems.Turn off your lawyer brain when thinking about business development. What do you like solving? Build a business model around that. "The legal profession itself stands in its own way. We’ve got such a long tradition and history of how things have always been done. It’s almost a stodgy profession. We have a lot of regulations on us, and it's hard to come up with ideas to get around those or to be ethical. Attorneys worry about that a lot. We're very conservative with how we look at things." — Jen Lee Find out more about the 10 Easy-to-Execute Hacks to Unlock Your Full Potential at: https://fretzin.com/events Thank you to our Sponsors!Lawmatics: https://www.lawmatics.com/bethatlawyer/Get Staffed Up: https://getstaffedup.com/bethatlawyer/Green Cardigan Marketing: https://greencardiganmarketing.com/ Episode References: The Energy Bus: 10 Rules to Fuel Your Life, Work, and Team with Positive Energy by Jon GordonTV Show: What We Do in the ShadowsAbout Jen Lee: Jen Lee AKA Rebel Esquire. Once a mild-mannered attorney, now the superhero for lawyers intent on transforming an industry resistant to change. She is redefining the practice of law through innovation, accessibility, and a bold departure from the status quo. Jen is the owner of Lawyer Success Network® and host of the Rebel Esquire™ podcast. Connect with Jen Lee: Website: https://www.lawyersuccessnetwork.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebelesquire/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/lawyersuccessnetworkInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/rebelesquire Connect with Steve Fretzin:LinkedIn: Steve FretzinTwitter: @stevefretzinInstagram: @fretzinsteveFacebook: Fretzin, Inc.Website: Fretzin.comEmail: [email protected]: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!YouTube: Steve FretzinCall Steve directly at 847-602-6911 Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Tom Dunlap discuss:Letting go of the old things to promote the new things. The power in relinquishing control. The two paths to scaling. Finding the right fit for your team, clients, and fees. Key Takeaways:Having your name on the door makes you the lightning rod for problems. It is not as big of a benefit as most lawyers think. If viable for your firm, consider bringing in non-lawyer team members who can help with the non-legal aspects of running a firm. You have to find the right fit clients in the right stage in the right scope. If some people don’t say ‘no’ to your fees, you’re charging way too little. "You went to law school to be a lawyer. The highest and best use of your time is the billable hour and getting clients and keeping them happy. If you want to manage a law firm, you should have professionals who work for you doing it." — Tom Dunlap Find out more about the 10 Easy-to-Execute Hacks to Unlock Your Full Potential at: https://fretzin.com/events Thank you to our Sponsors!Lawmatics: https://www.lawmatics.com/bethatlawyer/Get Staffed Up: https://getstaffedup.com/bethatlawyer/Green Cardigan Marketing: https://greencardiganmarketing.com/ Episode References: The Snowball System: How to Win More Business and Turn Clients into Raving Fans by Mo Bunnell About Tom Dunlap: Tom is the managing partner of a law firm he does not run and is the better for it. Leveraging his time working in terrible law firm and corporate environments, and then leaving law to command a Recon Scout Platoon and Infantry company in the Us Army, together with a series of graduate projects crafted during his last years in an MBA program, much of Tom’s time, not practicing law, has been spent building his national firm of more than 80 lawyers from the ground up as a place where lawyers want to be.In his legal practice as principally an IP and government contracts lawyer he has handlednumerous successful bid protests before the GAO and Court of Federal Claims, and Federal district court jury and bench trials as lead counsel including a $12 million jury verdict in a patent infringement case doubled as a result of punitive damages to $24,635,000 in the Bunch of Balloons case, and a $2,600,000 jury counterclaim verdict in a copyright and commercial litigation dispute over Blackwater. He is the past president of the Loudoun County Bar Association and admitted to the state and Federal bars of Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, DC, VA, and MD and more than 30 other Federal Courts. Tom has repeatedly been a Washington, D.C., and Virginia SuperLawyer (2006 – 2024). Tom received his law degree from Washington & Lee University in Lexington, Virginia and earned an MBA and MS in Biotechnology at the University of Maryland. Outside of law, Tom founded a successful software company for first-person MMORPG gaming, and a biotechnology company, where he was also an inventor on patents are that currently the standard used by NIH for COVID wastewater surveillance (www.ceresnano.com). Tom is also a licensed instrument pilot, PADI Master SCUBA Diver, Freemason, and avid runner, recently completing the 2023 Paris Marathon. Connect with Tom Dunlap: Website: dbllawyers.comShow: dbllawyers.com/podcasts-seasonsLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tomdunlap & linkedin.com/company/dbllawyersTwitter: twitter.com/DBLLawyersFacebook: facebook.com/dbllawyersInstagram: instagram.com/dbl_lawyers Connect with Steve Fretzin:LinkedIn: Steve FretzinTwitter: @stevefretzinInstagram: @fretzinsteveFacebook: Fretzin, Inc.Website: Fretzin.comEmail: [email protected]: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!YouTube: Steve FretzinCall Steve directly at 847-602-6911 Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Victoria Collier discuss:Thinking about your law practice of the future. Selling a book of business versus an actual business. Balancing future needs with your current lifestyle. Key components of having an exit strategy and preparing your firm for sale. Technology that is supporting law firms to run better. Key Takeaways:A solo practice is an asset as a business itself, beyond the goodwill and book of business, when the practice is streamlined and built well. Everyone can build assets into their firm, even if they are a solo firm. Focus more on the net revenue, not the gross revenue, and you’ll be surprised to see how much your firm can grow and thrive. Clients don’t care about the name on the door as much as they just want their problem solved. "Gross revenue is not where the value is, that’s in the net revenue. If you're making decisions based on ‘I want to grow my gross revenue,’ then you are making other microdecisions below that, that affect your net revenue, and often it's not in the same direction." — Victoria Collier Find out more about the 10 Easy-to-Execute Hacks to Unlock Your Full Potential Event at: https://fretzin.com/events Thank you to our Sponsors!Lawmatics: https://www.lawmatics.com/bethatlawyer/Get Staffed Up: https://getstaffedup.com/bethatlawyer/Green Cardigan Marketing: https://greencardiganmarketing.com/ Episode References: 24 Months to Freedom: How Modern Law Firms Use Smarter Staffing Solutions to Fast Track Their Way to Success by Brett TremblyAbout Victoria Collier, Founder and CEO of Quid Pro Quo: Victoria is a seasoned entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience in the legal industry. She is a Certified Exit Planning and Value Builder Advisor and has been coaching lawyers since 2008 on how to add value to their law firms. After building and then selling her own 7-figure law firm in 2020, she founded Quid Pro Quo. It is now her mission to teach others the art and science to creating turnkey law offices, positioning to transition, and selling for profit. Connect with Victoria Collier: Website: https://quidproquolaw.com/Podcast: https://quidproquolaw.com/smart-lawyers-position-to-transition/ Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1284225722042602/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoria-collier-b10b992/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/victoria-collier-coaching/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VictoriaCollierCoachInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/quidproquolaw Connect with Steve Fretzin:LinkedIn: Steve FretzinTwitter: @stevefretzinInstagram: @fretzinsteveFacebook: Fretzin, Inc.Website: Fretzin.comEmail: [email protected]: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!YouTube: Steve FretzinCall Steve directly at 847-602-6911 Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Miriam Airington-Fisher discuss:Building your business on your own or under a firm umbrella. Embracing an entrepreneurial mindset. Growing and scaling in different ways. Advice for those lawyers going out on their own. Key Takeaways:You get a higher return when you’re the one that you’re investing in. Even though we are all important in our own ways, we can still delegate to others. You do not need to be the person talking to every single person on every single issue. Take yourself out of the day-to-day equation. You can do that with technology, a small staff, or a large staff. Regardless of your goals, getting out of the whirlwind counts as scaling. There is never a perfect time to pull the trigger. Draw a line in the sand, bet on yourself, and go do it. "When you're an entrepreneur and you're in control, you can you can shape how the business looks." — Miriam Airington-Fisher Take the BE THAT LAWYER challenge at Fretzin.com! Thank you to our Sponsors!Lawmatics: https://www.lawmatics.com/bethatlawyer/Get Staffed Up: https://getstaffedup.com/bethatlawyer/Green Cardigan Marketing: https://greencardiganmarketing.com/ Episode References: Fireproof: A Five-Step Model to Take Your Law Firm from Unpredictable to Wildly Profitable by Mike MorseThe Game-Changing Attorney Podcast with Michael Mogill About Miriam Airington-Fisher: Miriam is a lawyer, firm owner, speaker, and best-selling author. She started a practice in 2016 as a new mom in the middle of a divorce, and over the past 8 years has grown it into a 12-person, multi-million dollar firm specializing in immigration and civil rights. Today, she runs the Virginia-based firm, Airington Law, and consults with lawyers and law firm owners who want to build or scale family-friendly law firms. She is the author of Mom's A Lawyer: How to Start a Firm and Take Control of Your Life. Connect with Miriam Airington-Fisher: Website: https://airingtonlaw.com/Website: https://www.momsalawyer.com/Book: https://www.momsalawyer.com/bookLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lawyer-like-a-mother/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyerlikeamother Connect with Steve Fretzin:LinkedIn: