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Andy Schwartz CEO, OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners  |  Kevin Spahn Founder, Spahn Financial (now OnePoint BFG) Two former Northwestern Mutual advisors, two very different paths. Andy Schwartz and Kevin Spahn share what it takes to build, grow, merge, and create lasting enterprise value. In Summary What separates a successful advisory practice from an enterprise with the ability to grow well beyond its founders? Andy Schwartz and Kevin Spahn offer two different perspectives on that question. Both spent decades at Northwestern Mutual, but their paths eventually diverged. Andy left to help build what is now OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners, an $18B+ firm expected to surpass $20B by year-end. Kevin built one of Northwestern Mutual's top practices before deciding to merge his business into OnePoint and become an equity partner. Louis talks with Andy and Kevin about the decisions behind both journeys: creating a true firm rather than an aggregation of practices, transitioning advisors from 1099 to W-2, using outside capital without relinquishing control, rethinking succession, and determining when equity in a larger enterprise can offer greater opportunity than continuing to build alone. Underlying it all is a factor that's much harder to quantify: trust. The Storyline Andy Schwartz and Kevin Spahn have known each other for roughly 30 years. They met while both were building careers at Northwestern Mutual, where Andy became an important mentor to Kevin as Kevin transitioned from practicing law and estate planning into wealth management. After roughly 30 years at Northwestern Mutual, Andy and his partners left in 2015 with approximately $3B in assets to launch independently. What began as Bleakley Financial eventually became OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners, an $18B+ enterprise that Andy expects will surpass $20B by the end of 2026. That kind of growth required more than attracting assets. Andy describes the evolution from a predominantly 1099 structure into a firm where more than 85% of advisors and AUM are now W-2. The shift created a more cohesive enterprise, gave advisors access to equity, and ultimately positioned OnePoint to bring in minority capital from Joe Duran's Rise Growth Partners. Andy makes an important distinction about that relationship: OnePoint is “private equity invested,” not “private equity owned.” The structure gave the firm capital and expertise while allowing its partners to retain control. Kevin faced a different decision. After more than 30 years at Northwestern Mutual, his practice had grown to 18 people and approximately $2B in assets. He was happy at the firm, but his clients had evolved, his business had become increasingly complex, and the internal succession plan he once envisioned carried risks he could no longer ignore. He could have built an independent firm himself. Instead, he chose to merge with OnePoint. The decision wasn't driven by the largest possible check. Kevin saw the opportunity to become an equity partner in a larger enterprise, give his team and clients a more durable future, and leverage infrastructure he didn't want to recreate himself. For both men, the story ultimately comes back to the same principle: The right economics matter, but sustainable partnerships require trust, shared philosophy, and the belief that everyone involved can create more value together than separately. Topics Covered Building an enterprise versus building a practice Northwestern Mutual and the path to independence OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners' growth from ~$3B to $18B+ Organic growth versus M&A Creating a growth-oriented advisor culture Moving from a 1099 model to a predominantly W-2 structure Equity ownership and advisor alignment Minority private equity investment Rise Growth Partners and Joe Duran Internal succession versus an external merger Selling versus merging an advisory business Merging versus teaming versus going it alone Evaluating equity versus cash in a transaction The economics of leaving a captive firm Centralization versus advisor autonomy Trust as a factor in partnerships and transactions > Download a transcript of this episode… Listen and Learn Highlights for Advisors How did Andy and Kevin's 30-year relationship ultimately lead to a transaction? (04:11)Kevin explains how Andy helped him transition from attorney and estate planner into wealth management, beginning a professional relationship that would eventually make their partnership possible decades later. Why did Andy leave Northwestern Mutual after roughly 30 years? (08:45)Andy describes wanting greater flexibility, a multi-custodial platform, and more optionality for clients and the business—a decision that ultimately led to the creation of OnePoint BFG. Why did Kevin decide his longtime Northwestern Mutual practice needed something different? (15:49)Kevin explains how his clients, service needs, and business evolved over time, while concerns about his original internal succession plan led him to consider a different path. What has driven OnePoint's growth from approximately $3B to $18B+? (21:41)Andy outlines the firm's emphasis on client experience, advisor experience, organic growth, and carefully selected inorganic growth—and why helping advisors grow is fundamental to the model. Why does Andy say OnePoint is a firm rather than an aggregator? (23:54)The distinction comes down to alignment, shared responsibility, centralized resources, equity, and a partnership structure in which advisors are accountable to one another. How did OnePoint convert a predominantly 1099 advisor base into a W-2 enterprise? (29:26)Andy explains why capital and equity became necessary to build the next stage of the business and why trust was essential to bringing advisors into a more integrated structure. Why did OnePoint choose minority private equity investment? (33:13)Andy shares why Rise Growth Partners offered something previous potential buyers had not: a structure designed to benefit the broader advisor partnership while preserving control. Why did Kevin merge with OnePoint rather than shop his practice broadly? (36:43)For Kevin, maximizing price wasn't the objective. His decision centered on trust in Andy, confidence in OnePoint's infrastructure, and creating a strong future for clients and employees. Why did Kevin choose equity in the larger firm instead of simply cashing out? (40:57)Kevin explains why he believes participating in the future growth of a larger enterprise offers a compelling alternative to relying solely on the future growth of his own practice. How should advisors evaluate the “golden handcuffs” that can make leaving difficult? (46:42)Andy argues that the analysis needs to compare what an advisor gives up with the potential growth, economics, equity, and leverage available on the other side. How much conformity does a true enterprise require? (49:06)Andy explains why OnePoint sits somewhere between complete advisor autonomy and complete centralization, seeking enough consistency to create enterprise value without eliminating entrepreneurial flexibility. What would Andy and Kevin tell their younger selves? (52:06)Kevin emphasizes surrounding yourself with the best people possible, while Andy reflects on having the courage to make a difficult change after a successful 30-year run. Key Takeaways Building enterprise value requires more than asset growth. OnePoint's evolution included changing its ownership structure, integrating advisor practices, creating equity opportunities, and investing in centralized capabilities. Organic growth remains central even in an M&A-driven market. OnePoint targets approximately 10% organic growth and evaluates prospective partners partly on whether they are growth-oriented and whether the firm can meaningfully help them grow. A collection of successful advisors does not automatically make a firm. Andy sees shared ownership, alignment, accountability, infrastructure, and centralized services as critical distinctions between an enterprise and an aggregator. Outside capital does not have to mean giving up control. OnePoint chose a minority investment from Rise Growth Partners that provided capital and strategic support while leaving control with its operating partners. Succession can expose risks that growth may obscure. Kevin began reconsidering his internal succession strategy when he recognized its dependence on his continued production, key employees, and the future economics of an aging client base. The highest purchase price isn't always the most valuable transaction. Kevin prioritized equity participation, infrastructure, continuity for his employees and clients, and confidence in his future partners over broadly shopping his business for the highest bid. Trust can determine whether structural change is possible. From OnePoint's 1099-to-W-2 conversion to Kevin's decision to merge, both guests repeatedly point to established trust as the foundation that allowed significant business decisions to happen. https://youtu.be/jkIoynpZj6Y Quotable Moments “The biggest mistake advisors make is they buy their own bullshit.”— Andy Schwartz “We're not an aggregator, we're a firm.”— Andy Schwartz “The biggest issue is trust. Either they trust you or they don't.”— Andy Schwartz “I wasn't looking to sell my business. I was looking to merge it.”— Kevin Spahn “You have to trust them. You have to see that they provide value. And you need to be on the same page philosophically.”— Kevin Spahn “Associate yourselves with the best people you can… It accelerates your trajectory in ways that you can't do on your own.”— Kevin Spahn FAQs Why did Andy Schwartz leave Northwestern Mutual? After approximately 30 years at Northwestern Mutual, Andy and his partners wanted greater flexibility, the ability to operate on a multi-custodial basis, and more optionality for clients and the business. They left in 2015 with approximately $3B in assets and launched the independent firm that ultimately became OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners. How large is OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners? At the time of the interview, Andy says OnePoint manages more than $18B and expects to exceed $20B by the end of 2026, even without additional organic growth. What has driven OnePoint's growth? Andy points to three priorities: client experience, advisor experience, and growth. The firm targets approximately 10% organic growth while also expanding through acquisitions and partnerships with advisors it believes fit the OnePoint model. Why did OnePoint move advisors from 1099 to W-2? The firm wanted to evolve from a platform supporting individual practices into a more integrated enterprise. That required creating firm-level economics and equity that could be used to attract, retain, and align advisors. Today, Andy says more than 85% of OnePoint's advisors and AUM are W-2. What does “private equity invested, not private equity owned” mean? Rise Growth Partners holds a minority, non-controlling interest in OnePoint. The investment provides capital, expertise, and strategic support while the operating partners retain majority ownership and control of the business. Why did Kevin Spahn leave Northwestern Mutual? Kevin says he remained happy at Northwestern Mutual, but his practice and clients had evolved. His work had shifted increasingly toward investments and complex high-net-worth planning, while he also began identifying risks in his intended internal succession plan. Why did Kevin merge with OnePoint rather than launch his own independent RIA? OnePoint already had the infrastructure, people, and capabilities Kevin would have needed to build himself. The merger allowed him to focus on clients while becoming an equity partner in a larger enterprise he believed could grow faster than his standalone practice. Why didn't Kevin shop his practice to multiple buyers? Kevin says his decision was driven primarily by trust. He had known Andy and other OnePoint partners for decades and believed the firm offered the right future for his clients and employees. His choice ultimately came down to staying at Northwestern Mutual or joining OnePoint. How do Andy and Kevin suggest advisors evaluate a potential partner? Their discussion points to three fundamental considerations: trust, demonstrable value, and philosophical alignment. Economics matter, but both argue that a sustainable partnership depends on confidence in the people and business on the other side of the transaction. After approximately 30 years at Northwestern Mutual, Andy and his partners wanted greater flexibility, the ability to operate on a multi-custodial basis, and more optionality for clients and the business. They left in 2015 with approximately $3B in assets and launched the independent firm that ultimately became OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners. At the time of the interview, Andy says OnePoint manages more than $18B and expects to exceed $20B by the end of 2026, even without additional organic growth. Andy points to three priorities: client experience, advisor experience, and growth. The firm targets approximately 10% organic growth while also expanding through acquisitions and partnerships with advisors it believes fit the OnePoint model. The firm wanted to evolve from a platform supporting individual practices into a more integrated enterprise. That required creating firm-level economics and equity that could be used to attract, retain, and align advisors. Today, Andy says more than 85% of OnePoint's advisors and AUM are W-2. Rise Growth Partners holds a minority, non-controlling interest in OnePoint. The investment provides capital, expertise, and strategic support while the operating partners retain majority ownership and control of the business. Kevin says he remained happy at Northwestern Mutual, but his practice and clients had evolved. His work had shifted increasingly toward investments and complex high-net-worth planning, while he also began identifying risks in his intended internal succession plan. OnePoint already had the infrastructure, people, and capabilities Kevin would have needed to build himself. The merger allowed him to focus on clients while becoming an equity partner in a larger enterprise he believed could grow faster than his standalone practice. Kevin says his decision was driven primarily by trust. He had known Andy and other OnePoint partners for decades and believed the firm offered the right future for his clients and employees. His choice ultimately came down to staying at Northwestern Mutual or joining OnePoint. Their discussion points to three fundamental considerations: trust, demonstrable value, and philosophical alignment. Economics matter, but both argue that a sustainable partnership depends on confidence in the people and business on the other side of the transaction. Related Resources Rise and Reinvent: Joe Duran on Building and Rebuilding World-Class Firms From Insurance Sales to $8B RIA: A Northwestern Mutual Breakaway Story The 4th Annual Advisor Transition Report Andy SchwartzCo-Founder, Managing Partner, and Chief Executive Officer Andy Schwartz is the Co-Founder, Managing Partner, and Chief Executive Officer of OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners, where he also serves as a Wealth Management Advisor. A CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® with more than 40 years of experience, Andy has built his career around helping clients make confident, well-informed financial decisions at every stage of life. He works extensively with physicians and business owners on wealth building, retirement planning, and tax-efficient asset transfer across generations. A 2026 finalist for Wealth Management Awards CEO of the Year (under $25B AUM), Andy brings the same discipline to leading the firm that he brings to client relationships: comprehensive planning, long-term thinking, and an unwavering commitment to independence and integrity. Beyond his client work, Andy is deeply invested in the advisory profession itself. He co-hosts The Advisor’s Compass podcast, offering candid, practical guidance on the business and responsibilities of being an advisor. His mentorship philosophy is straightforward: pass the ladder back down. His industry recognition spans more than a decade, including Top 1,200 Advisor by Barron’s (2018–2024), Top 250 Wealth Advisor and Best-In-State Wealth Advisor by Forbes (2018–2024), Top 400 Financial Advisor by the Financial Times (2018–2020), and Top 100 Independent Advisor (2020–2023). He was named Executive of the Year by NJBIZ in 2019 and was a finalist for the Invest in Others Lifetime Achievement Award for more than 20 years of service with NJ SEEDS. Andy holds a B.S. in Finance and Marketing from Rowan University and is actively involved with Nourish NJ, the Navy SEAL Foundation, the Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest NJ, and JSDD. Outside the office, he enjoys golf, reading, and time with his family at the beach.   Kevin SpahnPartner and Wealth Advisor Kevin Spahn is a Partner and Wealth Advisor at OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners, bringing more than three decades of experience in comprehensive financial planning to his clients and the firm. Kevin’s path to wealth management is rooted in the law. After earning degrees from the University of Notre Dame and the University of Wisconsin, he began his career as a practicing attorney before making a deliberate pivot toward financial planning in 1993. He joined Northwestern Mutual, then founded Spahn Financial, building a practice centered on thoughtful, holistic planning for families and business owners. That practice joined OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners in 2025. His approach has remained consistent throughout: help clients build and protect wealth not just for themselves, but for the generations that follow. Kevin works with clients on comprehensive financial plans that account for the full picture, understanding that the impact of good planning extends well beyond an individual portfolio to families, businesses, employees, and the broader community. Kevin is based in the greater Chicago area.   NOTE: The views and opinions expressed by the guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Diamond Consultants. Neither Diamond Consultants nor the guests on this podcast are compensated in any way for their participation. View the transcript of this episode… Build, Grow & Transact: Making the Leap from Northwestern Mutual to a $20B Enterprise A conversation between Louis Diamond, Andy Schwartz, CEO of OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners and Kevin Spahn, Founder of Spahn Financial (now OnePoint BFG). Louis Diamond: Welcome to the latest episode of our podcast series for financial advisors. Today’s episode is Build, Grow & Transact: Making the Leap from Northwestern Mutual to a $20B Enterprise. It’s a conversation with Andy Schwartz, CEO of OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners, and Kevin Spahn, founder of Spahn Financial, now OnePoint BFG. I’m Louis Diamond, and this is The Diamond Podcast for Financial Advisors. Mindy Diamond: At Diamond Consultants, we help elite advisors identify the right environment for their businesses to thrive, whether that’s at a wirehouse, boutique, or independent firm. With nearly three decades of experience, we’ve guided thousands of advisors and represented more than a quarter of a trillion dollars in assets transitioned. Each year, one in four advisors managing a billion dollars or more who change firms are our clients. Our process is education-driven and based on building relationships, starting as your strategic partner well before you’re even thinking of a move. To schedule a confidential conversation, call us at 908-879-1002. Wondering why advisors change firms and where they’re headed? Are transition deals going up or down? Those very questions, and more, inspired us to create our annual Advisor Transition Report. It’s the award-winning data-driven resource designed for advisors that connects the dots between the motivations around movement and the firm’s appetite for top talent. Arm yourself with the knowledge you need to make smart decisions. Download your copy at diamond-consultants.com/transitionreport. Louis Diamond: There’s a big difference between building a successful practice and building an enterprise. I think Andy Schwartz and Kevin Spahn offer a unique perspective on that distinction from two very different sides. Both spent decades in the Northwestern Mutual system. Andy ultimately left to build what became OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners, taking the firm from roughly three billion to nearly 20 billion and transforming just about every aspect of the business along the way. Kevin built one of Northwestern Mutual’s top practices before reaching a different inflection point, deciding what he wanted the next phase of his career and business to look like. Rather than go independent on his own or simply monetize what he had built, he chose to become part of Andy’s growing enterprise. That makes their story particularly relevant for our Build, Grow, and Transact series. Andy can speak to what it takes to build a firm capable of becoming an acquirer, from converting advisors from 1099s to W-2s, to creating equity opportunities, to bringing in outside capital while remaining very deliberate about being private equity-invested rather than private equity-owned. And Kevin brings the seller’s perspective, how you evaluate the economics, the trade-offs, and ultimately the people you’re trusting with the business you spent more than 30 years building. Because whether you’re building, buying, or considering a transaction of any kind, the numbers are only part of the equation. As you hear from both Andy and Kevin, trust may be the most important currency of all. So let’s get to it. Andy and Kevin, thank you so much for both joining us today. Andy Schwartz: Great to see you again, Lewis. Thank you for having us. Louis Diamond: I’ve been excited about this interview for a bunch of reasons. One, our Build, Grow, Transact series has become a real staple of our show and we got lots to talk about there. But also, the friendship, the relationship that you two have had for over 30 years really stood out to me. So before we get into the nuts and bolts, talk about your relationship. How’d you guys meet, and how did your career stay so intertwined together when you’re in different geographies and at different firms, and have each been very successful in your own rights? Andy Schwartz: Sure. Kevin, do you want to start with that? Kevin Spahn: Sure. I started in this career in 1994 and met Andy sometime after that. He was a more advanced financial planner. I was an attorney, and then I transitioned into this business. So when I first joined Northwestern Mutual, which is my first broker dealer, I didn’t really have a background in investments. At the time, a lot of Northwestern Mutual reps were learning the investment business because they maybe originally started with Northwestern Mutual focusing more on insurance planning. My background was more estate planning. At the time, if you think early ’90s, if you did estate planning, insurance often went hand in hand with that. The estate exemption in early 1990s was about $600,000. So if you pass more than $600,000 to your children, there was a 55% tax. One way around it was to put insurance in an irrevocable trust, help cover the tax that way. So it really was a popular common strategy back then, and it’s really what got me into the business. But I quickly realized that I didn’t want my future to be insurance and estate planning. And there was a conflict if you acted as someone’s attorney and sold insurance. So I had to pick one way or the other. I decided long-term it would be better for me to move into the wealth management space. But with that little background in that, I had a lot of work to do. So took a lot of tests, became a certified financial planner. But the person that helped me the most along the way was Andy. We became friends, we sat on committees together. That’s really how we met, I would say. So we worked side by side interacting with our home office and representing the field, bringing issues to the home office that we thought were beneficial to the field. As we did that together, I got to know Andy. And then separately, I learned from him how he built his business and how they would review clients’ portfolios and come up with solutions. So I really credit Andy with helping me more than anyone else to transition from attorney, financial planner doing more estate planning insurance to wealth management. Louis Diamond: Very cool. Hey, I would say, maybe I’m a little biased, that, Kevin, you picked the right path in hanging up the law shingle and coming into wealth management. Kevin Spahn: I tell a lot of people I’m a reformed attorney. Andy Schwartz: Great. Louis Diamond: Exactly. My dad would say the exact same thing. Very common at dinner tables in the Diamond households. Andy Schwartz: I was always grateful that I wasn’t smart enough to be an attorney. Louis Diamond: There we go. Andy Schwartz: That’s where my gratitude lies. Yeah. Louis Diamond: There we go. Andy Schwartz: Some would say he’s too smart. Louis Diamond: There we go. Andy, question for you. I mean, anyone who is at or was at Northwestern Mutual, I mean, you’re like Elvis to them. It’s absolutely crazy the amount of fanfare and brand recognition that you and your brother Scott have. But for those who maybe missed your first podcast appearance with us a number of years ago, or aren’t or weren’t within the Northwestern Mutual system, or haven’t been familiar with Bleakley and now OnePoint BFG, just give us the cliff notes, the origin story, how you got into the business, and how’d you get from here to there? Andy Schwartz: Yeah. So the origin is probably pretty common, probably by accident. Going into my senior year in college, I was working in a restaurant, had a falling out with my boss. I happened to be dating a woman who was living with a general agent with Fidelity Union Life. No one will have ever heard of Fidelity Union Life, but their secret sauce was they sold life insurance to college seniors on a note. So if you can get a $10 money order, because where I went to school, nobody had a checking account, then you could basically get a note signed and they would buy insurance. And then when they graduate, hopefully they’d pay for it. I started selling life insurance my senior year in college. And then my twin brother Scott, who is my partner, and has been for over 40 years, he took an interview with what was the nucleus of our present firm actually. I just went up to Northern New Jersey in May of 1984 because I was an expert. I had been selling life insurance to college kids for six months, so I knew everything you had to know. We met with these guys, and we both ended up joining them. So that was a Northwestern Mutual district agency, and that was 1984. We got licensed right away. I got my CFP in ’86. We always knew that it was going to be about planning. So I think we had the right idea. We were a little ahead of the curve because there weren’t a lot of CFPs in ’86. We got securities license immediately. So before Northwestern had securities license, we got securities license with US Life actually. And then it was really a volume business, a client-building business. We always tried to act as a firm and share resources. We were small, but like a lot of people, we started out selling A shares and B shares and C shares, doing financial planning, selling insurance, and then we made a lot of really good hires along the way. And then after 30 years at Northwestern Mutual, which was a great experience for me, and I have nothing but respect for the institution and certainly the advisors that are there, Kevin certainly was one of them, and I know he feels the same way, but we just wanted to have a little more flexibility. We went independent about 11, almost 12 years ago. We wanted to be able to be multi-custodial. We wanted to have a little bit more optionality for our clients and for ourselves. We left Northwestern at three billion or so in assets, and that was in 2015. It’s in March of 2024, I get introduced to this guy with a crazy accent named Joe Duran. Funny, probably the only person in the industry that had no idea who Joe Duran was me. I’d never heard of Joe Duran. I don’t pay attention. I worry about our firm. I don’t worry about what’s going on outside. So I get introduced to Joe by a mutual friend, and we had an interesting conversation, and it took us probably about four or five months to figure out what we wanted to do. And then in August of ’24, myself and my three partners, we rolled in. And then in ’85, the rest of the firm rolled in. And we can talk a little bit more about that. Today we’re 18-plus billion, growing quite a bit. We’ve been very lucky that we’ve made some very good decisions along the way. We’ve made some bad ones too. But most of the decisions had to do with the people that we hired, the people that we brought on to help us, because I think it’s really important. I always say that the biggest mistake advisors make is they buy their own bullshit, and I try not to, and I realize that I’m smart enough, but I’m certainly not the smartest guy. I’m rarely the smartest guy in the room. So what we try to do is hire lots and lots of really smart people. And we’ve done that. They’ve been loyal to us, we’ve been loyal to them. Yeah, so we’re blessed to have a really great team and lots of good partners. Yeah. Louis Diamond: Yeah, we’ll definitely get into more of the nuts and bolts of the decision to take on capital, partner with Joe Duran’s Rise, but that’s an amazing background. Andy, I have to give you credit because your style, and I think I’m sure there’s business benefits, but it comes from a good place, I’m sure. But the coaching and consulting and just assistance that I’ve heard you provide to so many past and current Northwestern Mutual advisors through sports camps is absolutely incredible. It’s very near and dear to my heart because we always try to lead with education and helping people. So I just wanted to call that out, that your reputation for just providing amazing guidance and coaching to advisors is unparalleled. Andy Schwartz: And it’s been the best part of our journey. We’ve been able to help so many people. We get way too much credit by the way. So everybody gives us way too much credit. But the way I look at it is, I’ve been able to leverage my life because I’ve been able to build a great life for myself and my family, but we’ve been able to leverage that, and that’s where the real gift is. So yeah, it’s been a joyful journey for us. Louis Diamond: Amazing. Kevin, question for you. You walked through your little bit unorthodox background to get into Northwestern. Can you talk about where your personal practice is today? And then I want to ask you about the decision to leave Northwestern and sell and team up with Andy and team. Kevin Spahn: Well, I have to go back to the beginning. What was attractive to me about this business is I went from a career which was confrontational adversarial. I was a trial attorney for six