Steve FretzinTwitter: @stevefretzinInstagram: @fretzinsteveFacebook: Fretzin, Inc.Website: Fretzin.comEmail: [email protected]: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!YouTube: Steve FretzinCall Steve directly at 847-602-6911 Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Laura Sauter discuss:What branding really is and what it really means. Personal branding to stand out authentically. Building and protecting your reputation and brand. Reflecting on your personal brand and values to elevate your law practice. Key Takeaways:People hire lawyers, not just law firms. To stand out, you must have your own branding, not just that of the firm. You only know what your brand is when it is reflected to you by those who love you and those who hate you. Dig deep, understand yourself, and be you. That is your biggest differentiator. You don’t need everyone as a customer. You just need the right ones. "No matter what the company, no matter what the size, I'm still going to go through those core values and help those entities, the person or the firm, understand how they are unique within the plethora of offerings out there." — Laura SauterTake the BE THAT LAWYER challenge at Fretzin.com! Thank you to our Sponsors!Lawmatics: https://www.lawmatics.com/bethatlawyer/Get Staffed Up: https://getstaffedup.com/bethatlawyer/Green Cardigan Marketing: https://greencardiganmarketing.com/ Episode References: The Power of You by Chris MichaelsThe 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy FerrissThe Brand You by Tom Peters About Laura Sauter: Meet Laura Sauter, a seasoned brand expert, educator, and speaker passionate about the power of personal branding. With over two decades of experience in brand strategy and design, Laura empowers entrepreneurs, non-profits, and seasoned company founders to navigate growth, transition, and conflict with confidence. Laura's expertise lies in strategic brand positioning, naming, corporate identity, and associated marketing. She has consulted for multinational corporations such as Fidelity, Biogen, and TJX, as well as numerous small and mid-sized companies across New England and nationwide. As a dynamic speaker and educator, Laura shares actionable insights and strategies to help individuals and businesses amplify their personal brands. Her approach combines precision, creativity, and empathy to drive tangible results in today's competitive landscape. Whether you're looking to enhance your personal brand or elevate your company's identity, Laura Sauter is your trusted partner in achieving lasting impact and success. Connect with Laura Sauter: Website: https://agencybel.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-sauter-58a341/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/agency-bel/Twitter: https://twitter.com/agencybelFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/laura.sauter.5/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/agencybelInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/designerlulu/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/agencybel/ Connect with Steve Fretzin:LinkedIn: Steve FretzinTwitter: @stevefretzinInstagram: @fretzinsteveFacebook: Fretzin, Inc.Website: Fretzin.comEmail: [email protected]: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!YouTube: Steve FretzinCall Steve directly at 847-602-6911 Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and David Aaronson discuss:Why sales has a bad reputation in the legal industry. Being human before selling. Properly utilizing the Universal Seven Principles of Persuasion. Understanding the emotional decision-making that happens before the intellectual decision-making. Key Takeaways:Sales has changed from hard selling to consultant selling. There is power in social proof and in having authority. What are you doing to build relationships and authority in your area of expertise?Look at what your competitors are doing and be an authority against those competitors. If they are creating lots of content online, you should be as well to compete with them. Do your research on those you want to build relationships with to create unity with something beyond the superficial. "Just because the seven principles are there, doesn't mean they're going to happen naturally, you have to affect them." — David Aaronson Take the BE THAT LAWYER challenge at Fretzin.com! Thank you to our Sponsors!Lawmatics: https://www.lawmatics.com/bethatlawyer/Get Staffed Up: https://getstaffedup.com/bethatlawyer/Green Cardigan Marketing: https://greencardiganmarketing.com/ Episode References: ProVisors: https://www.provisors.com/HubSpot: https://www.hubspot.com/Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman: https://www.amazon.com/Thinking-Fast-Slow-Daniel-Kahneman/dp/0374533555Yes! By Robert B. Cialdini: https://www.amazon.com/Yes-Scientifically-Proven-Ways-Persuasive/dp/1416570969 About David Aaronson: As the owner of Digital Inbound, David is a Cialdini Institute Certified Coach, trainer, and practitioner, specializing in the field of marketing. Our focus is leveraging the Universal 7 Principles of Persuasion (PoP) to help get more prospects to say yes. We are dedicated to demonstrating how to utilize the 7 PoPs not just for marketing and sales, but for everyday decisions we all make. We utilize insights from both Robert Cialdini, Ph.D. author of Influence, the Psychology of Influence and Daniel Kahneman, Ph.D. winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics and author of Thinking, Fast & Slow. Connect with David Aaronson: Website: https://www.digitalinbound.com/Email: [email protected]: 323-428-2015LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidcaaronson/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/digital-inbound/ Connect with Steve Fretzin:LinkedIn: Steve FretzinTwitter: @stevefretzinInstagram: @fretzinsteveFacebook: Fretzin, Inc.Website: Fretzin.comEmail: [email protected]: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!YouTube: Steve FretzinCall Steve directly at 847-602-6911 Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Sarah Victory discuss:Building your business without imploding. What to focus on whether you’re running a small or large firm.The biggest problems lawyers face when scaling. Getting business and leads from speaking and presentations. Key Takeaways:Become better in the face of hard challenges. Don’t wish your challenges were easier when you can get stronger. You can find great people, but you have to dare to do it. Do something brave every day to grow your business. Hire somebody before you think you need them. You can also look for people outside of the US and are not constrained by only those in your area.At speaking engagements, connect with people before and after. Network, connect, build relationships, and show your expertise. "I believe there's a form of marketing for everybody. And that usually is something you love to do." — Sarah Victory Take the BE THAT LAWYER challenge at Fretzin.com! Thank you to our Sponsors!Lawmatics: https://www.lawmatics.com/bethatlawyer/Get Staffed Up: https://getstaffedup.com/bethatlawyer/Green Cardigan Marketing: https://greencardiganmarketing.com/ Episode References: Finding Your Own North Star by Martha Beck About Sarah Victory: CEO of The Victory Company & international best-selling Author, Sarah Victory, has spoken to over 3000 distinguished audiences, including 3 ½ million people, in Europe, the US, and South America, and is sought after for popular Podcasts, and TV and Radio Shows. She is the author of Double Your Business in One Year or Less! and Do Something Brave Every Day. Connect with Sarah Victory: Website: https://www.thevictorycompany.com/Email: [email protected]: How to Be Powerful: Insider Secrets to Brilliant Leadership, Sales, and SpeakingYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@inspiringvictoryLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahvictory/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sarahvictory/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inspiringvictory/ Connect with Gary Johnson: Website: j2marketingconsultants.comEmail: [email protected]: linkedin.com/in/j2marketingconsultantsTwitter: twitter.com/j2consultants Connect with Steve Fretzin:LinkedIn: Steve FretzinTwitter: @stevefretzinInstagram: @fretzinsteveFacebook: Fretzin, Inc.Website: Fretzin.comEmail: [email protected]: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!YouTube: Steve FretzinCall Steve directly at 847-602-6911 Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Robert Friedman discuss:Focusing on the client and what their needs are, both physical and psychographic. The five questions Robert asks each of his questions. Setting your aperture appropriately. Understanding your positioning and making it work for you. Key Takeaways:When you can position yourself precisely, you won’t attract everyone, but you will attract the right clients to your firm. You have to do both the strategy work and the research work to know that you’re landing in the right space with your branding. If your message is not resonating with your potential referral sources and clients, then workshop it. Ask for feedback and be willing to listen. You don’t want to spin your wheels when a simple change could bring business growth. Focus on what makes you unique and make sure that comes across to your clients and potential clients. "The number one way to differentiate is to really think about what you value and what you stand for and put that upfront." — Robert Friedman Take the BE THAT LAWYER challenge at Fretzin.com! Thank you to our Sponsors!Lawmatics: https://www.lawmatics.com/bethatlawyer/Get Staffed Up: https://getstaffedup.com/bethatlawyer/Green Cardigan Marketing: https://greencardiganmarketing.com/ Episode References: The Win Without Pitching Manifesto by Blair EnnsTake Robert’s Brand Strength Assessment for more information: https://www.fearlessbranding.com/resources/ About Robert Friedman: I am the founder of Fearless Branding. I work with experts in law and consulting who are at the top of their game, but whose firms are not realizing their full potential. They want bigger clients and more lucrative cases/engagements but they struggle to get traction with their ideal clients. Here’s what I find: Frequently, professional services and consulting firms deliver powerful, unique expertise but they don’t reap the rewards because the way they define their value is generic. They’re not controlling their own narrative. For over 20 years, I’ve worked with expert firms to transform the way they present themselves to their market. We define their unique brilliance and develop a winning narrative that answers their prospects’ most important question: “Why should we choose you.” My work delivers a complete brand transformation: I deliver firms a new way to talk about themselves and position themselves precisely in the minds of their ideal clients. Deliverables include brand identities, website (including all messaging), thought leadership marketing and guidance for the right language for business development conversations. Results are significant increase in average engagement size, driven by increased clarity and confidence. Before Fearless Branding I was in brand management for Kraft and other major food companies, and I was a “Mad Man” for big New York City advertising agencies. Connect with Robert Friedman: Website: https://www.fearlessbranding.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rfriedmanfearlessbranding/ Connect with Steve Fretzin:LinkedIn: Steve FretzinTwitter: @stevefretzinInstagram: @fretzinsteveFacebook: Fretzin, Inc.Website: Fretzin.comEmail: [email protected]: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!YouTube: Steve FretzinCall Steve directly at 847-602-6911 Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Andrew Michaels discuss:Matching your branding and headshot to your firm and business goals. Opening the doors to consultation with your headshot. What every lawyer should have in their arsenal of headshots. AI headshots. Key Takeaways:For internal purposes, you should have a friendly-looking headshot. That may not be what you want for your public headshot. Different variations on your headshot can be used for different purposes in your branding, marketing, and social media. A good impression will work for you. But more than that, everyone deserves to have a professional photo of themselves that they love. A headshot is meant to create a human connection. Using AI removes that humanity from the picture. "We talk a lot about judging a book by its cover. You're not supposed to do that, but as human beings, that’s the way that we're wired. It's just science, at this point, that a good impression will work for you." — Andrew Michaels Email Steve at [email protected] for a chance to audit one of his exclusive rainmaker round table groups in April! Thank you to our Sponsors!Lawmatics: https://www.lawmatics.com/bethatlawyer/Get Staffed Up: https://getstaffedup.com/bethatlawyer/Green Cardigan Marketing: https://greencardiganmarketing.com/ Episode References: Get your bonus offer for your Super Lawyer Session at https://www.statestreetheadshots.com/super-lawyerHuberman Lab Podcast - https://www.hubermanlab.com/podcast About Andrew Michaels: Andrew Michaels is a corporate headshot photographer who believes in selling without telling. With his award-winning imagery, Andrew helps attorneys tell viewers they are looking at a winning firm. Running his sessions with direct cues and some timely banter, he guides individuals through a range of expressions to match various content forms - from a warm smile to a game face that says "We fight for you". Having taken over 10,000 headshots, Andrew has developed a system that caters to all personalities, so even the most camera-shy individuals can finally lean into their greatest selling point, themselves. Connect with Andrew Michaels: Website: https://www.statestreetheadshots.com/Email: [email protected]: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewmichaelschi/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/state-street-headshots/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/andrewmichaelschi/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/statestreetheadshotsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/andrewmichaelschiInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/statestreetheadshots Connect with Steve Fretzin:LinkedIn: Steve FretzinTwitter: @stevefretzinInstagram: @fretzinsteveFacebook: Fretzin, Inc.Website: Fretzin.comEmail: [email protected]: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!YouTube: Steve FretzinCall Steve directly at 847-602-6911 Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Niraj Chhabra discuss:How law firm financial planning is different from the average person. Building a relationship on education first with your financial advisor. Avoiding outgrowing your income. Understanding your expenses now to know what you need for the future. Thinking about and planning for long-term care. Key Takeaways:Attorneys need more than just retirement planning, but it is often overlooked. Your savings should increase in proportion to your income and everything else. If you think creatively, there are ways to use time and money to your advantage for the future that isn’t taxed. Everyone considers monthly costs, but many do not consider seasonal budget items like traveling expenses or holiday budgets. "Whether you make $100K per year or $1M per year you have the same limits on how much you can put into your 401K and defer on your taxes. So we got to find creative ways to get that money to work outside of the bank account, we have to find creative ways to defer taxes and take advantage of vehicles that other folks may not be taking advantage of." — Niraj Chhabra Email Steve at [email protected] for a chance to audit one of his exclusive rainmaker round table groups in April! Thank you to our Sponsors!Lawmatics: https://www.lawmatics.com/bethatlawyer/Get Staffed Up: https://getstaffedup.com/bethatlawyer/Green Cardigan Marketing: https://greencardiganmarketing.com/ Episode References: The Power of Less: The fine Art of Limiting Yourself to the Essential…in Business and in Life by Leo Babauta: https://www.amazon.com/Power-Less-Limiting-Yourself-Essential/dp/1401309704 About Niraj Chhabra: Niraj Chhabra is the Managing Director of SideBar Advisors. Before launching the firm in 2022, he was an advisor with Ameriprise Financial since 2005, concentrating on clients in the legal profession. His central focus includes family finances, tax and estate strategies, retirement, and financial planning for small businesses. His goal is to help attorneys navigate their unique tax challenges and modify their financial plans as their careers evolve. He does this by offering attorneys holistic financial planning and complimentary educational workshops. Connect with Niraj Chhabra: Website: https://sidebaradvisors.com/Show: https://sidebaradvisors.com/podcasts/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nirajchhabra/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sidebaradvisors/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SideBarAdvisors/ Connect with Steve Fretzin:LinkedIn: Steve FretzinTwitter: @stevefretzinInstagram: @fretzinsteveFacebook: Fretzin, Inc.Website: Fretzin.comEmail: [email protected]: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!YouTube: Steve FretzinCall Steve directly at 847-602-6911 Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Sean Klunder discuss:Why law firms tend to run behind other types of businesses in marketing. Understanding your SEO strategy. Individual lawyer marketing versus law firm marketing. Alignment and consistency in messaging in all areas of your firm. Watch out for fool’s gold to ensure you’re swimming in the blue ocean. Key Takeaways:There is a difference between Marketing and marketing. Without a strategy, it is all just random acts of marketing.Sales patterns have changed over the last few years. People are taking themselves 60-70% through the sales cycle online digitally before ever contacting the law firm. Identify your unique differentiator. Use the three pillars to help identify that: what do you do, who do you help, and what makes you different.Be targeted to who you’re disseminating your message. Where are those targets digitally? Are you also there? "It is really important to have that strategic focus before jumping directly into the tactical execution." — Sean Klunder Email Steve at [email protected] for a chance to audit one of his exclusive rainmaker round table groups in April! Thank you to our Sponsors!Lawmatics: https://www.lawmatics.com/bethatlawyer/Get Staffed Up: https://getstaffedup.com/bethatlawyer/Green Cardigan Marketing: https://greencardiganmarketing.com/ Episode References: Blue Ocean Strategy by W. Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne: https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Ocean-Strategy-Uncontested-Competition/dp/1591396190 About Sean Klunder: Sean Klunder is a seasoned marketing transformation expert with a particular skill set in digital marketing. He combines his business strategy expertise with marketing transformation and execution to help law firms with explosive growth. Sean has worked with numerous law firms to develop business growth strategies, brand transformations, customized digital marketing strategies, implement the latest digital marketing initiatives, automate marketing using integrated technologies, and build reporting systems to illustrate ROI.Prior to his fractional CMO role, Sean was Senior Vice President of Marketing and Product Management at Korn Ferry International. He was also Vice President of Marketing and Digital Development at World Book (a Berkshire Hathaway company), and Divisional Vice President at ETA/Cuisenaire. For 9 years Sean was also an Adjunct Professor of Digital Marketing at the Lake Forest Graduate School of Management where he developed his own curriculum and trained MBA candidates on strategically growing businesses through modernized digital marketing. Because of Sean’s successes in helping law firms develop and implement customized marketing strategies, he developed a proven approach to help law firms strategically grow. Connect with Sean Klunder: Website: https://www.lawfirm-cmo.com/Email: [email protected]: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sklunder/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/law-firm-fractional-cmos/ Connect with Steve Fretzin:LinkedIn: Steve FretzinTwitter: @stevefretzinInstagram: @fretzinsteveFacebook: Fretzin, Inc.Website: Fretzin.comEmail: [email protected]: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!YouTube: Steve FretzinCall Steve directly at 847-602-6911 Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Pamela DeNeuve discuss:The importance of empathy, compassion, and a trusted listening ear. Why anxiety, stress, and depression often start in law school. What to do (and not to do) in the morning to have a better day.Overcoming the busyness and stress of being a lawyer. Key Takeaways:11%, that’s 11 out of 100, lawyers are struggling with suicidal ideation. Please know, there is help out there and you are not alone. The