years, and every day I would fight with people over things I didn’t necessarily have a personal interest in and I didn’t really believe in always. But the adversarial confrontational nature wasn’t really my personality, and I would take it too personally. So sometimes I’d go home in a bad mood because I was fighting with somebody taking a deposition. At night, after so many years as a trial attorney, I started going to people’s houses and doing wills and trusts. And that’s where the dynamic of working with a client or a potential client, feeling that you helped them and walking out of the meeting where they would appreciate what you did for them, and you build a relationship and actually all of a sudden have a friend, that dynamic was attractive to me. That’s really what got me to transition into the business. So I think it was really helpful to me at the beginning of this career. As Andy said, we all grew our businesses one client at a time. There’s a lot of doors closed, phones hung up on. There’s many people that don’t want to talk to you. There’s many people that don’t call you back. There’s many people that you think you’re getting somewhere with and you don’t. And that’s difficult for people because people often, young reps take that as personal rejection. I had the benefit of comparing what I was dealing with as a young financial planner to what I had dealt with as an attorney in litigation. I think it just was perspective that I knew I didn’t want to do that anymore. So the negatives to this business didn’t seem that bad to me. I loved the independence. I loved all the relationships that I was building. And that part of it is to this day my favorite part of the business. When you ask about the present, what basically happens is you start out taking anybody and everybody as a potential client or as someone that you would be willing to work with. And then over time you work with more successful people. So where I’m at today is working with pretty successful people, but they’re all the same, meaning we like working with nice people. If people are nice, we work with them. I feel we can help anybody. Over the years, one client at a time. The thing that I probably, if I could go back, would change is I think Andy and I are both good at meeting people and building trust and providing value, so that’s why they work with us. So I think that’s just something we’ve both been able to do. He’s much better than I am at building an organization. So I built an organization basically hiring people, that whenever we got too busy, I hired another person. Drawback in terms of that is, anybody that I interview I think is great, and I think they’d be great to join the organization. I like them all. In spite of that, I’ve also brought in many good people that I love. At this point, my firm has 18 people. We’re a little subset of Andy’s larger firm. I think one of the most attractive things to me about joining Andy’s firm is what Andy mentioned before: the people. As opposed to me having to build this all out myself, going independent, Andy already did that. And he has the infrastructure that would allow me to just merge right into that and not have to go through the pain of figuring all that out, which I don’t even think I’m capable of, to be honest with you. Louis Diamond: You’re probably selling yourself short because the way I understood it, you had one of the top practices within the entire Northwestern Mutual systems, and it’s a firm filled with very successful advisors. For you, Kevin, what was the driving force to leaving NM after all these years? What was bothering you or frustrating you that indicated to you that it was time to do something different? Kevin Spahn: To be honest with you, I was pretty happy at Northwestern Mutual. I love the company and the people. I still have many good friends there that I truly miss. The big thing for me, I don’t know if it was any one thing, to be honest with you, is Andy said there’s optionality, especially on the investment side. I think one of the things that happened to me is, when I first started, I was 31 years old, and most of the potential clients that I would meet and work with, they weren’t what I would call today great investment clients. They didn’t have a lot of money. They had great futures. They might’ve been earning significant income or on the way to earning significant income. So what did they need at that point in their life? They needed planning. They needed protection. They didn’t really need investment management because most of their investments were going into their 401(k). But a lot of those clients that we would take on, and I think that’s the big advantage of Northwestern Mutual, you take on clients that a lot of the investor firms don’t want because they don’t have large investment portfolios. But at some point down the road, all of a sudden you wake up and they do have large investment portfolios. So you bring them in as clients that might buy life insurance from you or disability insurance or something like that. And then you help them, and you give them advice, and you build a relationship with them. Down the road, they make more and more money. They leave jobs, they roll 401(k)s, they have the ability to invest money, stock options, things like that. Next thing you’re doing more comprehensive planning that incorporates investments. As that progresses even further, you work with larger and larger clients, much more significant net worth, more complexity, bigger tax issues. Some of the strategies and opportunities that we now have at this independent RIA are very attractive for these high-net-worth clients. Along the same lines, less of what I do at this point in my career is insurance, mostly because a lot of the people that I meet are older, they already bought insurance, they’re looking more for investment advice as opposed to insurance. So one of the things that most attracted me to Northwest Mutual was their strong insurance products, which helped me for many years. As time went on, I was doing less of that. Louis Diamond: Makes complete sense. So it was a changing of what clients wanted and just the circumstances of your clients where you said, “What got me here when I was 31 was insurance planning, and that’s what my clients needed. But as my practice has evolved, I’ve aged, my clients are older, have more money, the focus shifted from insurance to investments.” And then the distinction was, am I at the best place to run investments in addition to insurance planning, et cetera? It’s a very interesting dynamic. Just the shift in basically your legacy clients was what drove you to consider change. Kevin Spahn: That was a big factor. I think the second big factor was I had my own firm with 18 people. My succession plan was that at some point I would shift ownership of the firm to people that worked with me. So as they owned more of the firm, they would have revenue that was currently at the time being paid to me. In my mind, as it shifted to them, they would buy me out using revenue from the clients that we already had. And I realized that there were some issues with that. In our business, as you get older, in your client’s age, they start taking money out of their portfolios. So everyone understands that in our business, the younger average age client you have makes your book more valuable. I was the biggest driver of new business at my firm, and I started to see that there were some problems with my succession plan. They included, if something happened to me during this succession, that would be a real problem for the people that were buying my business from me if I went that way. If something happened to some of my key people, that would’ve been a problem as well. So it was really attractive to me to… I wasn’t looking to sell my business, I was looking to merge it. So I merged it with Andy’s business. I believe that Andy and what he’s put together and the actual idea of having partners. So I never really had partners, but now I do. Having partners that we’re all on the same page, we all have similar backgrounds, we all bring something different to the table, and we can learn and benefit from working with each other. But also, owning a little piece of a much larger firm was, number one, it put me in a better position in terms of the potential risk of something happening to me or one of my key people. But secondly, I just think it’s more likely to grow at a greater pace than my firm would’ve as I aged from my 60s to my 70s. Louis Diamond: Very interesting. It’s a great realization. I think it’s one that probably every firm owner grapples with at some point, is the romanticism or the ease, some would say, of an internal succession plan. Rewarding those who have helped you build the firm is something I think everyone is interested in. But once that’s put into practice, whether it’s because of capital or sky-high valuations or right people on the bus or risk, et cetera, nowadays oftentimes leads to a firm owner looking at a transaction, whether it’s a merger, a sale, a private equity, capital infusion as a means to solve for succession. So it’s a very interesting way you framed it. Andy, I want to turn it over to you for a little bit. So you mentioned when you launched Bleakley Financial, which was the old name of your firm, out of Northwestern, you’re about three billion. I think I read that you’re about 10 billion or so when Joe Duran and Rise invested you in 2024. You just said you’re at 18 billion now in the middle of 2026. That is absolutely incredible and amazing. Andy Schwartz: We’ll be well over 20 by the end of the year without any additional organic growth. Louis Diamond: That’s absolutely incredible. Andy Schwartz: We’ve got a lot going on right now. Louis Diamond: What’s actually driven that? What’s been the playbook? Andy Schwartz: The three areas that are most important for us, and we had our town hall this morning, and we always talk about the things we focus on as a group, the first and most important is the client experience. I always say to people, if you are their advisor, then that means someone else isn’t. These people, they all deserve to be really well taken care of. They deserve the best service, they deserve the best advice. So that’s something we take really personally. So client experience first. Then we also understand that we don’t just work for clients, we work for our advisors. So I have two jobs. I have, I don’t know, 500 clients I service with my team, and I work for Kevin and 36 other partners and all of our employees. Because again, I recognize that the decision Kevin made… We’re in the middle of a transition out with another advisor, and we pretty much talk to her every day, and I know how hard this is. A transition is so difficult. When you come from a good place, because any of the Northwestern advisor who joins, they’re coming from a good place, it’s not like they have to go anywhere, it’s difficult. So we have the massive responsibility that three or four or five or 10 years from now, that there better be hugs around that this was the best decision ever made or otherwise. That’s the kind of thing that keeps me up at night. So we’ve got to take care of our client experience, we’ve got to take care of our advisor experience. And then obviously, we’ve got to grow the firm so the firm grows organically. So part of this whole idea of serving our advisors is we have to help our advisors grow. I talk to a lot of people on the acquisition side, and if I’m talking to an advisor, it doesn’t matter how big they are, we kind of think of it as a OnePoint way. There’s flexibility in the OnePoint way. But if I can’t help them grow, I don’t want them, because I say it all the time, I’m not the mafia. I’m not here to get a taste. Louis, if you weren’t interested in joining us, if I thought that we could help you grow by doing that, then I want you bad. If I don’t think I can help you grow because we’re so different, or because you’re not going to adapt what we do, or there’s no leverage in it, or you’re already better than we are, I don’t want it. So for us, organic growth, number one, and I think you know the industries well enough, that’s got to be the key. We shoot for 10% organic growth. We’re at a little over 5% so far halfway through the year. So assuming we have the similar second half of the year, we’ll hit our 10. Last year we’re at 7.5%. The second is the inorganic growth. If you truly build a platform, if you truly build a firm that advisors know that they’ll be supported, that they’ll be loved, and you’ll help them grow their businesses, it does make it easier for us. We’re not the highest bidder typically. We can’t. We respect our client’s capital, we respect their equity, so therefore we’re not going to go out there. We’re not an aggregator, we’re a firm. But I think that if we can get that message across, and I think we have, then advisors join us. So that’s been a big part of the growth. And then the market’s helped. Obviously, over the last two years, the market’s been helpful. So that’s how we’ve gone from 10 to 18 and on our way to 22 by year-end. Louis Diamond: This is absolutely incredible. Any advisor or firm owner would say organic growth is important, but just saying it’s important doesn’t mean it’s going to happen. So what are the ways in which you help your advisors or your own practice grow organically? What is it that OnePoint is doing for your advisors? Andy Schwartz: Starting with bringing on growth-oriented advisors. I mean, look, Kevin Spahn and I come from the same place. We learned how to sell. The great thing about coming out of whether they’re broker dealers or out of the different insurance BDs is, these are people that know how to sell. These are people that don’t think that selling is a bad word. A lot of times you go to the wirehouses and they’re not necessarily sales guys. They’re really smart. They think that they’re investment mavens and investment geniuses. I’m not interested in investment geniuses. I’m interested in people that want to take care of their clients, provide everything they can, clients first, do the proper planning, be good advisors, but they’re growth-oriented. So as long as we’re talking with the right advisors. Again, if I’m talking to advisor and they might have a big practice, if they’re not growers, we’re not interested. There’s a sense of responsibility for all the partners because we are a true partnership. It’s not an aggregation. This is a firm. I’m responsible for Kevin. Kevin’s responsible to me. All of our partners are responsible to each other, because if we’re going to do a 10% organic growth target, and if some partner is negative 3%, we don’t put them through the spanking machine, but everybody is very aware of where everybody is and nobody wants to let their partners down. I think either you’re a growth-oriented advisor or you’re a zoo-fed bear. There’s another expression that I got from another Rise Growth Partner or Rise Growth firm. We all kind of communicate and talk to each other. And I was talking about zoo-fed bears, and he said, we call them house cats that think they fight. So they’re house cats, but they have no claws. But I think if you’re careful about who you bring on as partners, and if they are workers, growers, they understand that their job in life is to serve the people. We talk about referrals, we do lots of training to help on referrals. We work on organic growth strategies from the firm, but a lot of it comes from the advisors themselves. Louis Diamond: Makes sense. So it sounds like, to boil it down, it’s being really selective and having a really clear sense of who’s the right fit for your firm. Not that there’s not amazing advisors out there, but just because you’re an amazing advisor, doesn’t mean you’re the right fit to join OnePoint. Andy Schwartz: I think the one big distinction and difference is other than the fact that we are minority-owned with private equity. So we own our business. I mean, I’m the CEO of the firm. I also have the biggest book in the firm. At least for right now, I mean, Kevin was transitioning, so I’m sure next year he’ll be the leading advisor. But I lead the firm, because as far as I’m concerned, you have to lead by example. We are completely aligned. I know exactly what Kevin does every day because I do the same thing. I’m not some attorney or accountant or private equity boss that’s saying, “Oh, I’ve got an idea for growth. We’ll just raise our fees by 5%.” Brilliant. Yeah, we are completely aligned, all of us. I think that makes us a little bit unique, and it really helps us, I think, in our growth trajectory. Louis Diamond: I would agree. The challenge that a lot of advisors-turned-firm-owners or turned-enterprise-builders have is the tug of war between the client work, which either is their ultimate passion and driving force, or it’s something they’re really good at minimum, versus being the owner, the operator, et cetera. I resonate very much, Andy, with the way you handle it. I do the same thing running a company, but also working with advisors. To me, I need to do both in order to do my job well. But that tug of war is tough. So I’m curious, your firm is very large now, you’re a steward of external capital, and you have a $3 billion book yourself. How do you do it? How do you balance the two? Andy Schwartz: Well, fortunately, my kids are grown, so I’m not coaching sports anymore. So I do have a little more time than most. Look, we have a great team. So the idea that I run the firm… I mean, I lead the firm, I don’t run the firm. We have great partners. We have great… Our manager team is fantastic. So I mean, they really run the firm. But this is where my passion is for now. So I don’t mind. Days are typically pretty long. I don’t play golf during the week. Mara and I don’t travel probably as much as we should. Vacations are always a little bit mixed. There’s always room for calls and meetings and whatever. But to me, I mean, I’m grateful to be in this situation. I’m enjoying it. This is such a privilege to be the person that people recognize as the leader of this bunch, of this group. I mean, it is the honor of my life. So I don’t think of it so much as work. It’s my advocation. It does get busy. There are some times where I have to remind myself, “Just enjoy the ride.” I get a little overwhelmed, but I get lots of help and that makes it possible. Louis Diamond: Yep. If you’re not doing the job of the folks that you’re encouraging and leading to do, how do you have fodder to train them, to teach them, to empathize with that? Andy Schwartz: Exactly, you don’t have the credibility. I can ask them to do almost anything because they know I do it myself, and I think that helps. Louis Diamond: Yep. So moving more into the decision to bring on private equity capital, what I thought was probably the most interesting component of your announcement that you took on PE investment was that you completely restructured or reoriented your firm prior to Joe Duran coming in 2024. Correct me if I’m wrong, but Bleakley Financial Group was almost all 1099 contractors. So everyone owned their own books of business, paid Bleakley a fee or an override for certain services. But now, today, over 85% of your advisors and your AUM are W-2 employees, meaning you converted them from 1099 to acquiring them or merging with them. To me, that’s the dream. It’s had to have been very, very, very hard and challenging because there’s so many aggregator firms or platforms that support independent advisors, but the value that they’ve created is fairly minimal relative to one cohesive firm. So can you just talk about that decision, a very big and brave decision to go down the path of acquiring or merging with the practices rather than letting them continue to operate independently? Andy Schwartz: Well, look, we had to… It’s funny because we had been having conversations for years with consultants, and they kept telling us what we had to do. Again, we’re not that smart, so we just kept thinking, “No, we don’t have to do that.” But we were told 10 years earlier that the only way that this thing has any value to the world is you’ve got to have EBITDA for the firm. We talked to all the smart people, we ignored all of them. But what happened was we needed capital and we needed equity in order to bring people on, because people aren’t just joining us just because we can help them grow a bigger business. So the reason we went in the direction we went initially was we just needed capital. We wanted to grow the firm, and the only way we were going to get to is… What’s the old saying? What got us here is not going to get us there. So we needed capital. But we also realized that I had to have something I could sell in the marketplace. And people want equity. So they want cash, but they also want equity, because we’re talking to entrepreneurs. Kevin owned his own firm. He has $2 billion of assets. He wasn’t interested in being someone’s employee, but he was interested in being able to get leverage and be a partner and share equity in a larger firm that had the chance to grow even more. So what the gift that Joe Duran, the Rise folks gave us was that gift of structure and understanding. So that was really helpful, and that’s been a big part of our success. Louis Diamond: Yeah, it’s an amazing journey. Again, I think you could probably write a book or a case study on how that happened. I’m sure there were some downfalls, some people that weren’t all that excited about it, but the results speak for itself. Andy Schwartz: I think people ask all the time because I do get phone calls. People are trying to do this, and they’re struggling. It took us 90 days to basically do it. People say, “I’ve been at this for two years.” And the biggest issue is trust. Either they trust you or they don’t. At the end of the day, I always went to the advisor here, we were a firm for 30-plus years prior, and these guys knew that we always did what we said we were going to do, and we always did. If your people trust you, then you can do it. If your people don’t trust you, it isn’t going to work. Louis Diamond: In other words, your firm added immense value to the advisors as well. Aside from trust, if you weren’t providing a service or services that they found a value that they couldn’t access on their own, it would’ve been 85/15 going the other way for sure. Andy Schwartz: Yeah, 100%. I know it’s not easy, but it wasn’t that hard for us. Louis Diamond: Good. It’s well-earned. So I believe you were Rise Growth Partners’ first investment. Andy Schwartz: We were. Louis Diamond: That’s cool. It’s exciting. You get to be someone’s first, but did it make you uncomfortable that you were the first investment or did you see that as a positive? Andy Schwartz: I actually saw it as a positive. Well, one, because I recognized immediately that Joe Duran and his team were way smarter than we were certainly, and certainly with what we were trying to do. And I figured that it’s almost like the first child. They were so excited to have somebody, and there was so much time and energy, so they just really doted on us. They were really able to help us. Now they’ve got four or five groups that they work with, and obviously we’ve been launched. So the younger babies are getting more time and attention, although we get everything that we need from them. But yeah, that never concerned me. I always thought that would be our advantage. It actually turned out that way. Louis Diamond: Interesting. In thinking through a sale or a minority sale, did you entertain other types of capital, whether it was a family office or a multitude of other private equity sponsors or selling the firm outright? Andy Schwartz: Yeah, we probably had four or five very, very serious conversations. Actually, some got pretty close to the end where we basically just made the decision not to do it. One was a much larger firm, good people. But the problem always was… I was always going to get rich out of the deal because it was going to be 100% sale, but there was really no lift or leverage from the advisors. So the principals, they were willing to pay me a big multiple and my partners a big multiple, and pay these guys basically an average multiple. So we had always told our guys, “Let’s stay together, and someday, this thing, whatever it’s going to turn into be, will benefit everyone.” So with the Duran situation and the deal with Rise did, it gave everybody a chance to benefit from what we were doing. But what was good about all of those false starts was, it taught me a lot because I had… I know you’re involved in this, so you know better than I do, but we’d start conversations, somebody would reach out to me, I would be very specific about what I needed. They would say, “Yep, we can do that.” And then you get to the finish line, and it’s almost like, I started out, I wanted a tomahawk steak and a baked potato, and I ended up getting a two-day-old hamburger with some cold French fries. It’s like, I know I’m not that smart and I know you’re the PE guys, but for God’s sakes, we’re not stupid. So it was funny because in January of ’24, I told my partners, “I don’t want to have any more of these conversations. It was a waste of time and energy. I’m sick of talking to these people. Let’s just put our heads down, and then let’s grow the firm a little bit more, and then we’ll see what the world looks like.” And then I get introduced to Duran. Louis Diamond: Perfect. Makes sense. Yeah, so you were well-educated on the market, the types of buyers, and I always say it’s almost more important to understand what you don’t want more than what you do want. The only way oftentimes to understand what you don’t want is to experience it and touch and feel it and really get into the weeds on it. I like too, Andy, I saw in an article, you said that “we’re private equity invested, we’re not private equity owned,” which is a very cool dynamic. I could imagine why that was important to you to retain majority control. Kevin, I want to bring you back into the conversation. Thank you for being patient here. But I mean, I would imagine you had some real choices. I mean, you could have stayed at Northwestern and been very successful, gone through with your internal succession plan. You could have gone to an independent BD, monetized, figured out succession later. You could have sold the business to a strategic acquirer. You were big enough to take on an investor in some capacity on your own. So options wasn’t your problem. Maybe just walk us through. Did you consider any other pathways? And what were the pros and cons in your mind that led you to doing a transaction with Andy? Kevin Spahn: I’m a little different, I think, than most people in this industry. Even as you grow your business at a certain percentage, none of that stuff has ever really meant anything to me. All I know is I like what I do. So when I came into the business, because I like it, I enjoy it, I spend time doing it, I’ve tried to get better at it. But it comes naturally because it’s something that I don’t look at Monday mornings as, “Oh, no, it’s Monday morning.” I’m excited to go to work. My entire career, once I left law, my business has just grown over the years naturally. But you said something before, Louis, and I think this applies to me. I love to work with the clients. I don’t like what I have to do in terms of running the firm. I never have. It’s never been my cup of tea, but you have to do it if you run a firm. So number one, the thought of all the due diligence that I would have to do to research all the firms out there, I wasn’t really all that interested in doing that. At the end of the day, it comes down to this word trust. I trust Andy. I trust the other partners here too, because I’ve known not just Andy, but I’ve known Scott and many of the other partners for years. So I knew what I was getting myself into. At the end of the day, I knew what they built. I was very comfortable with it, and I was either going to stay at Northwestern Mutual or I was going to come here, but I wasn’t going to go anywhere else. I will say, since I’ve gone, it’s been exactly like I thought. I thought I trusted Andy. And if something happened along the way with the transition, everything that he said has been true, thing that he promised is real. As you deal with more complexities with a bigger book and more and more employees, I knew that I was almost at the breaking point in terms of my own organization and to merge into this organization that, as I said before, he’s already built out. I don’t have to do it. And to benefit from these great people that he has as part of his organization, that’s all been a real blessing for me and my team. So I didn’t shop the marketplace really, but I knew what I was getting into, and it’s worked out clear as I thought it would. Louis Diamond: That’s amazing. I think that’s what most people would covet. But it is a decision in and of itself to not shop the marketplace. I mean, from representing buyers or prospective buyers, I know the pricing leverage or the negotiation leverage and the valuation lift that comes from having an open market, having multiple bids, et cetera. It sounds like that wasn’t the… Obviously you wanted to get fair value for your firm, but for you, it was more, it’s trust, “I’m either going to just stay at Northwestern, which is the devil I know or it’s what I’ve known where I’ve been successful, or I’m going to go to the individual that I trust and forget about all the other noise.” Kevin Spahn: Well, Andy says things, but I know they’re true because I’ve seen him at work. I’ve seen how he’s acted. I’ve seen how he interacts with people. But here’s an example. He cares about the people that are at his firm. He says that, but I know it’s true because I see it. I’m the same. I really care about the people in my firm. So as I think about, well, what about the future of two groups, my clients, but also the people that work in my firm? They’re going to be around long after I am. Well, I don’t want myself to retire someday, get a big check, because there’s all sorts of options to get a check. If I get a check and then my client’s scatter to the wind, and my employees don’t really have a future and they just have to go and find their own way, that wasn’t attractive at all to me. So one of the things that I really appreciate about this opportunity is that there is a plan for both my clients and my employees or the younger team members at formerly Spahn Financial, where I feel very good about the fact that they have a solid, secure future in an industry that they’ve all grown to love without them having to go out and make their own way. Louis Diamond: Makes sense to me. We noted a couple of times in this interview, you talked about equity, partnership, both of you have. So Kevin, for you, what did it mean differently for you to become a partner and get equity in a larger firm rather than, we’ll say, the less risky move of just taking everything in cash? Why was that an important distinction for you? Kevin Spahn: For many years, when I left law and came into this business, I didn’t have any money at the time. I was just starting to make money as a lawyer. It takes a while. I started low. I got trial experience working for the government, so they didn’t pay much. That was three years. Then I was at a firm, and I was just starting to make more money. Then I made this big shift into a career tha

Building a high-performing team isn't about being the smartest person in the room, it's about making everyone feel seen enough to speak up. When you build a culture around psychological safety, you aren't just protecting feelings; you're scaling excellence. In this episode, host Sharlee Dixon speaks with with MichaelAaron Flicker. MichaelAaron is an entrepreneur, behavioral science strategist, founder of the Consumer Behavior Lab and CEO of XenoPsi Ventures, a brand incubator powering some of America's fastest-growing companies. MichaelAaron partners with CEOs and executive teams to apply behavioral science to leadership, culture, and growth, helping organizations unlock performance by better understanding human behavior. A co-author of “Hacking the Human Mind”, MichaelAaron's work has been featured in Fast Company and other leading publications, and has earned recognition including NJBIZ's “40 Under 40” and multiple appearances on the Inc. 5000 list. MichaelAaron also hosts The Behavioral Science for Brands podcast, exploring how science and leadership intersect to build stronger teams and organizations. We're excited to have MichaelAaron with us today, where we'll explore how psychological safety can become central to a management philosophy, and the leadership behaviors that build trust, accountability, and high-performing teams, especially during times of change, uncertainty, and growth.   For more information about “Hacking the Human Mind” by Co-authored by MichaelAaron Flicker, please visit: https://www.hackingthehumanmind.com For more information about MichaelAaron Flicker and the Consumer Behavior Lab, please visit: https://theconsumerbehaviorlab.com Listen to The Behavior Science for Brands Podcast at: https://theconsumerbehaviorlab.com/podcast-overview.php If you're interested in Consumer Behavior Lab Consulting and Training, please visit: https://theconsumerbehaviorlab.com/work-with-us.php For more information about the Hacking The Human Miind Masterclass, please visit: https://theconsumerbehaviorlab.com/masterclass.php