conversation and culture need to change in the legal industry. While resources do exist, in many firms, there has been a stigma to any lawyer taking advantage of mental health resources. You must set yourself up for the next day, and that begins before you leave the office. Select what is going to be done first the following morning then there’s no question about what is going to happen. Do an hour and a half worth of work before you touch the phone or your email and you will feel like you have momentum to your day. If you can start with meditation before that, it will give you a great foundation to start the day. "It starts the night before. You’ve got to prepare, to set yourself up for the next day. How you start your day will determine the rest of your day. You can't be sloppy or haphazard." — Pamela DeNeuve Email Steve at [email protected] for a chance to audit one of his exclusive rainmaker round table groups in April! Thank you to our Sponsors!Lawmatics: https://www.lawmatics.com/bethatlawyer/Get Staffed Up: https://getstaffedup.com/bethatlawyer/Green Cardigan Marketing: https://greencardiganmarketing.com/ Episode References: 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: https://988lifeline.org/Lawyer Well-Being Report: https://lawyerwellbeing.net/the-report/ About Pamela DeNeuve: Pamela specializes in helping lawyers to increase productivity and to scale their law practice while building their book of business. She began coaching lawyers in Los Angeles, California, in 1992. She advocates for attorneys to succeed without sacrificing their mental, emotional, and physical well-being. She created and delivered courses to Bar Associations throughout the USA. She has also spoken internationally to empower the legal profession. Pamela also produced an international podcast, Lawyer of the Week. Pamela has negotiated deals for AM100 law firms. She is a Peer Reviewer for the NATIONAL TASK FORCE ON LAWYER WELL-BEING, published by The American Bar Association in 2017. She is a contributor to Huff Post and Medium and has written over 200 articles regarding Lawyer Well-Being. Pamela’s new book published by Globe Law and Business, “Thriving in a Multi-Generational Law Firm: How to Increase Communication and Collaboration Among Lawyers” can be ordered online. #lawyercoach #lawyerwellbeing #stressrelief #productivity Connect with Pamela DeNeuve: Website: https://www.pameladeneuve.com/Email: [email protected]: https://www.pameladeneuve.com/bookLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pameladeneuve/Twitter: https://twitter.com/DeneuvePam40790Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pamela.deneuve/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pamelalawfirmstrategist/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pdeneuve/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/makinglawyersrich/ Connect with Steve Fretzin:LinkedIn: Steve FretzinTwitter: @stevefretzinInstagram: @fretzinsteveFacebook: Fretzin, Inc.Website: Fretzin.comEmail: [email protected]: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!YouTube: Steve FretzinCall Steve directly at 847-602-6911 Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Marco Brown discuss:Changing your mindset to overcome limitations placed on you by yourself or your family. Leveraging the knowledge of those who came before you. Learn and implement the sales skills you didn’t learn in law school. Leveraging your attorney referral sources. Key Takeaways:Learn how to sell. Even before you are making it rain, you can turn a potential client into a client through sales and closing. You are not better than sales. As a lawyer, you sell high-level concepts (arguments, negotiations, etc.) every single day. Be aggressive with the sale when you are the right person to help the potential client because you know you can help them solve their problem. Not all referral sources are created equal. Question and qualify potential referral sources to understand how you can help them and they can help you. "Really successful people curate the people around them. That’s perfectly acceptable! You want to be around the people who share your values and who benefit you the most and you can benefit them." — Marco Brown Email Steve at [email protected] for a chance to audit one of his exclusive rainmaker round table groups in April! Thank you to our Sponsors!Lawmatics: https://www.lawmatics.com/bethatlawyer/Get Staffed Up: https://getstaffedup.com/bethatlawyer/Green Cardigan Marketing: https://greencardiganmarketing.com/ Episode References: Alex Hormozi: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexhormoziLee Rosen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leewrosen/Grant Cardone: https://www.linkedin.com/in/grantcardone/The Jordan B Peterson Podcast: https://www.jordanbpeterson.com/podcast/Brett Trembly: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bretttrembly About Marco Brown: Marco grew up in a small village in Alaska called Cold Bay (population 85). He never did manage to graduate from high school, getting his GED before moving on to college, and eventually graduating with honors from law school.In 2010, Marco and his wife, Demaree, moved to Utah and Marco started Brown Family Law, with no clients and no network, on the floor of their condo. They were $160,000 in student loan debt at the time.Since then, Marco has been awarded Utah Family Law Attorney of the Year, as voted on by his peers in the Utah Bar Association. Brown Family Law has grown and helped over 4000 through divorce and family law situations in Utah, and its expanding beyond Utah to help people in other states.In his free time, Marco spends most of his time with his wife and three kids. He also loves to cook and travel, usually to Italy. For exercise, he does what he enjoys: walking and lifting heavy things and puts them down.#Utah#DivorceAttorney #BrownFamilyLaw Connect with Marco Brown: Website: https://www.brownfamilylaw.com/Email: [email protected]: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcocbrownTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@divorceattorney Connect with Steve Fretzin:LinkedIn: Steve FretzinTwitter: @stevefretzinInstagram: @fretzinsteveFacebook: Fretzin, Inc.Website: Fretzin.comEmail: [email protected]: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!YouTube: Steve FretzinCall Steve directly at 847-602-6911 Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Ashley Robinson discuss:Creating a life on purpose. Niching down your business to focus on who you want to work with. Where lawyers need help with putting their marketing money. Understanding what potential clients (and Google) are seeing when they look at your website. Working with your marketing company to know what’s happening now and what the future holds. Key Takeaways:Plan to be present in your relationships and in your business. Marketing isn’t bad, but a lot of nuance and strategy goes into understanding what you need for your firm specifically. You need to understand your goals before you start building your marketing plan. Does your client speak to your greatness? Or does it speak to your client’s pain points? "It's on me to bring you qualified leads, it's on you to be a good lawyer and to convert those leads into clients." — Ashley Robinson Email Steve at [email protected] for a chance to audit one of his exclusive rainmaker round table groups in April! Thank you to our Sponsors!Lawmatics: https://www.lawmatics.com/bethatlawyer/Get Staffed Up: https://getstaffedup.com/bethatlawyer/Green Cardigan Marketing: https://greencardiganmarketing.com/ Episode References: Buy Back Your Time by Dan Martell: https://www.amazon.com/Buy-Back-Your-Time-Unstuck/dp/059342297X About Ashley Robinson: Ashley Robinson is the founder of Green Cardigan Marketing; a boutique marketing agency who specifically targets the unique marketing needs of the legal industry. Connect with Ashley Robinson: Website: https://greencardiganmarketing.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleyrobinsongcm/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/green-cardigan-marketing/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GreenCardiganMarketingInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/green_cardigan_marketing/ Connect with Steve Fretzin:LinkedIn: Steve FretzinTwitter: @stevefretzinInstagram: @fretzinsteveFacebook: Fretzin, Inc.Website: Fretzin.comEmail: [email protected]: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!YouTube: Steve FretzinCall Steve directly at 847-602-6911 Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Scott Simmons discuss:Selling and following up without upsetting people.Getting out of the race to the bottom and reframing old ways of thinking.Dueling banjos of business development.The power of “how can I help?” and becoming more than just the lawyer. Key Takeaways:What you’re really competing against is lawyer apathy, not other lawyers.You care more when they are your clients than you do when they are handed to you. There is a huge amount of fun in winning the work.Just start with 30 minutes. If you keep repeating that is going to be huge compared to doing nothing.Be nosy. If it is something or someone that interests you, keep asking questions. People love to talk about themselves and their business.You cannot serve everybody. When you narrow it down, your messaging becomes clear. "AI is just going to keep getting better and better and better. And this idea that lawyers continue to be document drafters and researchers if we carry on down that road, that kind of apathy, that will be the end of the profession. Reframing who we are and how we do things, that's absolutely vital." — Scott Simmons Email Steve at [email protected] for a chance to audit one of his exclusive rainmaker round table groups in April! Thank you to our Sponsors!Lawmatics: https://www.lawmatics.com/bethatlawyer/Get Staffed Up: https://getstaffedup.com/bethatlawyer/Green Cardigan Marketing: https://greencardiganmarketing.com/ Episode References: Rob Hanna: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roberthannaEat Their Lunch by Anthony Iannarino: https://www.amazon.com/Eat-Their-Lunch-Customers-Competition/dp/0525537627 About Scott Simmons: Scott is a toolbox for turning lawyers into rainmakers. After a successful career in law where he faced similar situations to the lawyers of today, he discovered a love of coaching and training that has seen him coaching young lawyers on how to build their own careers, and more senior executives to become rainmakers. He offers bespoke training and coaching to legal professionals at all stages of their career and has developed The BD Breakthrough Blueprint™, a digital education course aimed at helping lawyers take their first steps towards becoming 21st-century trusted advisors. Scott is a husband and father and an avid movie lover, so do not be surprised when he includes a BD analogy relating to ‘Jaws’ or ‘When Harry Met Sally’ into any training or coaching session. To get your copy of The BD Breakthrough Blueprint™, head to legalbalanceinstitute.thinkific.com.. Connect with Scott Simmons: Website: https://legalbalance.co.uk/Book: https://legalbalanceinstitute.thinkific.