On Lessons in Leadership, Steve Adubato talks with Jeffrey Kanige, Editor, NJBIZ, for a special “Media Matters” conversation about the evolution of traditional media, the future of business journalism, AI, partnerships, and developing a leadership-focused culture. Then, for a special “Leaders in Healthcare” edition, Steve and Mary Gamba are joined by Jose Azar, M.D., Executive … Continue reading Lessons in Leadership: Jeff Kinage and Jose Azar, M.D.

Michael R. Caplan is the Chief Operating Officer of Lowenstein Sandler, where he oversees the firm's business, financial, and administrative operations. Before joining Lowenstein, Mike served as COO at an Am Law 50 firm for nearly a decade and spent years leading legal operations at Goldman Sachs and Marsh McLennan, giving him a client-side perspective most law firm COOs simply don't have. With more than 25 years of experience across accounting, financial services, and consulting, he has worked with more than 30 general counsels on data analytics, technology implementation, and law firm relationship management. His leadership has earned him recognition as one of the Financial Times North America's top five Legal Intrapreneurs, Legal Innovator of the Year from The Changing Lawyer Awards, and a spot on NJBIZ's Law Power List for two consecutive years. WHAT'S COVERED IN THIS EPISODE ABOUT HOW A CLIENT-FACING COO IS CHANGING THE BUSINESS OF LAW Law firm COOs typically manage operations and execute on what firm leadership puts forward. They respond to partners, oversee administration, and stay behind the scenes while lawyers own every client relationship. Even when clients have their own operational counterparts who would benefit from connecting with their law firm's business professionals, those introductions rarely happen. Michael Caplan has spent the last decade building a different model. At Lowenstein Sandler, he and his Business Enterprise Solutions Team work alongside lawyers in pitches, RFP negotiations, and client meetings, bringing expertise in pricing, technology, project management, and data analytics directly into the relationship. The approach requires internal trust, a firm culture that supports it, and the right people on both sides of the conversation. But when it works, clients get a partner that understands both the practice of law and the business of law, and the firm differentiates itself in ways that go beyond the legal work. In this episode of The Lawyer's Edge, Elise Holtzman talks with Michael Caplan of Lowenstein Sandler about what it looks like when business professionals are embedded in client development, how to build internal trust so lawyers bring operations leaders into client relationships, the financial discipline that separates good revenue from bad revenue, and where private equity and AI may reshape law firm operations in the years ahead. 2:43- How Mike's client-side experience at Goldman Sachs and Marsh McLennan shaped his approach 5:53 - Building the Business Enterprise Solutions Team (BEST) at Lowenstein 7:18 - Getting lawyers on board and building internal trust 8:55 - Showing wins to bring more lawyers into the model 9:27 - The financial side of the COO role and negotiating pricing with clients 12:49 - Where emerging partners need the most help on collections and client management 15:14 - What smaller and midsize firms should think about when building an operations team 20:02 - Non-lawyer ownership, private equity, and the MSO model in law firms 22:26 - AI, legal technology, and why firms that invest in business resources will be more profitable 27:22 - Why most COOs wouldn't do this podcast and what holds firms back 33:31 - What clients actually get from a firm that embeds operations into relationships 36:19 - Getting the right people in front of the right clients Mentioned in How a Client-Facing COO is Changing the Business of Law Lowenstein Sandler | LinkedIn Michael Caplan on LinkedIn Get connected with the coaching team: hello@thelawyersedge.com The Lawyer's Edge SPONSOR FOR THIS EPISODE This episode is brought to you by the coaching team at The Lawyer's Edge, a training and coaching firm that has been focused exclusively on lawyers and law firms since 2008. Each member of the team is a trained, certified, and experienced professional coach—and either a former practicing attorney or a former law firm marketing and business development professional. Whatever your professional objectives, our coaches can help you achieve your goals more quickly, more easily, and with significantly less stress. To get connected with your coach, fill out our contact form.

Legal Game Plan for Growth: What Business Owners Need at Every Stage is covered in this podcast, along with the following subjects:***************************************Join Andrew Frazier and John Ursin for “Legal Game Plan for Growth: What Business Owners Need at Every Stage,” a practical and empowering session designed to help entrepreneurs build a strong legal foundation from startup to exit. Andrew and John break down the essential legal strategies business owners need to structure properly, protect assets, safeguard intellectual property, minimize risk, and stay compliant while scaling. You'll gain clear insight into choosing the right entity, strengthening contracts, navigating hiring and partnerships, and preparing for funding, acquisition, or succession—so you can stop reacting to legal issues and start implementing a proactive legal strategy that supports sustainable growth and long-term success.John Ursin is the Managing Partner and a senior corporate attorney at Schenck, Price, Smith & King LLP, where he also serves as Chair of the firm's Management Committee. Known for his breadth of legal expertise, John brings decades of experience advising business owners, non-profits, government entities, and family offices on corporate governance, commercial real estate, mergers and acquisitions, financing, and risk management. His transactional work spans substantial deals nationwide, while his rare litigation background includes first-chair representation in complex commercial, employment, insurance, and municipal cases—giving him a strategic edge in guiding clients through both preventative counseling and courtroom challenges. John also leads practice groups in Government Law, Land Use and Redevelopment, and participates in the firm's Corporate, Insurance Defense, and Banking & Finance teams. A recognized leader in the legal community, he has been named to NJBIZ's Leaders in Law list and repeatedly selected to the New Jersey Super Lawyers list. John combines legal acumen with deep business insight to help organizations at every stage of growth navigate legal complexities with confidence. - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-e-ursin-54327913b/

We have a treat for you, especially for any aspiring or current Entrepreneurs, as we sat down with Dr. Matthew Cifelli of Attain Physical Therapy.  Matt's entrepreneurial journey began at the age of 12, when he started selling Spice Girls lollipops in the middle school hallways.  Fast forward 24 years and Matt is running one of the fastest growing private, Physical Therapy practices in the country; see below for a list of accolades.  Matt started Attain before Covid 19 and after a bad falling out with his old business partner.  I think it's safe to say the odds were stacked against him.  So, what is the recipe for Attain's success? Leading with your heart and valuing your people (both employees and clients), both of which Matt learned by working for his parents' restaurant as a kid.  According to Matt, if you do these two things, success will follow.  Enjoy.Accolades:1. Ranked #755 in the 2025 Inc. 5000 fastest growing businesses in America (553% 3-year growth) - Attain2. NJBIZ 2024 finalist for Emerging Businesses - Attain3. 2025 Finalist of EY's Entrepreneur of the Year - Dr. Matthew CifelliEpisode resources:Sponsor:Honest Supplements - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://honestsupplements.com⁠⁠⁠⁠Attain Physical Therapy:Website - https://www.attain-pt.com/Matt's E-mail – matthew@attain-pt.comInstagram – attain_ptPodcast Instagram:welltakeitfromherepodcast

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Allison Williams discuss:Developing business skills beyond legal trainingBalancing legal work with true leadership rolesStrengthening sales and client relationships with structureReducing stress through systems, communication, and metrics Key Takeaways:Law school doesn't teach the core business, sales, and time-management abilities required to run a successful firm. Lawyers must intentionally build these skills to avoid overwhelm and stagnation. Growth begins when practitioners embrace authenticity, process, and systemization.Many lawyer-owners struggle to act as both practitioner and CEO, leading to stress and inefficiency. Strong operational leaders and a capable C-suite can restore focus and improve firm performance. Delegating business responsibilities is essential for long-term sustainability.Sales shouldn't feel like auditioning for clients; the goal is to understand needs and build genuine rapport. Structured processes help qualify leads, nurture relationships, and improve conversion rates. Starting with reliable referral sources and existing channels leads to better outcomes.Systematized communication—from clear policies to automated updates—prevents client-driven chaos. Tools like workflow systems or SaneBox support better task and email management. Tracking metrics such as conversion rates and lead quality ensures informed, data-driven decisions. “Being authentic is the easiest, fastest, most profitable way for you to get to the outcome that you desire.” —  Allison Williams Check out my new show, Be That Lawyer Coaches Corner, and get the strategies I use with my clients to win more business and love your career again. Ready to go from good to GOAT in your legal marketing game? Don't miss PIMCON—where the brightest minds in professional services gather to share what really works. Lock in your spot now: https://www.pimcon.org/ Thank you to our Sponsor!Rankings.io: https://rankings.io/HireParalegals: https://hireparalegals.com/ Ready to grow your law practice without selling or chasing? Book your free 30-minute strategy session now—let's make this your breakout year: https://fretzin.com/ About Allison Williams: Allison C. Williams is the owner of not one, but two multimillion-dollar companies. She is the Founder of Williams Law Group, a full-service family law firm where she is a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, is certified by the New Jersey Supreme Court as a Matrimonial Law Attorney, and is certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy in Family Law. After taking Williams Law Group from a start-up to a multimillion-dollar law business in 3.5 years, she decided to help other law firm owners do the same by starting Law Firm Mentor. Today, Law Firm Mentor helps law firm owners across the country grow their revenues, crush chaos in business, and make significantly more money in less time!Allison is a LawFirm500 award winner, ranking 14th out of the fastest-growing law firms in the nation. She has also been named a Stevie Award Finalist for Female Entrepreneur of the Year in 2017 and 2018, voted NJBIZ's Top 50 Women in Business, and designated as one of the Top 25 Leading Women Entrepreneurs and Business Owners.Allison has been featured in The Law Entrepreneur, Above the Law, and Modern Solo, along with other leading legal publications. She is also the host of the Law Firm Mentor podcast, where lawyers go to learn how to crush the chaos in their business. Connect with Allison Williams: Website: https://lawfirmmentor.net/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allisoncwilliams/   Connect with Steve Fretzin:LinkedIn: Steve FretzinTwitter: @stevefretzinInstagram: @fretzinsteveFacebook: Fretzin, Inc.Website: Fretzin.comEmail: Steve@Fretzin.comBook: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!YouTube: Steve FretzinCall Steve directly at 847-602-6911 Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

He has been the headmaster at Saint Benedict's Prep in Newark, New Jersey, for more than 50 years.  He is a graduate of that school and has been featured on "60 Minutes" and on FOX News. On the sports side, he wrestled, played football, and captained the tennis team, and went on to coach wrestling for Saint Benedict's Prep. Over six years ago a video went viral of him on the basketball court, hitting a hook shot from three-point range, wearing his clerics. Meanwhile, he received the first Robert F. Kennedy Award for Urban School Leadership from the national Schools That Can organization in 2014 and was named a New Jersey Icon by NJBIZ in 2020.

We discussed a few things including:1. Their career journeys 2. Roboburger and Shark Tank success3. Unionwear's long term growth4. How the ecosystem has supported them5. Trends, challenges and opportunities re manufacturingMitch started Unionwear in 1992 with six sewers and a contract to make baseball hats for Ralph Lauren.Now Unionwear is one of the largest private employers of Newark residents, with 175 employees, and contracts to manufacture baseball hats and uniform headwear, medical bags and backpacks, and binders and portfolios for every branch of the armed services, every presidential candidate for decades, domestic manufacturers like Budweiser and Chrysler, and fashion brands such as Vineyard Vines and Supreme.Unionwear won the SEAMS Domestic Textile Association's inaugural 'Reshoring Award" for bringing textile jobs back to America in 2019 and was named to Fortune Magazine's Inner City 100 list. Mitch has received the New Jersey Manufacturing Lifetime Achievement Award from NJBIA and was just named to NJBIZ magazine's 100 most powerful businesspeople in NJ and 10 most powerful people in New Jersey Manufacturing.Mitch has been named an Industry Scholar at Rutgers Business School and is on the board of Newark Regional Business Partnership, NJ Manufacturing Extension Partnership, and the Newark Workforce Development Board, where he has served as Chairman.Mitch is a frequent panelist, podcast guest, and guest lecturer on topics including fair labor, lean manufacturing, cloud mobile ERP, cobranding with Made in USA, and has appeared on TV shows ranging from The Profit to The Daily Show.----Audley is the CEO and Partner, as well as the inventor and the restless mind behind the RoboBurger.He has been passioned by robotics and automation from a young age, and one of his teenage years robotics prototypes got him a scholarship at Carnegie Mellon.He attended Carnegie Mellon, receiving a BS in Business. During his senior year (2004) he started the Hkan Hookah Bar and Grill. There he learned what it takes to run a restaurant and the problems associated with a large staff and facility.Audley went on to start a career in the field of analytics in New York City, amassing 14 years of experience leading analytics teams for companies of all sizes. Over this time he guided many businesses to higher ROI, through cost reduction and optimization.He focuses on the operations side of the business such as partner management, the operations team, servicing units and inventory control databases and optimizations of our systems.#podcast #AFewThingsPodcast

Self-Directed IRAs: Maximize Returns and Take ControlHave you heard these myths about self-directed IRAs in real estate investing? Myth 1: Self-directed IRAs are only for the wealthy. Myth 2: Self-directed IRAs are too complicated and risky. Myth 3: You can only invest in stocks and bonds with an IRA. I will reveal the truth behind these myths, but first, let's dive into the real advantages of using self-directed IRAs in real estate. We'll spend time talking with Jaime Raskulinecz, CEO and Founder of Next Generation Trust Company, about the different advantages of using a SDIRA in your investing and diversification.In this episode, you will be able to:Discover the advantages of self-directed IRAs for maximizing retirement earnings with alternative investments.Learn the potential for higher returns by investing in real estate within your IRA, unlocking new opportunities for growth.Navigate the complexities of avoiding prohibited transactions in IRAs, ensuring compliance and safeguarding your retirement savings.Explore effective Roth IRA contribution strategies to optimize tax advantages and build a more robust retirement portfolio.Diversify your retirement investments beyond stocks to mitigate risk and potentially enhance long-term financial security.How Next Generation Trust Company was started and how it differs from other SDIRA companies.Open an account with Next Generation Trust Company HERE!About Jaime Raskulinecz: Jaime strives to empower clients with the knowledge needed to shape their financial future proactively and is a frequent speaker on non-traditional investments within retirement plans.Ms. Raskulinecz has more than a decade of experience within the real estate industry. She has served on the executive board of the Institute of Real Estate Management, Chapter 1 in New Jersey. Ms. Raskulinecz has been frequently interviewed and asked to contribute to articles about self-directed investing which have appeared in The Wall Street Journal, BusinessWeek, InvestmentNews, Financial Advisor Magazine, Investment Advisor Magazine, FoxBusiness.com, NJBIZ, The Record, RIS Media and Real Estate Weekly. She has recently been recognized by Real Estate New Jersey as one of their “50 Women of Influence” (2207 & 2008) and by the New Jersey Association of Women Business Owners (NJAWBO) as one of the “30 Most Successful New Jersey Women Business Owners.” Entrust Northeast was also selected as a “Best Practices In Marketing” finalist by The New York Enterprise Report for the firm's education outreach to the public regarding real estate investing in self-directed accounts.Watch the original VIDEO HERE!Book a call with Scott HERE!Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share!Here's How »Join the Note Closers Show community today:WeCloseNotes.comThe Note Closers Show FacebookThe Note Closers Show TwitterScott Carson LinkedInThe Note Closers Show YouTubeThe Note Closers Show VimeoThe Note Closers Show InstagramWe Close Notes Pinterest

In today's episode of Fingerprints on Success, Bill Barrett has an insightful conversation with Sandee Markwith, the visionary founder of Studio 1200, a premier architecture and interior design firm based in Short Hills, New Jersey. Recognized as one of the top 50 Women in Business by NJBIZ and a two-time top real estate influencer by ROI and J, Sandee's innovative approach has propelled Studio 1200 to the forefront of the industry.During the episode, Sandee will share her remarkable path from childhood passion for design to leading a renowned design firm. Listeners will learn about her early influences, including mentorship and pivotal career decisions that led to founding Studio 1200.She will also discuss the challenges and triumphs of entrepreneurship, highlighting her organic growth from freelancing to establishing a thriving firm. Sandee's journey underscores the importance of mentorship, resilience, and adaptability in the competitive world of commercial real estate and design.Bill and Sandee discuss the evolving landscape of architecture, touching on topics such as the impact of AI on design processes and the shift towards experiential workplace strategies.Listeners will find out how Sandee's commitment to diversity in project scope has been a key factor in Studio 1200's success, navigating challenges like the 2008 recession and fostering a culture of innovation and mentorship. Listen now and enjoy!What You'll Learn in this Show:The pivotal role of mentorship in Sandee's career and how it shaped her entrepreneurial journeyHow Sandee navigated challenges like the 2008 recession and diversified her firm's project portfolioInsights into the future of architecture and design, including the impact of AI and evolving workplace strategiesStudio 1200's commitment to community involvement and giving back through partnerships and charitable workSandee's guiding principles for success and her passion for nurturing talent within her firmAnd so much more...Resources:Website: https://www.studio1200.com Get connected with Sandee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandee-markwith-b732129/ Get connected with Bill: https://www.linkedin.com/in/william-barrett-94412610/

Adenah Bayoh, award-winning entrepreneur, restaurateur, real estate developer, speaker, and philanthropist joins me on this episode. Adenah has been named to Ebony Magazine's Power 100 list, NJBIZ's Best 50 Women in Business list, and was the recipient of the Faces of Diversity Award from the National Restaurant Association Education Foundation. She's been featured in Forbes and Business Insider, among other media outlets. Topics we cover include Adenah's remarkable journey from escaping Liberia to immigrating to the United States, lessons learned from her grandmother, a love of entrepreneurship, building a real estate empire, breaking barriers and overcoming challenges, becoming a restaurateur, empowering and highlighting women of color, and more. Get connected with Adenah: Website: https://adenahbayoh.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IrvingtonIHOP Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adenahbayoh/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adenah-bayoh-b7285919/ Leave a 5-star review with a comment on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/business-minds-coffee-chat/id1539014324  Subscribe to my Business Builder Newsletter: https://bit.ly/32y0YxJ  Want to learn how you can work with me to gain more clarity, build a rock-solid foundation for your business, and achieve the results and success you deserve? Visit http://jayscherrbusinessconsulting.com/ and schedule a 1:1 discovery coaching call. Enjoy, thanks for listening, and please share with a friend!

In this podcast episode, Harold King, President of the Council of Industry, sits down with John Rath, Chief Lending Officer of Lakeland Bank & Advisory Board Member of the Food Bank of the Hudson Valley. Since the needs of the Hudson Valley are growing, the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York and Food Bank of the Hudson Valley are embarking on a $6.5M Capital Campaign for a new facility that will resolve current space limitations and position them to meet the demand for the foreseeable future. To find out more information on this initiative, and to donate, visit regionalfoodbank.net/hudsonvalleyproject.Lakeland Bank manages $10 billion in assets, serving New Jersey and Highland Mills, N.Y. It focuses on financial strength, offering services like commercial loans, healthcare loans, and treasury management. For consumers, it provides deposit accounts, digital banking, loans, and wealth management. The bank has received awards like Forbes' Best-In-State Bank for five years, American Banker's Best Bank to Work For, Bauer Financial's 5-Star Bank, NJBIZ's 50 Fastest Growing Companies, and Piper Sandler Sm-All Stars. Harold and John in this episode delve into John's journey in the banking industry, his involvement in economic development, and his dedicated work with various charity organizations, including the Food Bank of the Hudson Valley. John discusses the crucial role the Food Bank plays in providing food to those in need across the Hudson Valley region. The Food Bank is currently embarking on a capital campaign to build a new 40,000 square foot warehouse in Montgomery, New York, which will significantly expand its capacity to store and distribute food to local agencies and communities. John highlights the importance of this project, the urgency of raising the necessary funds, and the widespread support the campaign has received from local businesses, leaders, and organizations. As we explore the economic landscape, John discusses the factors influencing the region, from rising interest rates to the challenges faced. He emphasizes that the Food Bank's mission to provide food to those in need will always be essential, especially during economically challenging times.For more information about the capital campaign, and to donate, visit regionalfoodbank.net/hudsonvalleyproject.For more information about Lakeland Bank visit their website at lakelandbank.com or their Facebook at facebook.com/LakelandBank.--The Council of Industry has been the manufacturer's association of the Hudson Valley since 1910. We are a privately funded not-for-profit organization, whose mission is to promote the success of our member firms and their employees, and through them contribute to the success of the Hudson Valley Community. For more information about the Council of Industry visit our website at councilofindustry.org.

What are you doing with your money? Bryan Kuderna is a financial advisor and author at Kuderna Financial Team whose main goal is to help people make financial decisions for their lives. In this episode, we talk about the financial market, the best tips to retire the right way, and why young people should do a personality assessment before investing their money.

Episode 10:  In this episode of Prodcircle, we dive deep into the concept of how to manage your money. Bryan is an experienced wealth management consultant for the top 1% around the globe but he has seen a lot of people making the same mistake when it comes to investment. Bryan M. Kuderna is a Certified Financial Planner™ and the founder of Kuderna Financial Team. Named one of New Jersey's Top 10 Financial Professionals of 2021 by NJBiz, he also hosts a popular finance and business podcast—The Kuderna Podcast. He is a regular contributor to CNBC, Newsmax, Yahoo Finance, AARP, and other media. His first book, Millennial Millionaire (2016), launched Kuderna as a national speaker at colleges, hospitals, corporations, and financial institutions and paved the way for his new book, WHAT SHOULD I DO WITH MY MONEY? Economic Insights to Build Wealth Amid Chaos (McGraw Hill, 02/07/2023). Bryan has a Master of Science in Financial Services from The American College and a Bachelor of Science in Finance and Economics from The College of New Jersey. Overall, this episode was packed with valuable insights and practical advice for young entrepreneurs like us. It reminded us of the power of stories, the importance of creating exceptional content, and the potential impact of personal branding. Enjoy :) 

On this special edition of Lessons in Leadership, Steve and Mary talk with Kirsten Rasky, Senior Account Executive, NJBIZ, about the changes she has seen in business in the state as well as why she believes it is important to learn something new every day. Then, Steve and Mary talk with Joey Gamba, NYU Tisch … Continue reading Lessons in Leadership: Kirsten Rasky and Joey Gamba

With Allison Williams, a remarkable entrepreneur who has founded not just one, but two thriving businesses. As the founder of Williams Law Group, a prestigious family law firm, she holds various certifications and fellowships, including being a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, and being certified by both the New Jersey Supreme Court and National Board of Trial Advocacy in Family Law. Allison successfully grew Williams Law Group from a startup to a multi-million dollar business in just 3.5 years. Building on this success, she then launched Law Firm Mentor, which offers expert business coaching to solo and small law firm attorneys, helping them to increase revenue, reduce chaos, and grow their businesses. Allison's impressive accomplishments in business include winning the LawFirm500 award and being ranked 14th among the fastest-growing law firms in the country. She has also been recognized as a Stevie Award Finalist for Female Entrepreneur of the Year and as one of NJBIZ's Top 50 Women in Business. Additionally, she has been voted as one of New Jersey's Best Lawyers for Families and as one of the Top 100 Super Lawyers in the state. Aside from her work in law and business, Allison is an accomplished international speaker in the field of child abuse and neglect evidence and trial practice. She has even made appearances on the Katie Couric show and has contributed articles to the Huffington Post on issues related to child maltreatment. Her motto for Law Firm Mentor is #NeverStopGrowing, which speaks to her unwavering dedication to helping others achieve their goals and reach their full potential. In this podcast, Allison opens up about the unique challenges of balancing the practice of law with the demands of running a successful business. We delve into the reasons why lawyers may be hesitant to seek out coaching, and explore the transformative power of the coaching industry. Our conversation also touches on the crucial role that discussions around mental health and sobriety play in the success of any business, regardless of its size. To listen to the podcast and access the show notes and any other resources mentioned in this episode, visit us at www.legalwebsitewarrior.com/podcast.

Bryan will share his entrepreneurial insights from building a top nationally recognized financial services firm over the past 15 years. He will also share his advice from his new book-- "What Should I Do with My Money? Economic Insights to Build Wealth Amid Chaos". Bryan M. Kuderna is a Certified Financial Planner™ and the founder of Kuderna Financial Team. Named one of New Jersey's Top 10 Financial Professionals of 2021 by NJBiz, he also hosts a popular finance and business podcast—The Kuderna Podcast. He regularly contributes to CNBC, Newsmax, Yahoo Finance, AARP, and other media. His first book, Millennial Millionaire (2016, launched Kuderna as a national speaker at colleges, hospitals, corporations, and financial instructions and paved the way for his new book, WHAT SHOULD I DO WITH MY MONEY? Economic Insights to Build Wealth Amid Chaos (McGraw Hill, 2023). Bryan has a Master of Science in Financial Services from The American College and a Bachelor of Science in Finance and Economics from The College of New Jersey. Connect with Bryan: https://bryankuderna.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryan-kuderna-a3848316/ https://twitter.com/BKuderna https://www.facebook.com/TheKudernaPodcast PROMOTION: https://www.amazon.com/What-Should-Do-My-Money/dp/1264857934/ref=tm m_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1681920578&sr=8-1 ▼ ▼ You can connect with/follow Talking with the Experts: Website: https://talkingwiththeexperts.com/ LinkedIn: Rose Davidson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rose-davidson/ Talking with the Experts: https://www.linkedin.com/company/talkingwiththeexperts/ Facebook Page: [Rose Davidson] https://www.facebook.com/rosedavidsonaustralia/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rosedavidson_australia/ SoundCloud: [Follow] https://soundcloud.com/talking-with-the-experts YouTube: [Subscribe] https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkM5n5QJhnNAmUiMzii73wQ #business #entrepreneur #marketing #businessstrategy #entrepreneurship #leadership #finance #startups #strategy #productivity

Bryan M. Kuderna is the founder of  Kuderna Financial Team.  He is a perennial qualifier for the industry's prestigious Million Dollar Round Table®, Leaders Club, and Inner Circle.  He is the author of What Should I Do with My Money? Economic Insights to Build Wealth Amid Chaos, Millennial Millionaire: A Guide to Become a Millionaire by 30, and Anoroc.  Bryan is the host of The Kuderna Podcast.  He was named in 2021 one of New Jersey's Leaders in Finance by NJBiz.

Bryan M. Kuderna is a Certified Financial Planner™ and the founder of Kuderna Financial Team. Named of New Jersey's Top 10 Financial Professionals of 2021 by NJBiz, he also hosts a popular finance and business podcast—The Kuderna Podcast.  He is a regular contributor to CNBC, Newsmax, Yahoo Finance, AARP, and other media.  His first book, Millennial Millionaire (2016), launched Kuderna as a national speaker at colleges, hospitals, corporations, and financial instructions and paved the way for his new book, WHAT SHOULD I DO WITH MY MONEY? Economic Insights to Build Wealth Amid Chaos (McGraw Hill, 02/07/2023).  Bryan has a Master of Science in Financial Services from The American College and a Bachelor of Science in Finance and Economics from The College of New Jersey.  He enjoys staying active, having completed an International Ironman and marathon, practicing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, and spending time with his wife and three children.  Follow our Host: Website: vinnyhale.com Insta: vinny_hale07

Understanding the economy or not understanding can help or hurt you financially. Inflation is impacting your quality of life, but do you know how it's going to impact your retirement savings and ability to build wealth? In this episode, Certified Financial Planner™, Bryan M. Kuderna shares tips on how to handle inflation, why it's important to increase your economic literacy, and how to maximize your retirement savings during these times.  Bryan is the founder of Kuderna Financial Team. Named one of New Jersey's Leaders in Finance in 2021 by NJBiz, he also hosts The Kuderna Podcast, a show about wealth in its original meaning. Bryan is an author of fiction and nonfiction, including: WHAT SHOULD I DO WITH MY MONEY?: Economic Insights to Build Wealth Amid Chaos, Millennial Millionaire- A Guide to Become a Millionaire by 30, and his young adult fantasy novel, Anoroc. Bryan stays active by practicing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and completed the International Ironman in Quebec, Canada.  The show notes can be found here: https://laceylangford.com/podcast/economic-literacy/