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@legalbalance LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottsimmonsbdm/ Connect with Steve Fretzin:LinkedIn: Steve FretzinTwitter: @stevefretzinInstagram: @fretzinsteveFacebook: Fretzin, Inc.Website: Fretzin.comEmail: [email protected]: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!YouTube: Steve FretzinCall Steve directly at 847-602-6911 Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Martin Lopez discuss:The three tenets of curiosity. Being interested in the other person.Peeling the onion to understand the other person’s problem. Tips to foster deeper connections between lawyers and clients to improve relationships. Key Takeaways:You’re not building trust when you’re talking at someone. You need to connect with them to build rapport and trust. Nobody asks for a pitch unless they explicitly ask for it, then it’s answering a question.It is not about answering questions, it’s about asking questions. Once you start answering questions you’ve lost control of the meeting if the foundation is not yet built. Take yourself out of the picture so you can better understand and assist your clients with their problems. Tension, frustration, and anxiety arise when needs are not being met. "There's three tenets or three foundations of curiosity: trust, safety, and respect. The more trust they have in you, the more safe they feel, and the more respect that you have between each other, the more they're going to open up and start sharing." — Martin Lopez Find out more about the Bootstrap Your Marketing to Build Your Personal Brand Event at: https://fretzin.com/events Thank you to our Sponsors!Lawmatics: https://www.lawmatics.com/bethatlawyer/Get Staffed Up: https://getstaffedup.com/bethatlawyer/Green Cardigan Marketing: https://greencardiganmarketing.com/ Episode References: Heroic - https://www.heroic.us/Areté: Activate Your Heroic Potential by Brian Johnson - https://www.heroic.us/arete About Martin Lopez: Martin Lopez is a Speaker, Author, Trainer, and Master Coach in the personal development industry. His book The Curiosity Theory is a powerful methodology that radically changes the way we look at life, the way we look at ourselves, and the way we look at each other. Martin’s gift is strengthening professional and personal relationships by applying curiosity thus improving communication and collaboration at a fundamental level. The result… individuals, teams, and organizations work together more openly and efficiently. During his 35+ years in business, Martin has seen opportunities lost due to misaligned energy, conflict, and self-sabotaging communications. Almost every time, the issues were fixable: • Simple misunderstandings • Personal disagreements • Fear-driven distrust The Curiosity Theory is the culmination of his search for answers on how to transform the tension and destruction he found in conflict into connection, creativity, and results. Martin is a graduate of the University of Santa Monica’s Spiritual Psychology program and holds multiple certifications in Coaching, Communication, and Mental Performance.He lives at the beach in San Diego with his fiancé Ingrid and his two boys Jordan & Diego. In addition, he is a Real Estate Professional with over 35 Years of Experience, Former Founder and Vice-President of Equity National Funding, Former Record Producer & Jazz Musician (Piano & Saxophonist). He also leads men’s groups and teaches a course called “BREAKTHROUGH” dedicated to helping people powerfully communicate with clarity, love, and kindness. Connect with Martin Lopez: Website: https://www.thecuriositytheory.com/Cell Phone: 619-838-1553The Curiosity Theory Book: https://www.thecuriositytheory.com/thecuriositytheorybookLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrmartinlopez/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100025535526690Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecuriositytheory/ Connect with Steve Fretzin:LinkedIn: Steve FretzinTwitter: @stevefretzinInstagram: @fretzinsteveFacebook: Fretzin, Inc.Website: Fretzin.comEmail: [email protected]: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!YouTube: Steve FretzinCall Steve directly at 847-602-6911 Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Nermin Jasani discuss:Setting and implementing the plan to achieve your goals. Understanding what is realistic for a quarterly goal. Listing out the micro steps and adding them to your calendar for achievable goals. Monitoring your metrics that move the needle forward.Utilizing time and calendars to make your day work for you. Key Takeaways:Give yourself milestones along the way to keep you on track to achieving your goals. The goal with planning is to make sure you aren’t burning yourself out while still making forward progress. Leverage the tools and resources at your fingertips that you’re already using to help make your goals come to fruition. You won’t know where you are unless you track the data. The data gives you accountability and allows you to gamify your goals. "Give 100% of yourself to that one thing. Then when you achieve that, you’re going to feel the motivation, the fuel, the confidence to go to the next big project you want to tackle." — Nermin Jasani Find out more about the Bootstrap Your Marketing to Build Your Personal Brand Event at: https://fretzin.com/events Thank you to our Sponsors!Lawmatics: https://www.lawmatics.com/bethatlawyer/Get Staffed Up: https://getstaffedup.com/bethatlawyer/Green Cardigan Marketing: https://greencardiganmarketing.com/ Episode References: The 80/20 Principle: The Secret to Achieving More with Less by Richard Koch - https://www.amazon.com/80-20-Principle-Secret-Achieving/dp/0385491743 About Nermin Jasani: Nermin Jasani is a law firm advisor for solo and small law firms who want to grow their law firm by focusing on their profitability, their team, and their time spent doing those tedious (and sometimes hated) admin tasks. Nermin was a former law firm owner working with hedge funds on Wall Street and is now a full-time law firm growth consultant. Connect with Nermin Jasani: Website: https://ws-lawyers.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nerminjasani/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wildlysuccessfullawfirm/ Connect with Steve Fretzin:LinkedIn: Steve FretzinTwitter: @stevefretzinInstagram: @fretzinsteveFacebook: Fretzin, Inc.Website: Fretzin.comEmail: [email protected]: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!YouTube: Steve FretzinCall Steve directly at 847-602-6911 Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and John Scott discuss:Storytelling with the numbers that leads to a logical conclusion.Why spending time in the numbers is key.Dynamic forecasting and cash flow.Four categories of important financial metrics lawyers need to look at to grow their firm.Improving poor billing hygiene. Key Takeaways:If you pay attention to the numbers regularly, you can make necessary course adjustments along the way rather than scramble at the end of the year to make sure everything is fine.Your goals need to be realistic based on your capacity. Set up your goals, even challenge goals, but then you need to look at them and work through how they can be achieved.If you want more rainmakers, you have to train them to be better at what they do.Bring in a non-lawyer finance team to focus on your firm’s finances. Delegate those things that are not your superpower. Let them focus on the numbers and keep you appraised of where they are at now, not just what they used to be. "The biggest part of running your business’s dynamic forecasting is taking the data points that we have within the practice management system and within our accounting system to determine cashflow, 3-6-9-12 months out so that we know where we're going." — John Scott Find out more about the Bootstrap Your Marketing to Build Your Personal Brand Event at: https://fretzin.com/events Thank you to our Sponsors!Lawmatics: https://www.lawmatics.com/bethatlawyer/Get Staffed Up: https://getstaffedup.com/bethatlawyer/Green Cardigan Marketing: https://greencardiganmarketing.com/ Episode References: The E-Myth by Michael E. Gerber: https://www.amazon.com/Myth-Most-Businesses-Dont-About/dp/0887303625 About John Scott: John Scott is a Partner in Tax at Anders CPAs + Advisors. With over thirty years of experience, he brings a breadth of financial knowledge and a deep expertise in advising law firms. With a long track record of success that includes firms of all sizes and specialties, John helps maximize profits via cash flow management and KPIs, while minimizing taxes with his extensive understanding of the tax code. Leading the legal industry division of his firm’s Virtual CFO services, John offers strategic advising to mid-sized law firms, using a customizable, industry-leading tech stack that allows firms to make data-driven decisions. He advises on strategies around: staff utilization, cash flow planning, when to hire, creating clear career paths, trust accounting, accounting controls, and partner distributions. He is the author of a forthcoming book on creating a roadmap to success for law firms. Connect with John Scott: Website: https://home.virtualcfo.cpa/johnscott https://anderscpa.com/virtual-cfo-legal/Email: [email protected]: Judicial Dollars and Cents: https://home.virtualcfo.cpa/johnscottLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-c-scott-cpa/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vcfobyanders/ Connect with Steve Fretzin:LinkedIn: Steve FretzinTwitter: @stevefretzinInstagram: @fretzinsteveFacebook: Fretzin, Inc.Website: Fretzin.comEmail: [email protected]: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!YouTube: Steve FretzinCall Steve directly at 847-602-6911 Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Marc Halpert discuss:How Marc became the LinkedIn expert that he is today. Spending the time to show the world you’re amazinger. The recent and upcoming changes to LinkedIn. Working within the rules of the system you are bound to. Key Takeaways:LinkedIn is always changing, even as we speak. But there are ways to make LinkedIn work for you, even with the changes. Using only your bio on your firm’s website is not enough. Put your personality into your LinkedIn profile and branding. People won’t know how to connect with you if they can’t figure out who you are. People want to read narrative, they don’t want to read your laundry list of skills or dense paragraphs of text. Tell people why, not what.Write all of your profile in first person and present, active tense. People want to be able to relate to you as a peer. Share on LinkedIn when you have something important to say and always end your posts with a call to action. "If I'm looking to engage a lawyer, I want to find somebody who's going to reflect the personality I'm looking for. I don't want somebody who's bland, dull, and boring. And everybody who went through law school missed the opportunity to learn how to market themselves." — Marc Halpert Find out more about the Bootstrap Your Marketing to Build Your Personal Brand Event at: https://fretzin.com/events Thank you to our Sponsors!Lawmatics: https://www.lawmatics.com/bethatlawyer/Get Staffed Up: https://getstaffedup.com/bethatlawyer/Green Cardigan Marketing: https://greencardiganmarketing.com/ Episode References: The Startup of You by Reid Hoffman About Marc Halpert: Marc W. Halpert is a self-described “multi-preneur.” In 2010 he started his third concurrent company, connect2collaborate, to spread his LinkedIn and networking evangelism to train and coach others and offer professionals the opportunity to better explain their perceived mission and positioning on their LinkedIn profile pages: why they do what they do, not what. As a personal LinkedIn coach, he advises and mentors professionals in all walks of life to renovate their LinkedIn personal and company profiles. He advises job seekers of all generations to differentiate themselves and extend their transferrable skills. Marc is also recognized as a high-energy LinkedIn speaker at conferences and as an instructor to sales/marketing, HR/training departments at large and small professional service firms and companies including HUB International and GE Capital. He has taught at bar associations, professional practitioner groups, and law schools on these topics. His book LinkedIn Marketing Strategies for Law and Professional Practices(2021 second edition, American Bar Association), helps all types of professionals learn to better market themselves using the tools in LinkedIn and be “amazing-er” than the competition. His book You, Us, Them: LinkedIn Marketing Concepts for Nonprofit Professionals Who Really Want to Make a Difference, (2018, self-published) is the only book of its kind aimed at the nonprofit/NGO/association/foundation/membership organization industries and its employees to prosper in such a fast-changing industry. Marc is a frequent podcast guest, author of articles, LinkedIn advisor to networking groups, and blogger every business day with a LinkedIn Nugget. Connect with Marc Halpert: Website: https://connect2collaborate.com/Email: [email protected]: 203-218-8288LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/marchalpert Connect with Steve Fretzin:LinkedIn: Steve FretzinTwitter: @stevefretzinInstagram: @fretzinsteveFacebook: Fretzin, Inc.Website: Fretzin.comEmail: [email protected]: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!YouTube: Steve FretzinCall Steve directly at 847-602-6911 Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Larry Smith discuss:Why lawyers are challenged to deal with stressors in an empathetic way.Listening and diagnosing the problem before trying to solve the client’s problem. Building trust and relationships with clients. How to handle a client on the ledge and setting expectations. Key Takeaways:Be kind, you never know what other people are going through. Don’t just let clients walk out the door. Set up another appointment and get the last word. Set up the next step and make it easy. Make certain promises that you know you can fulfill. Don’t promise things that are uncertain or outright false. It will destroy trust within the relationship. You have to get your mind right before you can empathetically communicate with a client or team member. Everyone has bad conversations and bad days, but you need to get your mind right. "What I like to do is make certain promises that I absolutely know I can fulfill. You’ve got to know what you’re going to be able to do for sure, don’t shoot over." — Larry Smith Find out more about the Bootstrap Your Marketing to Build Your Personal Brand Event at: https://fretzin.com/events Thank you to our Sponsors!Lawmatics: https://www.lawmatics.com/bethatlawyer/Get Staffed Up: https://getstaffedup.com/bethatlawyer/Green Cardigan Marketing: https://greencardiganmarketing.com/ Episode References: This American Life Podcast: https://www.thisamericanlife.org/ About Larry Smith: Larry Smith has been practicing law for 30 years, spending the last 25 focused on consumer rights, and primarily in consumer financial issues. SmithMarco, P.C. represents consumers who have been victims of cybercrimes and identity theft. With offices in the Chicago area and in Sarasota, Florida, Larry Smith has represented consumers all throughout the country on both the trial and appellate level and in both state and federal courts. Mr. Smith has provided lectures to members of the National Association of Consumer Advocates and the National Consumer Law Center on issues pertaining to fraudulent electronic transactions and consumer credit reporting issues. Connect with Larry Smith: Website: https://www.protectingconsumerrights.com/Website: https://smithmarco.com/Phone: 888-822-1777LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/larrypsmithlaw/ Connect with Steve Fretzin:LinkedIn: Steve FretzinTwitter: @stevefretzinInstagram: @fretzinsteveFacebook: Fretzin, Inc.Website: Fretzin.comEmail: [email protected]: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!YouTube: Steve FretzinCall Steve directly at 847-602-6911 Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Doug Bradley discuss:Understanding the numbers around marketing. Bootstrap marketing on a limited budget. Laying the groundwork for solid website optimization. Setting expectations and calls to action. Key Takeaways:Having your own book of business gives you power and freedom. Be willing to try and test out options. There is data out there for search terms but you need to know what you’re trying to accomplish. What might not be the right marketing fit for you right now, could be good later down the line. Don’t discount something permanently just because it’s not right now. When working with a marketing professional, make sure they have experience working with others in the area of practice that you are in. "I would not dismiss completely the option of creating a very basic website and linking to it from your social media channels and your directory profiles. That really gets your website up and running and visible to Google and you really want that." — Doug Bradley Find out more about the Bootstrap Your Marketing to Build Your Personal Brand Event at: https://fretzin.com/events Thank you to our Sponsors!Lawmatics: https://www.lawmatics.com/bethatlawyer/Get Staffed Up: https://getstaffedup.com/bethatlawyer/Green Cardigan Marketing: https://greencardiganmarketing.com/ Episode References: Justia: https://lawyers.justia.com/new-profileSteve Jobs by Walter Isaacson: https://www.amazon.com/Steve-Jobs-Walter-Isaacson/dp/1451648537 About Doug Bradley: Doug Bradley is the owner of Everest Legal Marketing and a highly experienced SEO professional. He's different than many agency owners because he actually understands technical Search Engine Optimization and diagnoses website visibility issues for law firms. Connect with Doug Bradley: Website: https://www.everestlegalmarketing.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/douglas-j-bradley/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/everest-legal-marketing/Twitter: https://twitter.com/EverestLawMktgFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/everestlegalmarketing Connect with Steve Fretzin:LinkedIn: Steve FretzinTwitter: @stevefretzinInstagram: @fretzinsteveFacebook: Fretzin, Inc.Website: Fretzin.comEmail: [email protected]: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!YouTube: Steve FretzinCall Steve directly at 847-602-6911 Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Paul Angelle discuss:Working through the lens of ownership. The biggest opportunity for growth…and the biggest obstacle for growth. Advice to law firm owners to create their business plans. Repetitive problems law firms have with executing their business plan. Key Takeaways:Your goal must be consistent with your why. Share your business goals with your team you will have more consistency with an accountability partner. Spreading the ownership of the business plan will improve your company culture. Make sure the people in your law firm are in the right spot - it may mean moving people around or changing tasks to fit strengths and zones of genius. "Businesses that grow, especially businesses that grow fast and in big numbers, have a plan. They never don’t have a plan." —Paul Angelle Find out more about the Mastering the Legal Clock and Thriving Event at: https://fretzin.com/events Thank you to our Sponsors!Lawmatics: https://www.lawmatics.com/bethatlawyer/Get Staffed Up: https://getstaffedup.com/bethatlawyer/Green Cardigan Marketing: https://greencardiganmarketing.com/ Episode References: The Greatest Salesman in the World by Og Mandino About Paul Angelle: Paul Angelle never really had a choice; he was born into entrepreneurship. Working full-time in his father’s Cajun restaurant in south Louisiana from an early age, he learned the value of work through the lens of ownership. He never thought of himself as an employee as he proudly worked in the family business through college. That mindset would never change. After graduating from the University of Louisiana with multiple degrees, he applied that same passion to sales. He was a natural salesman, a gifted networker, and very successful across multiple industries for over 20 years. In addition to starting his own successful media company, he earned a law degree from Loyola University in New Orleans which landed him a role as the first COO of a statewide, rapidly growing estate planning law firm. In that role, he managed a team of 20, and was instrumental in tripling revenue, increasing services, growing margins, and raising salaries during his 5+ years there.During the lockdown in early 2020, Paul wrote a personal growth book. He had it published in 2021 and experienced the process of a launch that landed him numerous interviews, multiple book signings, and more coaching and consulting requests than he could have ever predicted. He realized that his lifetime goal of helping as many people as possible was finally in reach. After more than 5 years of success growing a law firm, nearly 2 decades of achievement in regional and territory sales, and a record of entrepreneurial accomplishment in publishing, Paul seized the opportunity to use his varied experiences to help others. His track record of success, his infectious enthusiasm, his specific skillset, and his varied experiences made him a perfect fit for HTM.A former “undefeated” little league coach for his sons’ baseball teams, Paul enjoys cooking, fishing and writing. He’s a huge fan of his alma mater and enjoys watching and supporting the Ragin’ Cajuns whenever he can. He’s a father of four who lives on a small farm in tiny Sunset, LA with his beautiful wife Dawn and their horses, goats, chickens, dogs, and cats. Connect with Paul Angelle: Website: https://lawfamilia.net/Website: https://paulangelle.