In this episode of Money, Rob is in conversation with Bryan Kuderna about all things disruptive. They break down the DNA of the Disruptive Entrepreneur, exploring the key traits of successful people and the psychology behind innovation. Join Rob's decentralised financial freedom platform at http://rob.team KEY TAKEAWAYS  In every disruptor, there is a restlessness with being controlled. They naturally want to rebel, and this is what drives action. Disruptors ATTACK problems face on. They are curious and playful and experiment, failing fast to succeed. There is value in the void. When you have problems, goals and a restlessness, this is a void that motivates you to get up in the morning. If there was no void to fill, you would not see value in life. Do not try to solve everything! BEST MOMENTS  “I do not deal with rejection, that just makes me more determined”. “Do I like my like my life right now? You're damn right I do – This is a statement of gratitude. I hated my life when I was fat”. “I should worry less and do all this therapy, but there is value in these voids, these are what motivate me to fix my life and keep going”. “As soon as you're satisfied, you're finished”. VALUABLE RESOURCES For access to Rob's FREE toolkit including video training and resources, head to bit.ly/robtoolkit http://rob.team bit.ly/Robsupporter https://robmoore.com/podbooks BRYAN KUDERNA Bryan is the host of The Kuderna Podcast. He was named in 2021 one of New Jersey's Leaders in Finance by NJBiz. Bryan has a Master of Financial Services from The American College and a Bachelor of Science in Finance and Economics from The College of New Jersey. https://bryankuderna.com ABOUT THE HOST Rob Moore is an author of 9 business books, 5 UK bestsellers, holds 3 world records for public speaking, entrepreneur, property investor, and property educator. Author of the global bestseller “Life Leverage” Host of UK's No.1 business podcast “The Disruptive Entrepreneur” “If you don't risk anything, you risk everything” CONTACT METHOD Rob's official website: https://robmoore.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robmooreprogressive/?ref=br_rs LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/robmoore1979See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is Garrison Hardie with your CrossPolitic Daily Newsbrief, for Wednesday, February 22nd, 2023. Fight Laugh Feast Conference - Ark Encounter This year, our Fight Laugh Feast Conference is at the Ark Encounter in Kentucky on The Politics of Six Day Creation. The politics of six day creation is the difference between a fixed standard of justice and a careening standard of justice, the difference between the corrosive relativism that creates mobs and anarchy and the freedom of objectivity, truth, and due process. The politics of six day creation establishes the authority and sufficiency of God’s Word for all of life: from what is a man or a woman, when does human life begin, and how is human society best organized? Come hear Ken Ham, Pastor Doug Wilson, Dr. Ben Merkle, Dr. Gordon Wilson, me and more, and of course a live CrossPolitic show! Mark your calendars for October 11th-14th, as we fight, laugh, and feast, with beer & psalms, our amazing lineup of speakers, our Rowdy Christian Merch, and a Sabbath Feast to wrap up the occasion. Maybe an infant baptism while we’re at it? https://redstate.com/bobhoge/2023/02/21/retailers-to-shut-down-over-800-big-box-stores-as-inflation-anemic-sales-and-interest-rates-create-perfect-storm-n706431 Retailers to Shut Down Over 800 Big-Box Stores as Inflation, Anemic Sales and Interest Rates Create Perfect Storm The retail world continues its downward spiral, as holiday sales failed to meet expectations and wary consumers are keeping their wallets in their pockets due to rampant inflation and soaring interest rates. While 2022 Christmas holiday sales did increase from the prior year; it’s just that expectations were primed for an even higher increase after two years of the pandemic. The end result: over 800 big-box stores are slated to shut down across the country in 2023. Bed Bath & Beyond, Walmart, Gap, and Party City are among the big names who will be downsizing. Bath & Beyond, which narrowly escaped bankruptcy proceedings earlier this month, is the biggest loser, aiming to cut its number of stores to 480 when it once had over 1,500 locations. At least 416 stores have been identified for closure, along with all 65 of its locations in Canada. Thirty-five will close in California alone. Next up is homegoods outlet Tuesday Morning, which will close 265 stores as it struggles to survive through bankruptcy proceedings. Once again, California will be hardest hit, with 30 stores shutting their doors. Macy’s, Big Lots, JCPenny, and even Amazon Fresh grocery stores also have plans to shutter locations. What’s going on here? CNBC explains: For retailers, the shopping season’s results reflect the challenges ahead. As Americans continue to pay higher prices for groceries, housing and more month after month, they are racking up credit card balances, spending down savings and having fewer dollars for discretionary spending. Plus, retailers are following years of extraordinary spending. During the Covid pandemic, Americans fought boredom and used stimulus checks by buying loungewear, throw pillows, kitchen supplies, home theater systems and more. Party City, the ubiquitous entertainment supply chain, has filed for bankruptcy and is in the process of auctioning off many of its leases. NJBIZ reports: A month after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, Party City Holdco Inc. is looking to shrink its retail footprint as part of an expedited financial restructuring. In a Feb. 16 filing with U.S. bankruptcy court, the Woodcliff Lake-based operator of 800-plus stores said it is working with A&G Real Estate Partners to auction off leases for 12 underperforming locations in six states. In coming weeks, additional lease auctions will follow, with the total number of closures depending on the outcome of ongoing negotiations with landlords, according to A&G. Unfortunately, this is not a new trend. CVS, Rite-Aid, Kroger, Nordstrom, and Best Buy have also been quietly culling their stores over the last several years. Another factor: many locations are closing simply because they’re not safe to operate as lax laws and woke prosecutors have turned many spots into virtual free-for-alls for organized shoplifters. https://nypost.com/2023/02/21/border-patrol-begs-for-help-after-record-migrant-surge-from-canada/ Border Patrol now begs for help to stop 800% surge of migrants sneaking in from Canada The Border Patrol is begging agents to volunteer in the north after a staggering nearly-850% surge of mostly-Mexican migrants illegally crossing into the US from Canada. The agency’s Swanton Sector in Vermont — covering parts of upstate New York and New Hampshire — requested a “quick turnaround” of agents from the already overwhelmed southern border to make their way north to volunteer for at least a month starting next week. Help is needed to control the “strain caused by the surge” of “primarily Mexican migrants with no legal documents,” Swanton’s Chief Patrol Agent Robert Garcia wrote in a memo obtained this week by Fox News. “Due to the increased numbers, stations are task saturated with processing large groups, which has contributed” to more migrants being able to slip into the country, the memo notes. The request came a week after Garcia reported that crossings had reached “historic highs” — even as temperatures plummet to deadly lows of minus-four degrees. His sector said that the current fiscal year — which started in October — “demonstrates an approximate 846% increase in encounters and apprehensions compared to the same period” in the previous year. In fact, the first four months of the current fiscal year have seen more encounters than the whole of the previous two years combined. Last month, agents recorded 367 apprehensions and encounters — more than the total of the past 12 Januarys combined, which was 344. The desperate conditions in the south have also seen a steady flow of agents transferred there from the north, creating part of the “vulnerability,” Clem said He blamed electronic travel authorization for allowing migrants to travel “basically visa-free” from Mexico to Canada. The Swanton sector has seen families with young kids, even infants, crossing, and late last year provided life-saving aid in separate incidents in Vermont and upstate New York, Garcia said. https://thepostmillennial.com/don-lemon-to-undergo-formal-training-after-sexist-remarks-about-nikki-haley-will-be-back-on-cnn-wednesday?utm_campaign=64487 Don Lemon to undergo 'formal training' after sexist remarks about Nikki Haley, will be back on CNN Wednesday Don Lemon is set to return to the air on Wednesday after beign removed from CNN This Morning over sexist comments he made about Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley's age. https://twitter.com/i/status/1626263301758898176 - Play Video The longtime host will reportedly be taking part in "formal training" to help him understand why what he said was wrong. According to Brian Stelter, CNN CEO Chris Licht sent a memo to staff on Monday outlining the situation. Lemon said in a tweet: The reference I made to a woman’s “prime” this morning was inartful and irrelevant, as colleagues and loved ones have pointed out, and I regret it. A woman’s age doesn't define her either personally or professionally. I have countless women in my life who prove that every day. Smart Pricing Table: Do you own a business and write a lot of proposals? If so, you should check out SmartPricingTable.com. Smart Pricing Table allows you to create quick and accurate proposals; and it's loaded with features like recurring fees, quantities and line item upsells. When your prospect is ready, they can e-sign and you're off to the races. Visit SmartPricingTable.com and mention Cross Politic to get 25% off your first 2 months https://thepostmillennial.com/project-veritas-hemorrhages-twitter-followers-after-release-of-founder-james-okeefe?utm_campaign=64487 Project Veritas HEMORRHAGES Twitter followers after release of founder James O'Keefe On Monday, Project Veritas lost over 80,000 followers on social media after it was announced company founder James O'Keefe was removed from the organization, which he founded in 2011, after the board placed him on paid leave earlier in February. According to Social Blade, a social media analytics website, the live tally as of 4:30 pm showed Project Veritas had lost almost 80,000 followers on Twitter. Since February 16, on YouTube, Project Veritas has lost over 10,000 followers. A February 6 memo leaked from 16 Project Veritas employees detailed their problems with the news organization's founder and claimed he exhibited "cruel behavior." "James has become a power drunk tyrant and he is exactly who he pontificates on who we should be exposing," wrote one of the employees. Initial reporting on Monday from Neil McCabe of OAN claimed O'Keefe had resigned. Later, RC Maxwell from Project Veritas said O'Keefe was in fact removed from his role as CEO by the Board.

This is Garrison Hardie with your CrossPolitic Daily Newsbrief, for Wednesday, February 22nd, 2023. Fight Laugh Feast Conference - Ark Encounter This year, our Fight Laugh Feast Conference is at the Ark Encounter in Kentucky on The Politics of Six Day Creation. The politics of six day creation is the difference between a fixed standard of justice and a careening standard of justice, the difference between the corrosive relativism that creates mobs and anarchy and the freedom of objectivity, truth, and due process. The politics of six day creation establishes the authority and sufficiency of God’s Word for all of life: from what is a man or a woman, when does human life begin, and how is human society best organized? Come hear Ken Ham, Pastor Doug Wilson, Dr. Ben Merkle, Dr. Gordon Wilson, me and more, and of course a live CrossPolitic show! Mark your calendars for October 11th-14th, as we fight, laugh, and feast, with beer & psalms, our amazing lineup of speakers, our Rowdy Christian Merch, and a Sabbath Feast to wrap up the occasion. Maybe an infant baptism while we’re at it? https://redstate.com/bobhoge/2023/02/21/retailers-to-shut-down-over-800-big-box-stores-as-inflation-anemic-sales-and-interest-rates-create-perfect-storm-n706431 Retailers to Shut Down Over 800 Big-Box Stores as Inflation, Anemic Sales and Interest Rates Create Perfect Storm The retail world continues its downward spiral, as holiday sales failed to meet expectations and wary consumers are keeping their wallets in their pockets due to rampant inflation and soaring interest rates. While 2022 Christmas holiday sales did increase from the prior year; it’s just that expectations were primed for an even higher increase after two years of the pandemic. The end result: over 800 big-box stores are slated to shut down across the country in 2023. Bed Bath & Beyond, Walmart, Gap, and Party City are among the big names who will be downsizing. Bath & Beyond, which narrowly escaped bankruptcy proceedings earlier this month, is the biggest loser, aiming to cut its number of stores to 480 when it once had over 1,500 locations. At least 416 stores have been identified for closure, along with all 65 of its locations in Canada. Thirty-five will close in California alone. Next up is homegoods outlet Tuesday Morning, which will close 265 stores as it struggles to survive through bankruptcy proceedings. Once again, California will be hardest hit, with 30 stores shutting their doors. Macy’s, Big Lots, JCPenny, and even Amazon Fresh grocery stores also have plans to shutter locations. What’s going on here? CNBC explains: For retailers, the shopping season’s results reflect the challenges ahead. As Americans continue to pay higher prices for groceries, housing and more month after month, they are racking up credit card balances, spending down savings and having fewer dollars for discretionary spending. Plus, retailers are following years of extraordinary spending. During the Covid pandemic, Americans fought boredom and used stimulus checks by buying loungewear, throw pillows, kitchen supplies, home theater systems and more. Party City, the ubiquitous entertainment supply chain, has filed for bankruptcy and is in the process of auctioning off many of its leases. NJBIZ reports: A month after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, Party City Holdco Inc. is looking to shrink its retail footprint as part of an expedited financial restructuring. In a Feb. 16 filing with U.S. bankruptcy court, the Woodcliff Lake-based operator of 800-plus stores said it is working with A&G Real Estate Partners to auction off leases for 12 underperforming locations in six states. In coming weeks, additional lease auctions will follow, with the total number of closures depending on the outcome of ongoing negotiations with landlords, according to A&G. Unfortunately, this is not a new trend. CVS, Rite-Aid, Kroger, Nordstrom, and Best Buy have also been quietly culling their stores over the last several years. Another factor: many locations are closing simply because they’re not safe to operate as lax laws and woke prosecutors have turned many spots into virtual free-for-alls for organized shoplifters. https://nypost.com/2023/02/21/border-patrol-begs-for-help-after-record-migrant-surge-from-canada/ Border Patrol now begs for help to stop 800% surge of migrants sneaking in from Canada The Border Patrol is begging agents to volunteer in the north after a staggering nearly-850% surge of mostly-Mexican migrants illegally crossing into the US from Canada. The agency’s Swanton Sector in Vermont — covering parts of upstate New York and New Hampshire — requested a “quick turnaround” of agents from the already overwhelmed southern border to make their way north to volunteer for at least a month starting next week. Help is needed to control the “strain caused by the surge” of “primarily Mexican migrants with no legal documents,” Swanton’s Chief Patrol Agent Robert Garcia wrote in a memo obtained this week by Fox News. “Due to the increased numbers, stations are task saturated with processing large groups, which has contributed” to more migrants being able to slip into the country, the memo notes. The request came a week after Garcia reported that crossings had reached “historic highs” — even as temperatures plummet to deadly lows of minus-four degrees. His sector said that the current fiscal year — which started in October — “demonstrates an approximate 846% increase in encounters and apprehensions compared to the same period” in the previous year. In fact, the first four months of the current fiscal year have seen more encounters than the whole of the previous two years combined. Last month, agents recorded 367 apprehensions and encounters — more than the total of the past 12 Januarys combined, which was 344. The desperate conditions in the south have also seen a steady flow of agents transferred there from the north, creating part of the “vulnerability,” Clem said He blamed electronic travel authorization for allowing migrants to travel “basically visa-free” from Mexico to Canada. The Swanton sector has seen families with young kids, even infants, crossing, and late last year provided life-saving aid in separate incidents in Vermont and upstate New York, Garcia said. https://thepostmillennial.com/don-lemon-to-undergo-formal-training-after-sexist-remarks-about-nikki-haley-will-be-back-on-cnn-wednesday?utm_campaign=64487 Don Lemon to undergo 'formal training' after sexist remarks about Nikki Haley, will be back on CNN Wednesday Don Lemon is set to return to the air on Wednesday after beign removed from CNN This Morning over sexist comments he made about Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley's age. https://twitter.com/i/status/1626263301758898176 - Play Video The longtime host will reportedly be taking part in "formal training" to help him understand why what he said was wrong. According to Brian Stelter, CNN CEO Chris Licht sent a memo to staff on Monday outlining the situation. Lemon said in a tweet: The reference I made to a woman’s “prime” this morning was inartful and irrelevant, as colleagues and loved ones have pointed out, and I regret it. A woman’s age doesn't define her either personally or professionally. I have countless women in my life who prove that every day. Smart Pricing Table: Do you own a business and write a lot of proposals? If so, you should check out SmartPricingTable.com. Smart Pricing Table allows you to create quick and accurate proposals; and it's loaded with features like recurring fees, quantities and line item upsells. When your prospect is ready, they can e-sign and you're off to the races. Visit SmartPricingTable.com and mention Cross Politic to get 25% off your first 2 months https://thepostmillennial.com/project-veritas-hemorrhages-twitter-followers-after-release-of-founder-james-okeefe?utm_campaign=64487 Project Veritas HEMORRHAGES Twitter followers after release of founder James O'Keefe On Monday, Project Veritas lost over 80,000 followers on social media after it was announced company founder James O'Keefe was removed from the organization, which he founded in 2011, after the board placed him on paid leave earlier in February. According to Social Blade, a social media analytics website, the live tally as of 4:30 pm showed Project Veritas had lost almost 80,000 followers on Twitter. Since February 16, on YouTube, Project Veritas has lost over 10,000 followers. A February 6 memo leaked from 16 Project Veritas employees detailed their problems with the news organization's founder and claimed he exhibited "cruel behavior." "James has become a power drunk tyrant and he is exactly who he pontificates on who we should be exposing," wrote one of the employees. Initial reporting on Monday from Neil McCabe of OAN claimed O'Keefe had resigned. Later, RC Maxwell from Project Veritas said O'Keefe was in fact removed from his role as CEO by the Board.