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulangelle/ Connect with Steve Fretzin:LinkedIn: Steve FretzinTwitter: @stevefretzinInstagram: @fretzinsteveFacebook: Fretzin, Inc.Website: Fretzin.comEmail: [email protected]: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!YouTube: Steve FretzinCall Steve directly at 847-602-6911 Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Justie Nicol discuss:Leading and selling without fear. Building your law firm to support you and your life. Systematizing your training processes and procedures. Running a virtual firm to invest in people over premises. Key Takeaways:There are no bad people, only bad decisions. As a lawyer, your job is to make sure that that bad decision doesn’t wreck the person’s life. Be the best you can be with the years you have with the amazing people you have. Sometimes things change and people move on and that’s okay. Self-care is extremely important for both you, as the leader, and for your team. Finding a way to be flexible and support your team in what they find most important can be culture-defining and still lead to a successful law firm. Check-ins don’t have to be scheduled and formalized. You can have informal meetings to make sure everyone is doing good and all on the same page. "Respect them for who they are and ask them, ‘Am I meeting your needs? Are you feeling like you can contribute in ways that are meaningful to you?’" — Justie Nicol Find out more about the Mastering the Legal Clock and Thriving Event at: https://fretzin.com/events Thank you to our Sponsors!Lawmatics: https://www.lawmatics.com/bethatlawyer/Get Staffed Up: https://getstaffedup.com/bethatlawyer/Green Cardigan Marketing: https://greencardiganmarketing.com/ Episode References: Podcast - The ONE Thing: https://the1thing.com/podcast/ About Justie Nicol: Justie Nicol is a feisty, red-headed, nerdy, dog & toddler mom, with a variety of legal experience who’s actually a PERSON (human first, then attorney) and who wants to GENUINELY HELP her clients. Justie practices primarily criminal defense work but is also well-known for innovation, systems-design, and using legal tech to achieve great results for the firm and her clients. Justie is often teaching other lawyers about tech stacks, guest-lecturing at local universities about animal law, teaching animal control officers how to testify and investigate, or giving webinars on law firm automation. She is the Colorado Lawyer Team visionary. Justie owns two companies in Colorado and is a licensed real estate broker. Justie is a small-town girl and rural lawyer at heart and often travels to clients throughout the majority of the state of Colorado. Access to Justice is something she’s passionate about, so she keeps her costs down and is on many modest means lists for low-pay slow-pay representation. She enjoys long walks in the mountains (they’re called hikes in Colorado) and she’s horse-crazy. She’s active on social media (@Justie4Justice) where you can see regular appearances by #OfficeDogs and #OfficeHorse. She welcomes questions at any time via email to [email protected]. Connect with Justie Nicol: Website: https://colawteam.com/Email: [email protected]: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justieforjustice/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/COLawTeamInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/justie4justice Connect with Steve Fretzin:LinkedIn: Steve FretzinTwitter: @stevefretzinInstagram: @fretzinsteveFacebook: Fretzin, Inc.Website: Fretzin.comEmail: [email protected]: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!YouTube: Steve FretzinCall Steve directly at 847-602-6911 Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Tim Lupinacci discuss:Time management and prioritization. Testing out leadership in smaller groups first. Learning from others to strengthen your leadership skills. Utilizing daily disciplines to support your leadership and your team. Key Takeaways:Get together and pour into people and allow them to pour into you. You’ll build relationships and strengthen all team members. Seeing people in action will allow you to get to know them and see their strengths and personalities. Building your team, and trusting them, will allow you to transition out of the day-to-day work as you release responsibility to them and start focusing more on your zone of genius and your leadership. Don’t neglect your self-care. Checking in with yourself (either alone or with a professional) is vital for leading successfully. "My experience has been when you build that trust, then the pie gets bigger because now you've got multiple people who can have those relationships because we've got that finite amount of time." — Tim Lupinacci Find out more about the Mastering the Legal Clock and Thriving Event at: https://fretzin.com/events Thank you to our Sponsors!Lawmatics: https://www.lawmatics.com/bethatlawyer/Get Staffed Up: https://getstaffedup.com/bethatlawyer/Green Cardigan Marketing: https://greencardiganmarketing.com/ Episode References: Four Disciplines of Execution by Chris McChesney, Sean Covey, and Jim Huling: https://www.amazon.com/Disciplines-Execution-Achieving-Wildly-Important/dp/145162705XMeredith Bell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meredithmbell About Tim Lupinacci: Tim Lupinacci spent the first 28 years of his legal practice focused on helping financial institutions solve complex problems arising in commercial restructuring and bankruptcy matters throughout the country. During his leadership journey at Baker Donelson, Tim chaired the Financial Services Department, the Women’s Pathways to Leadership Committee, and served as a member of the Firm’s Diversity & Inclusion Committee. He was awarded with the Firm’s highest award for both advancement and support of women and advancement and support of minorities. Four years ago, he was selected as CEO and Chair of Baker Donelson, which is one of the 100 largest law firms in the country. In these positions, he has led the Firm through significant organizational change, growth, and the global pandemic. He continues leading Baker Donelson through its five-year BakerVision 2028 strategy, and the execution of its Diversity & Inclusion Compact. Connect with Tim Lupinacci: Website: https://www.bakerdonelson.com/Website: https://www.bakerdonelson.com/Timothy-LupinacciWebsite: https://everybodyleads.org/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/addison-diana/ Connect with Steve Fretzin:LinkedIn: Steve FretzinTwitter: @stevefretzinInstagram: @fretzinsteveFacebook: Fretzin, Inc.Website: Fretzin.comEmail: [email protected]: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!YouTube: Steve FretzinCall Steve directly at 847-602-6911 Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Julie Yusim discuss:Adding a little positive self-talk to your routine. Getting value for your networking time. Going deep and playing the networking long game. Evaluating your wide network to see where you should go deeper. Best tips and tactics for effective networking. Key Takeaways:Networking is about giving, more than anything, especially at the beginning, even if you don’t see how it is going to come back to you. Have a couple of things that you can give in your back pocket, even if you are new to networking. Most networking relationships evolve and mature over time. Get to know those in your smaller circle best, but don’t ignore others in your network. Following up is where the networking really starts. Make notes about the person and conversation you had, then make sure you follow up specifically, not in a blast email selling your services. "The good news is networking works. The less-than-good news is networking is work. It’s not a horrible amount of work, it’s not taxing, it’s not expensive, but there is a process that if you want to be successful at it, you need to follow." — Julie Yusim Find out more about the Mastering the Legal Clock and Thriving Event at: https://fretzin.com/events Thank you to our Sponsors!Lawmatics: https://www.lawmatics.com/bethatlawyer/Get Staffed Up: https://getstaffedup.com/bethatlawyer/Green Cardigan Marketing: https://greencardiganmarketing.com/ Episode References: ProVisors: https://provisors.com/Boomerang for Outlook: https://www.boomerangoutlook.com/Book: Endless Referrals by Bob Burg - https://www.amazon.com/Endless-Referrals-Third-Bob-Burg/dp/0071462074 About Julie Yusim: Julie Yusim has spent the majority of her career coaching small business owners. She served as Executive Director of a Chicago-area Chamber of Commerce for 17 years, where she taught business owners to how maximize their marketing and networking efforts. As the Director of Marketing for a family-owned chain of auto repair shops, Julie built the company’s brand awareness through extensive networking and marketing. Before consulting full-time, Julie studied and mastered the marketing and compliance systems of a leading U.S. insurance company in order to build the personal brands for successful agent/owners. Julie is an enthusiast of grass-roots marketing techniques and is well-known in Chicago-area business circles as an expert “connector” of people and resources. Julie sits on the Board of Directors for Hunger Resource Network and is an Ambassador for the Northbrook Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Connect with Julie Yusim: Website: https://www.ideamaxmktg.com/Email: [email protected]: 847-975-5257LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-yusim-4aa23713a/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/julie.yusim/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61552727541602Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/networkinggoddess Connect with Steve Fretzin:LinkedIn: Steve FretzinTwitter: @stevefretzinInstagram: @fretzinsteveFacebook: Fretzin, Inc.Website: Fretzin.comEmail: [email protected]: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!YouTube: Steve FretzinCall Steve directly at 847-602-6911 Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Lisa Katz discuss:Starting to build your book of business from early in your career. Providing value to your clients with a network of other service providers. Things you need to know when working with counsel. The playbook for building a book of business. Having the hard conversations to experience the growth. Key Takeaways:Everything is consecutive and cumulative, the more you meet with someone and have great, but shorter conversations, the more impact it will have than one multiple-hour conversation. It’s not about the client, it is about the person behind the relationship you are building. The longer you network and connect, the more you learn and grow and keep the connections that fit you and you fit them. Everybody wins when you’re able to connect and solve each other’s problems or connect them with the person who can. Your internal network at a law firm is just as important as your external connections. "Revisiting conversations with the same people at multiple conversations makes sense because factors change. Take time to do that, even committing to a couple hours a week or 20 minutes a day." — Lisa Katz Find out more about the Mastering the Legal Clock and Thriving Event at: https://fretzin.com/events Thank you to our Sponsors!Lawmatics: https://www.lawmatics.com/bethatlawyer/Get Staffed Up: https://getstaffedup.com/bethatlawyer/Green Cardigan Marketing: https://greencardiganmarketing.com/ Episode References: Book: Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg - https://www.amazon.com/Lean-Women-Work-Will-Lead/dp/0385349947 About Lisa Katz: Lisa Katz is half a healthcare lawyer, half a finance lawyer, and all broker all the time. She prides herself in being a strategic partner with her clients by acting as an outside general counsel to her healthcare provider clients and by representing numerous banks and private lenders on their healthcare finance transactions. Connect with Lisa Katz: Website: https://www.polsinelli.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-katz-17bb1321/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/polsinelli/ Connect with Steve Fretzin:LinkedIn: Steve FretzinTwitter: @stevefretzinInstagram: @fretzinsteveFacebook: Fretzin, Inc.Website: Fretzin.comEmail: [email protected]: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!YouTube: Steve FretzinCall Steve directly at 847-602-6911 Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Andy Hite discuss:Practicing the change you want to see now. How leadership done right can change the world. Emotional intelligence and its role in leading a team and developing a strong culture. Building a strong culture.Uncovering the stories we tell ourselves, and challenging those stories. Key Takeaways:Do it now. You don’t need to wait to see the changes that you want to see in the world. Try now and make changes every day to be closer to what and who you want to be. Emotional intelligence is the true distinguisher between management and leadership. Leaders do need to manage, but managers don’t need to lead. Cultivating both skills creates impactful organizations. Releasing control will allow you to practice things that will allow you to be an effective leader. You only have so much capacity. Your values need to be more important than revenue. "A business is a macrocosm of individuals living out values. If someone really wants a strong culture, they have to define ‘Who do we want to be as an organization? What values do we want to espouse?’ Then filter every decision, action, and way of being in the world through those values." — Andy Hite Find out more about the Mastering the Legal Clock and Thriving Event at: https://fretzin.com/events Thank you to our Sponsors!Lawmatics: https://www.lawmatics.com/bethatlawyer/Get Staffed Up: https://getstaffedup.com/bethatlawyer/Green Cardigan Marketing: https://greencardiganmarketing.com/ Episode References: Podcast: The Diary of a CEO with Steven Bartlett - https://stevenbartlett.com/the-diary-of-a-ceo-podcast/ProVisors - https://provisors.com/ About Andy Hite: Andy Hite is a recognized executive coach who supports entrepreneurs, executives, and their teams as they navigate the world of building businesses and lives filled with prosperity, meaning, & freedom. Connect with Andy Hite: Website: http://www.scalingminds.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andy-hite/ Connect with Steve Fretzin:LinkedIn: Steve FretzinTwitter: @stevefretzinInstagram: @fretzinsteveFacebook: Fretzin, Inc.Website: Fretzin.comEmail: [email protected]: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!YouTube: Steve FretzinCall Steve directly at 847-602-6911 Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-SturkieAudio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Pratik Shah discuss:Committing to the process, not just the result, of business development. Tips to develop positive business development habits.Looking out for everyone in your business network. Going deep and wide in the right areas of your network. Key Takeaways:You should have a plan going into your networking event. There is more to it than just showing up and being in the room. Have a committed schedule for progressing your business development routine forward. You can then plan around it if it is on your schedule. Don’t be a professional taker - by helping others you will get so much more out of it. With the way legal tech is developing, you will, eventually, not have a choice to switch or start using it. Don’t be afraid to jump in and start learning to help your clients and your employees. Bring your team in to identify pain points and have someone review the tech options that could help to solve those problems. "Put in inquiries. The more options you see out there, the more you will see what fits with your firm. Every firm is so different, it is impossible to say which tech your firm should have." — Pratik Shah Find out more about the Mastering the Legal Clock and Thriving Event at: https://fretzin.com/events Thank you to our Sponsors!Lawmatics: https://www.lawmatics.com/bethatlawyer/Get Staffed Up: https://getstaffedup.com/bethatlawyer/Green Cardigan Marketing: https://greencardiganmarketing.com/ Episode References: The Lawyerist: https://lawyerist.com/Bob Ambrogi’s Blog: https://www.lawnext.com/Podcast: The Game with Alex Hormozi About Pratik Shah: Pratik serves as the CEO and co-founder of EsquireTek a leading technology platform used by litigation attorneys to help automate written discovery he is also the Associate Director of Litigation at Panish Shea Boyle Ravipudi where he focuses on business development for the firm as well as trial and litigation strategy. Connect with Pratik Shah: Website: http://www.psbr.law/Website: http://www.esquiretek.com/Email: [email protected] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pratik-shah-8916198/Instagram: https://instagram.com/esquiretekInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecloseresq Connect with Steve Fretzin:LinkedIn: Steve FretzinTwitter: @stevefretzinInstagram: @fretzinsteveFacebook: Fretzin, Inc.Website: Fretzin.comEmail: [email protected]: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!YouTube: Steve FretzinCall Steve directly at 847-602-6911 Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Mary Adkins discuss:Why you should consider writing a book today. Building trust as an author. Moving past the things keeping you from following your dream of writing a book. Tips to break down a big project into manageable bites. Key Takeaways:For many people, books are a medium that they enjoy and help them learn and retain information more than a video or audio might do. Books can replace your business card - one will do more for you than the other. Book writing is often less time and less work than people assume it will be. There are increasingly more reasons to self-publish, but there are pros and cons with both traditional publishing and self-publishing. For the first time in 2023, self-publish books are making more than traditionally published books. "A major skill set lawyers have that not a lot of people have is 1) getting their head around massive amounts of information and organizing it - which is very helpful when you’re working with a book, and 2) understanding the idea of having an outline or a skeleton that you’re going to flesh out." — Mary Adkins Find out more about the Mastering the Legal Clock and Thriving Event at: https://fretzin.com/events Thank you to our Sponsors!Lawmatics: https://www.lawmatics.com/bethatlawyer/Get Staffed Up: https://getstaffedup.com/bethatlawyer/Green Cardigan Marketing: https://greencardiganmarketing.com/ Episode References: The One Thing by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan About Mary Adkins: Mary Adkins is a writing coach and founder of The Book Incubator, a 12-month program to write, revise, and pitch your novel or memoir. She is author of the novels When You Read This (Indie Next Pick, “Best Book of 2019” by Good Housekeeping and Real Simple), Privilege (Today.com “Best Summer Read,” New York Post “Best Book of the Week”), and Palm Beach (recently named one of the New York Post’s “Best Books of 2021”). Her books have been published in 13 countries, and her essays and reporting have appeared in the New York Times, The Atlantic, Slate, and more. A graduate of Yale Law School and Duke University, she helps aspiring authors finish their books with joy and clarity. You can apply for The Book Incubator by going to apply.maryadkinswriter.com. Connect with Mary Adkins: Website: https://maryadkinswriter.com/Website: https://thebookincubator.com/Show: https://maryadkinswriter.com/podcastLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-adkins/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adkinsmary/ Connect with Steve Fretzin:LinkedIn: Steve FretzinTwitter: @stevefretzinInstagram: @fretzinsteveFacebook: Fretzin, Inc.Website: Fretzin.comEmail: [email protected]: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!YouTube: Steve FretzinCall Steve directly at 847-602-6911 Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.