A lot of times, we're told that the way to grow a business is by growing your revenue or cutting your expenses. And while those are both key components, there are ways to generate greater health for your business by increasing the amount on the bottom line - in ways we're not taught to think about.    My guest today is someone who thinks and focuses her practice on helping small law firms scale their businesses using sound financial policies. Her name is Danielle Hendon, and she is the founder and CEO of 4 Corners CFO, LLC. With more than a decade of experience working in corporate finance and accounting, and a passion for people that rivals her love of numbers, Danielle brings the benefit of big business financial analysis to entrepreneurs on a scale that fits both their company AND their budget.   In this episode, we discuss: Ways to generate greater health for your business by increasing the amount on the bottom line How to plan - and ultimately fund - your growth before you get there Your time is worth more for your growth than you'd like to pay a bookkeeper Looking at the bottom line is going to be the key indicator of the health of your business.     Contacts - Social Media Danielle Hendon Website: https://4cornerscfo.com/   Snip-Its 00:14:48 (36 Seconds)  So there's a couple of different types of profit margin, one being that net profit margin, which just like we talked about earlier, net income is going to drive your net profit margin. That is, after all the expenses, you want that number to be 10 to 15%. That's the ideal range for a business to run a net profit. And that gives you what you need to put back into the business to continue to grow and scale the way that you want to. The gross profit margin that I mentioned just a minute ago is going to be your revenue minus the costs that go into providing that Revenue service.   Allison Bio: Allison C. Williams, Esq., is the Founder and Owner of the Williams Law Group, LLC, with offices in Short Hills and Freehold, New Jersey. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, is Certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a Matrimonial Law Attorney, and is the first attorney in New Jersey to become Board-Certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy in the field of Family Law. Ms. Williams is an accomplished businesswoman. In 2017, the Williams Law Group won the LawFirm500 award, ranking 14th of the fastest-growing law firms in the nation, as Ms. Williams grew the firm by 581% in three years. Ms. Williams won the Silver Stevie Award for Female Entrepreneur of the Year in 2017. In 2018, Ms. Williams was voted as NJBIZ's Top 50 Women in Business and was designated one of the Top 25 Leading Women Entrepreneurs and Business Owners. In 2019, Ms. Williams won the Seminole 100 Award for founding one of the fastest-growing companies among graduates of Florida State University. In 2018, Ms. Williams created Law Firm Mentor, a business coaching service for lawyers. She helps solo and small law firm attorneys grow their business revenues, crush chaos in business and make more money. Through multi-day intensive business retreats, group and one-to-one coaching, and strategic planning sessions, Ms. Williams advises lawyers on all aspects of creating, sustaining, and scaling a law firm business – and specifically, she teaches them the core foundational principles of marketing, sales, personnel management, communications, and money management in law firms. Contacts https://www.lawfirmmentor.net/speak-with-a-growth-strategist  

I'm a huge proponent of welcoming guests who don't just sell a service but are tailored to the small law firm experience. And as a recovering attorney, speaker, and Founder and Chief Podcast Strategist of LawPods — Robert Ingalls fits the mold. Having worked with premier law firms including McGuire Woods, Blank Rome and The Law Offices of John T. Orcutt, LawPods helps busy attorneys create world-class podcast content that boosts SEO, builds relationships and drives revenue. In this episode we discuss: Challenges lawyers face in a highly regulated profession. How we might be resistant to putting ourselves out there if we have not been a public speaker. How can we deal with the potential conflicts that arise from having your message out there. Speaking to your ideal clients. How to cross-market various clips that you will create from a podcast. The three P's of podcasting that are helpful when you want to start a podcast.   Contacts – Social Media Website: https://www.lawpods.com robert@lawpods.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/lawpods Instagram: www.instagram.com/lawpods   About Robert Ingalls Robert Ingalls is a recovering attorney, professional speaker and the founder of LawPods, one of the first podcast production agencies for law firms. At LawPods, Robert and his team help some of the premier law firms in the world launch and grow branded podcasts that build relationships and drive revenue.  Robert's path to Podcast Producer to the Am Law 100 was anything but direct. For years he battles anxiety from the pressure, long hours and constant conflict of a litigation career. When he was finally ready to throw in the towel, he had no idea what to do next. With no business/marketing background and only a love for podcasts he discovered while creating a podcast for his law firm, Robert decided to see if lawyers would pay him to help them launch podcasts. With very few takers in the early days, Robert spent two years in a corporate banking gig, grinding nights and weekends to finally bring LawPods to life.    Snip-Its 00:19:36 (36 Seconds)  So you referenced earlier this, this idea of using the podcast in different places and you just hearken back to it. So when someone is kind of thinking through a podcast as a portion of their marketing plan, right, they're going to have the podcast as kind of the pillar content, and then that content is going to go out to different places. How do you take it and alter it so it fits different platforms so you know where it's going to get the most bang for your buck? Like where is it in the line of, of, of a, I guess, nurturing from point of initial awareness to the point of sale where you're really getting your most bang for your buck.   Allison Bio: Allison C. Williams, Esq., is the Founder and Owner of the Williams Law Group, LLC, with offices in Short Hills and Freehold, New Jersey. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, is Certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a Matrimonial Law Attorney, and is the first attorney in New Jersey to become Board-Certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy in the field of Family Law. Ms. Williams is an accomplished businesswoman. In 2017, the Williams Law Group won the LawFirm500 award, ranking 14th of the fastest-growing law firms in the nation, as Ms. Williams grew the firm by 581% in three years. Ms. Williams won the Silver Stevie Award for Female Entrepreneur of the Year in 2017. In 2018, Ms. Williams was voted as NJBIZ's Top 50 Women in Business and was designated one of the Top 25 Leading Women Entrepreneurs and Business Owners. In 2019, Ms. Williams won the Seminole 100 Award for founding one of the fastest-growing companies among graduates of Florida State University. In 2018, Ms. Williams created Law Firm Mentor, a business coaching service for lawyers. She helps solo and small law firm attorneys grow their business revenues, crush chaos in business and make more money. Through multi-day intensive business retreats, group and one-to-one coaching, and strategic planning sessions, Ms. Williams advises lawyers on all aspects of creating, sustaining, and scaling a law firm business – and specifically, she teaches them the core foundational principles of marketing, sales, personnel management, communications, and money management in law firms. Contacts https://www.lawfirmmentor.net/speak-with-a-growth-strategist

This is one of those topics that comes straight from the well of what I do here at Law Firm Mentor; coaching lawyers on how to look at things from a different perspective. Oftentimes, it's a little tweak in the way we approach something that can bring traction.  Other times, we have to do something grandiose; something far different than what we were doing before. Because the most power tends to come when we are being ourselves and doing what we already know — just a little bit differently — that can make a dramatic change.  In this episode we discuss: 3 key strategies for how to get out of your comfort zone that will lead you to grow. The risk of comfort is the notion that growth feeds itself. The main goal is what will compel you to do the work that will lead to growth. How your lifestyle will grow and evolve with inflation. Staying in your comfort zone will never satisfy your true purpose.   Allison Bio: Allison C. Williams, Esq., is the Founder and Owner of the Williams Law Group, LLC, with offices in Short Hills and Freehold, New Jersey. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, is Certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a Matrimonial Law Attorney, and is the first attorney in New Jersey to become Board-Certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy in the field of Family Law. Ms. Williams is an accomplished businesswoman. In 2017, the Williams Law Group won the LawFirm500 award, ranking 14th of the fastest-growing law firms in the nation, as Ms. Williams grew the firm by 581% in three years. Ms. Williams won the Silver Stevie Award for Female Entrepreneur of the Year in 2017. In 2018, Ms. Williams was voted as NJBIZ's Top 50 Women in Business and was designated one of the Top 25 Leading Women Entrepreneurs and Business Owners. In 2019, Ms. Williams won the Seminole 100 Award for founding one of the fastest-growing companies among graduates of Florida State University. In 2018, Ms. Williams created Law Firm Mentor, a business coaching service for lawyers. She helps solo and small law firm attorneys grow their business revenues, crush chaos in business and make more money. Through multi-day intensive business retreats, group and one-to-one coaching, and strategic planning sessions, Ms. Williams advises lawyers on all aspects of creating, sustaining, and scaling a law firm business – and specifically, she teaches them the core foundational principles of marketing, sales, personnel management, communications, and money management in law firms. Contacts – Social Media https://www.lawfirmmentor.net/speak-with-a-growth-strategist Snip-Its 00:08:36 (30 Seconds)  But growing doesn't mean growing your body count. Growing can mean growing your revenue. It can mean growing your free time. It can mean growing both. Usually, for lawyers, it is growing both. It can mean growing your reach, right? You could be taking on clients all across the United States, even all across the world, depending on what you do for a living.  So growing just means that you want more of something than you currently have. And that is a very real human instinct.

We are joined today by entrepreneur, attorney, C.E.O, and innovator Matt Spiegel. Matt is an attorney, founder, and CEO of Lawmatics.  Matt shares how a bar grievance filed against him is what led to founding Lawmatics. Matt also shares why automation is necessary for your law firm's growth and providing star treatment for your clients. This is a great episode you don't want to miss. In this episode we discuss: The areas of aspects of practice management software and legal automation. How to get a better client experience with automation software. Asking yourself as a law firm owner the right questions about how and what to automate. How to get into the numbers of your law firm with Lawmatics. The only way to get analytics and good reporting on where your leads are coming from are to have some automation.   About Matt Spiegel: Matt Spiegel is an attorney and serial entrepreneur in the legal-tech space. He is Founder and CEO of Lawmatics, the #1 automation platform for law firms, offering legal client intake, CRM, marketing automation, billing, and much more, all in one easy-to-use software. With Lawmatics, law firms streamline their operations, impress clients, and win more business. Prior to Lawmatics, Matt worked as a criminal defense attorney for six years and founded MyCase, a legal practice management software company that has grown into one of the most widely used cloud-based law practice management systems. It was then acquired by AppFolio in 2012, where he remained as a General Manager for three more years. In 2015, Spiegel founded ExpoGuru, an event marketing management software. Later in 2015 he became the CEO of Cammy, a global consumer tech company with headquarters in Sydney, Australia. In 2017, he decided that it was the right time to go back in the legal software industry with Lawmatics. He is a golf enthusiast and passionate about making an impact on advancing the practice of law. He can't wait to continue reaching audiences in all consumer-driven practice areas; legal professionals wanting to build and scale a profitable law firm! Contacts – Social Media Matt Spiegel's Contact:Matt@lawmatics.com www.lawmatics.com Allison Bio: Allison C. Williams, Esq., is the Founder and Owner of the Williams Law Group, LLC, with offices in Short Hills and Freehold, New Jersey. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, is Certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a Matrimonial Law Attorney, and is the first attorney in New Jersey to become Board-Certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy in the field of Family Law. Ms. Williams is an accomplished businesswoman. In 2017, the Williams Law Group won the LawFirm500 award, ranking 14th of the fastest-growing law firms in the nation, as Ms. Williams grew the firm by 581% in three years. Ms. Williams won the Silver Stevie Award for Female Entrepreneur of the Year in 2017. In 2018, Ms. Williams was voted as NJBIZ's Top 50 Women in Business and was designated one of the Top 25 Leading Women Entrepreneurs and Business Owners. In 2019, Ms. Williams won the Seminole 100 Award for founding one of the fastest-growing companies among graduates of Florida State University. In 2018, Ms. Williams created Law Firm Mentor, a business coaching service for lawyers. She helps solo and small law firm attorneys grow their business revenues, crush chaos in business and make more money. Through multi-day intensive business retreats, group and one-to-one coaching, and strategic planning sessions, Ms. Williams advises lawyers on all aspects of creating, sustaining, and scaling a law firm business – and specifically, she teaches them the core foundational principles of marketing, sales, personnel management, communications, and money management in law firms. Contacts – Social Media https://www.lawfirmmentor.net/speak-with-a-growth-strategist Snip-Its 00:07:57 (32 Seconds) But, but the catalyst was, it was actually, to be honest with you, Allison, it was a bar complaint. I got a bar complaint and it was like it was stupid. It wasn't like, that I was a bad lawyer. It wasn't that, you know, I got a bad outcome or that I was malpractice or ineffective assistance of counsel or anything. It was quite literally, I didn't call you back quick off. It was attorney-client communication. And so then I went down. That which was the number was that it was the number one complaint in 2009, and it's still the number one complaint. And it's, it's ridiculous and actually embarrassing that that is still the number one issue that we have as lawyers      

A lot of business owners have misconceptions around lines of credit and debt. Credit and debit are a necessary part of growing a business. Once debt has been accumulated, it is important to create a system to repay your debt. I will be going over all the ins and outs of taking accumulating debt to grow your business in this episode.  In today's episode we discuss: Debt is an advance that affords an opportunity to invest in your business that will give you a greater return.  How to use debt and learn how to use it effectively. Recognizing that there is a great distinction between credit card debt and a line of credit. Creating a schedule of repayment as soon as there is any money on the credit card. Allison Bio: Allison C. Williams, Esq., is the Founder and Owner of the Williams Law Group, LLC, with offices in Short Hills and Freehold, New Jersey. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, is Certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a Matrimonial Law Attorney, and is the first attorney in New Jersey to become Board-Certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy in the field of Family Law. Ms. Williams is an accomplished businesswoman. In 2017, the Williams Law Group won the LawFirm500 award, ranking 14th of the fastest-growing law firms in the nation, as Ms. Williams grew the firm by 581% in three years. Ms. Williams won the Silver Stevie Award for Female Entrepreneur of the Year in 2017. In 2018, Ms. Williams was voted as NJBIZ's Top 50 Women in Business and was designated one of the Top 25 Leading Women Entrepreneurs and Business Owners. In 2019, Ms. Williams won the Seminole 100 Award for founding one of the fastest-growing companies among graduates of Florida State University. In 2018, Ms. Williams created Law Firm Mentor, a business coaching service for lawyers. She helps solo and small law firm attorneys grow their business revenues, crush chaos in business and make more money. Through multi-day intensive business retreats, group and one-to-one coaching, and strategic planning sessions, Ms. Williams advises lawyers on all aspects of creating, sustaining, and scaling a law firm business – and specifically, she teaches them the core foundational principles of marketing, sales, personnel management, communications, and money management in law firms. Contacts – Social Media https://www.lawfirmmentor.net/speak-with-a-growth-strategist Snip-Its 00:06:56 (32 Seconds) Now, increasing the line of credit gives you a benefit of decreasing your income to debt ratio, right? So if I have a card and it has a 9000 credit limit and I have spent $3,000, I've used 33% of my credit. However, if I get them to increase that credit limit to 10,000, my credit utilization rate goes down to only 30%. So I've done nothing other than secure more credit, but that will typically trigger an increase in my FICO score, my credit score.      

When it comes time to find a commercial rental for your office space, many lawyers are overlooking key strategies in their negotiation. In today's episode I will teach you the seven most overlooked strategies in order to prepare you for your next negotiation as well as get you the best deal and space for your business to grow.  In today's episode: Why you should consult a commercial broker and not a real estate attorney. Why professionals are desirable to commercial landlords and how to leverage that in your negotiations.  What to look for when renting out a commercial rental property. Longer term space needs and what to do if your landlord can't accommodate them.    Allison Bio: Allison C. Williams, Esq., is the Founder and Owner of the Williams Law Group, LLC, with offices in Short Hills and Freehold, New Jersey. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, is Certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a Matrimonial Law Attorney, and is the first attorney in New Jersey to become Board-Certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy in the field of Family Law. Ms. Williams is an accomplished businesswoman. In 2017, the Williams Law Group won the LawFirm500 award, ranking 14th of the fastest-growing law firms in the nation, as Ms. Williams grew the firm by 581% in three years. Ms. Williams won the Silver Stevie Award for Female Entrepreneur of the Year in 2017. In 2018, Ms. Williams was voted as NJBIZ's Top 50 Women in Business and was designated one of the Top 25 Leading Women Entrepreneurs and Business Owners. In 2019, Ms. Williams won the Seminole 100 Award for founding one of the fastest-growing companies among graduates of Florida State University. In 2018, Ms. Williams created Law Firm Mentor, a business coaching service for lawyers. She helps solo and small law firm attorneys grow their business revenues, crush chaos in business and make more money. Through multi-day intensive business retreats, group and one-to-one coaching, and strategic planning sessions, Ms. Williams advises lawyers on all aspects of creating, sustaining, and scaling a law firm business – and specifically, she teaches them the core foundational principles of marketing, sales, personnel management, communications, and money management in law firms. Contacts – Social Media https://www.lawfirmmentor.net/speak-with-a-growth-strategist   Snip-Its 00:11:41 (25 Seconds)  When you think about coming into a space, the landlord doesn't just have a vested interest in renting the space today, he or she is creating a relationship with you as the business owner, and professionals, professional practices tend to be one of the most stable lessees, less orders lessees, less orders, tenants, we tend to be really great tenants, right? We don't throw large parties, we don't do a lot of damage, we obviously want to keep the space looking professional. And so when a landlord is looking to create a relationship with a business owner, we are desirable, know that going in. Not only are we desirable because of our status as professionals, because we don't just have legal responsibilities under our lease, we have professional responsibilities as licensed attorneys.

There is a myth in business that managing your expenses means simply cutting costs. On today's episode, I will dispel that myth and teach you how to create a money system for your money coming in and going out so you can continue to grow your business.  In this episode we discuss: How to create a plan for your money to know where it's coming in and going out. Managing your expenses does not mean cutting your expenses. The way that you can create financial freedom through your business. How important it is to have an effective money managing system. Allison Bio: Allison C. Williams, Esq., is the Founder and Owner of the Williams Law Group, LLC, with offices in Short Hills and Freehold, New Jersey. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, is Certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a Matrimonial Law Attorney, and is the first attorney in New Jersey to become Board-Certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy in the field of Family Law. Ms. Williams is an accomplished businesswoman. In 2017, the Williams Law Group won the LawFirm500 award, ranking 14th of the fastest-growing law firms in the nation, as Ms. Williams grew the firm by 581% in three years. Ms. Williams won the Silver Stevie Award for Female Entrepreneur of the Year in 2017. In 2018, Ms. Williams was voted as NJBIZ's Top 50 Women in Business and was designated one of the Top 25 Leading Women Entrepreneurs and Business Owners. In 2019, Ms. Williams won the Seminole 100 Award for founding one of the fastest-growing companies among graduates of Florida State University. In 2018, Ms. Williams created Law Firm Mentor, a business coaching service for lawyers. She helps solo and small law firm attorneys grow their business revenues, crush chaos in business and make more money. Through multi-day intensive business retreats, group and one-to-one coaching, and strategic planning sessions, Ms. Williams advises lawyers on all aspects of creating, sustaining, and scaling a law firm business – and specifically, she teaches them the core foundational principles of marketing, sales, personnel management, communications, and money management in law firms. Contacts – Social Media https://www.lawfirmmentor.net/speak-with-a-growth-strategist Snip-Its 00:12:25 (36 Seconds) The way that we create financial freedom through a business, through a law firm, is we create more money. And more importantly, we create an understanding of money in a way that we can produce it when we need it, as we need it. Instead of, I'm going to live like a pauper today so that eventually I will have enough to stop working, right? That's kind of the middle-class mindset that says save for a rainy day and save for retirement, and then one day you'll be able to stop working. Well, here's the thing. I don't want to have a poultry existence today so that I can have a somewhat less poultry existence tomorrow.      

In today's market, in order to recruit new and retain existing employees, offering a flexible work environment is a great way. When your employees have flexibility in their schedule to achieve a work life balance they are happier and more productive. In today's episode I am going to teach you how to create systems for you to implement flexibility into your work environment.  In this episode we discuss: How to structure a flexible work environment that will make your employees happier. 3-step query to ask of yourself to create a structure of flexibility in your workplace. Effective communication is necessary to make clear the goals that need to be achieved. How to manage your business by metrics. Allison Bio: Allison C. Williams, Esq., is the Founder and Owner of the Williams Law Group, LLC, with offices in Short Hills and Freehold, New Jersey. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, is Certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a Matrimonial Law Attorney, and is the first attorney in New Jersey to become Board-Certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy in the field of Family Law. Ms. Williams is an accomplished businesswoman. In 2017, the Williams Law Group won the LawFirm500 award, ranking 14th of the fastest-growing law firms in the nation, as Ms. Williams grew the firm by 581% in three years. Ms. Williams won the Silver Stevie Award for Female Entrepreneur of the Year in 2017. In 2018, Ms. Williams was voted as NJBIZ's Top 50 Women in Business and was designated one of the Top 25 Leading Women Entrepreneurs and Business Owners. In 2019, Ms. Williams won the Seminole 100 Award for founding one of the fastest-growing companies among graduates of Florida State University. In 2018, Ms. Williams created Law Firm Mentor, a business coaching service for lawyers. She helps solo and small law firm attorneys grow their business revenues, crush chaos in business and make more money. Through multi-day intensive business retreats, group and one-to-one coaching, and strategic planning sessions, Ms. Williams advises lawyers on all aspects of creating, sustaining, and scaling a law firm business – and specifically, she teaches them the core foundational principles of marketing, sales, personnel management, communications, and money management in law firms. Contacts – Social Media https://www.lawfirmmentor.net/speak-with-a-growth-strategist Snip-Its 00:07:59 (32 Seconds)  Well, when I started adding people and I had that same general attitude, right, you give to me, I give to you, this is a relationship. I want you to be happy. I want your life to fit with your work and share that ethos pretty freely with people. We had one paralegal that just didn't work that way. This person would ask to come in late or leave early, and by this time I had gotten very clear guidance from an employment attorney that we needed to be keeping time records. So we were maintaining time records

The goal of marketing is to keep your message content clear and consistent across all platforms. Regardless if you outsource your marketing, having an in-house marketing team is important in order to achieve your goals and receive your return on investment. In this episode, I will give you three reasons why you want to invest in an in-house marketing team. In this episode we discuss: How the in-house marketing team has to look like. 3 Characteristics that will justify making an investment in your in-house marketing team. You require someone who is the eyes and ears of your company. Have someone on your team who is looking for the next opportunity for your business to expand into marketing. Allison Bio: Allison C. Williams, Esq., is the Founder and Owner of the Williams Law Group, LLC, with offices in Short Hills and Freehold, New Jersey. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, is Certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a Matrimonial Law Attorney, and is the first attorney in New Jersey to become Board-Certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy in the field of Family Law. Ms. Williams is an accomplished businesswoman. In 2017, the Williams Law Group won the LawFirm500 award, ranking 14th of the fastest-growing law firms in the nation, as Ms. Williams grew the firm by 581% in three years. Ms. Williams won the Silver Stevie Award for Female Entrepreneur of the Year in 2017. In 2018, Ms. Williams was voted as NJBIZ's Top 50 Women in Business and was designated one of the Top 25 Leading Women Entrepreneurs and Business Owners. In 2019, Ms. Williams won the Seminole 100 Award for founding one of the fastest-growing companies among graduates of Florida State University. In 2018, Ms. Williams created Law Firm Mentor, a business coaching service for lawyers. She helps solo and small law firm attorneys grow their business revenues, crush chaos in business and make more money. Through multi-day intensive business retreats, group and one-to-one coaching, and strategic planning sessions, Ms. Williams advises lawyers on all aspects of creating, sustaining, and scaling a law firm business – and specifically, she teaches them the core foundational principles of marketing, sales, personnel management, communications, and money management in law firms. Contacts – Social Media https://www.lawfirmmentor.net/speak-with-a-growth-strategist Snip-Its 00:11:01 (38 Seconds) Now, this doesn't mean that if you have different people in your company marketing, that you all have to copy and paste each other's style. We do want you to be authentic in your marketing, but even as you are working toward authenticity, your goal is to make sure that there is consistency of your message and that when you are communicating in different places, that that data, if it is multipurpose, if you're cross-marketing, what you put on, what you what you say in a public speaking engagement to what you put in your newsletter or on your blog, you want to make sure that what people are consuming says we say the same thing, even if we say it in different ways because we are about this value.        

If You Are Reading This, Then SEO Is NOT A Hoax. Key questions you need to ask when you hire a marketing company to manage your SEO. Clean-up work needs to be done on your website when a marketing company starts to work with you. How to communicate appropriately with search engines. You have to partner with your marketing company and provide the right information to succeed. Which is the best marketing strategy that will work best for your law firm. Allison Bio: Allison C. Williams, Esq., is the Founder and Owner of the Williams Law Group, LLC, with offices in Short Hills and Freehold, New Jersey. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, is Certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a Matrimonial Law Attorney, and is the first attorney in New Jersey to become Board-Certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy in the field of Family Law. Ms. Williams is an accomplished businesswoman. In 2017, the Williams Law Group won the LawFirm500 award, ranking 14th of the fastest-growing law firms in the nation, as Ms. Williams grew the firm by 581% in three years. Ms. Williams won the Silver Stevie Award for Female Entrepreneur of the Year in 2017. In 2018, Ms. Williams was voted as NJBIZ's Top 50 Women in Business and was designated one of the Top 25 Leading Women Entrepreneurs and Business Owners. In 2019, Ms. Williams won the Seminole 100 Award for founding one of the fastest-growing companies among graduates of Florida State University. In 2018, Ms. Williams created Law Firm Mentor, a business coaching service for lawyers. She helps solo and small law firm attorneys grow their business revenues, crush chaos in business and make more money. Through multi-day intensive business retreats, group and one-to-one coaching, and strategic planning sessions, Ms. Williams advises lawyers on all aspects of creating, sustaining, and scaling a law firm business – and specifically, she teaches them the core foundational principles of marketing, sales, personnel management, communications, and money management in law firms. Contacts – Social Media https://www.lawfirmmentor.net/speak-with-a-growth-strategist Snip-Its 00:04:53 (38 Seconds) And the more information that there is on your website, the easier it is for the search engine to say, yes, this is exactly what the searching party is looking for when this person's content comes into our awareness. So the more content that a person has generated over a course of time, the more likely that they are to show up when they are doing things like altering keywords on their website, because they already have authority. They already have a reputation, if you will, with Google, or Bing, or whatever search engine that says this is a reputable source that is highly connected with the service that people are searching for.

Associate bonus compensation is vital in retaining top talent at your law firm and motivating your employees. In order to create a bonus incentive plan, however, you need to have an answer to three specific questions:  What does your business need? 2. What will motivate your associates? 3. What is your M.V.P.? In this episode, we discuss:  The 3 questions to start the process of configuring the bonus compensation plan. Try to create parity between what's expected and what's delivered. How much should be going to the base compensation based on the market. Be sure what will motivate your associates so you can create the right incentive plan. What you are going to create in the future so you have the balance of your profit and your expenses in appropriate ratios Allison C. Williams, Esq. Bio: Allison C. Williams, Esq., is the Founder and Owner of the Williams Law Group, LLC, with offices in Short Hills and Freehold, New Jersey. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, is Certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a Matrimonial Law Attorney, and is the first attorney in New Jersey to become Board-Certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy in the field of Family Law. Ms. Williams is an accomplished businesswoman. In 2017, the Williams Law Group won the LawFirm500 award, ranking 14th of the fastest-growing law firms in the nation, as Ms. Williams grew the firm by 581% in three years. Ms. Williams won the Silver Stevie Award for Female Entrepreneur of the Year in 2017. In 2018, Ms. Williams was voted as NJBIZ's Top 50 Women in Business and was designated one of the Top 25 Leading Women Entrepreneurs and Business Owners. In 2019, Ms. Williams won the Seminole 100 Award for founding one of the fastest-growing companies among graduates of Florida State University. In 2018, Ms. Williams created Law Firm Mentor, a business coaching service for lawyers. She helps solo and small law firm attorneys grow their business revenues, crush chaos in business and make more money. Through multi-day intensive business retreats, group and one-to-one coaching, and strategic planning sessions, Ms. Williams advises lawyers on all aspects of creating, sustaining, and scaling a law firm business – and specifically, she teaches them the core foundational principles of marketing, sales, personnel management, communications, and money management in law firms. Contacts – Social Media https://www.lawfirmmentor.net/speak-with-a-growth-strategist LFM Podcast: Necessity of Growth https://www.lawfirmmentor.net/podcast/2021/03/16/the-necessity-of-growth Snip-Its 00:16:57 (36 Seconds) As your company grows, you might not want to differentiate the types of benefits that you give from person to person, but you might, right? You might want to have a structured bonus plan whereby people get to elect at the beginning of the year what bonus they're going to be pursuing. You can build out your entire budget around if a person hits a budget, a goal so that they are entitled to bonus compensation that it's already paid for by virtue of you starting at the beginning of the year, setting aside the funds that are going to be necessary for that. But the worst thing that you can do is presuppose that the only thing people care about is money.

Associate bonus compensation is vital in retaining top talent at your law firm and motivating your employees. In order to create a bonus incentive plan, however, you need to have an answer to three specific questions:  What does your business need? 2. What will motivate your associates? 3. What is your M.V.P.? In this episode, we discuss:  The 3 questions to start the process of configuring the bonus compensation plan. Allison Bio: Allison C. Williams, Esq., is the Founder and Owner of the Williams Law Group, LLC, with offices in Short Hills and Freehold, New Jersey. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, is Certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a Matrimonial Law Attorney, and is the first attorney in New Jersey to become Board-Certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy in the field of Family Law. Ms. Williams is an accomplished businesswoman. In 2017, the Williams Law Group won the LawFirm500 award, ranking 14th of the fastest-growing law firms in the nation, as Ms. Williams grew the firm by 581% in three years. Ms. Williams won the Silver Stevie Award for Female Entrepreneur of the Year in 2017. In 2018, Ms. Williams was voted as NJBIZ's Top 50 Women in Business and was designated one of the Top 25 Leading Women Entrepreneurs and Business Owners. In 2019, Ms. Williams won the Seminole 100 Award for founding one of the fastest-growing companies among graduates of Florida State University. In 2018, Ms. Williams created Law Firm Mentor, a business coaching service for lawyers. She helps solo and small law firm attorneys grow their business revenues, crush chaos in business and make more money. Through multi-day intensive business retreats, group and one-to-one coaching, and strategic planning sessions, Ms. Williams advises lawyers on all aspects of creating, sustaining, and scaling a law firm business – and specifically, she teaches them the core foundational principles of marketing, sales, personnel management, communications, and money management in law firms. Contacts – Social Media https://www.lawfirmmentor.net/speak-with-a-growth-strategist Snip-Its 00:16:57 (36 Seconds) As your company grows, you might not want to differentiate the types of benefits that you give from person to person, but you might, right? You might want to have a structured bonus plan whereby people get to elect at the beginning of the year what bonus they're going to be pursuing. You can build out your entire budget around if a person hits a budget, a goal so that they are entitled to bonus compensation that it's already paid for by virtue of you starting at the beginning of the year, setting aside the funds that are going to be necessary for that. But the worst thing that you can do is presuppose that the only thing people care about is money. Try to create parity between what's expected and what's delivered. How much should be going to the base compensation based on the market. Be sure what will motivate your associates so you can create the right incentive plan. What you are going to create in the future so you have the balance of your profit and your expenses in appropriate ratios    

Onboarding is necessary, but it is one of the things most people do not want to do.  Learning the basics of onboarding can be the difference between hiring someone who works out miraculously or hiring someone who can't get the job done. These five key strategies will help you onboard your star performer. In this episode we discuss: 5 Key Strategies you can use to be more effective at onboarding new members of your team. How important it is to be organized so your employees can make associations in their minds of the content that's covered. Breaking down the big picture into key components in each onboarding. Create a repeat pattern of the key points that you want the person to understand. The value of taking handwritten notes creates a connection with the memory. Allison Bio: Allison C. Williams, Esq., is the Founder and Owner of the Williams Law Group, LLC, with offices in Short Hills and Freehold, New Jersey. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, is Certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a Matrimonial Law Attorney, and is the first attorney in New Jersey to become Board-Certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy in the field of Family Law. Ms. Williams is an accomplished businesswoman. In 2017, the Williams Law Group won the LawFirm500 award, ranking 14th of the fastest-growing law firms in the nation, as Ms. Williams grew the firm by 581% in three years. Ms. Williams won the Silver Stevie Award for Female Entrepreneur of the Year in 2017. In 2018, Ms. Williams was voted as NJBIZ's Top 50 Women in Business and was designated one of the Top 25 Leading Women Entrepreneurs and Business Owners. In 2019, Ms. Williams won the Seminole 100 Award for founding one of the fastest-growing companies among graduates of Florida State University. In 2018, Ms. Williams created Law Firm Mentor, a business coaching service for lawyers. She helps solo and small law firm attorneys grow their business revenues, crush chaos in business and make more money. Through multi-day intensive business retreats, group and one-to-one coaching, and strategic planning sessions, Ms. Williams advises lawyers on all aspects of creating, sustaining, and scaling a law firm business – and specifically, she teaches them the core foundational principles of marketing, sales, personnel management, communications, and money management in law firms. Contacts – Social Media https://www.lawfirmmentor.net/speak-with-a-growth-strategist Snip-Its 00:14:54 (34 Seconds) It's really important that they get into the habit of taking your words and translating it into their words. And then the final strategy ultimately is going to show you why that's so critically important as a part of further reinforcing what they've learned. But for purposes of number four, super important that you emphasize and require that notes be taken and that you make sure that you check in periodically to make sure that those notes are really the person's reiteration of key points and not the person's kind of brain dump if you will, or recording of what you've had to say.

Let's chat about integrating your marketing, and more specifically, connecting your front end and your back end.  As the owner of the company, you can never truly be hands-off to the success of your business. You need to be able to connect what is going on for their end with what is going on for your end.  That way if there's a problem, you can troubleshoot it effectively. In this episode we discuss: How to connect your front end and your back end effectively. Make sure your website is working correctly so your leads will be directed to the right links. How important is it to track all the possible leads that go into your webpage. Consider the use of tracking charts consistently for your data. Allison Bio: Allison C. Williams, Esq., is the Founder and Owner of the Williams Law Group, LLC, with offices in Short Hills and Freehold, New Jersey. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, is Certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a Matrimonial Law Attorney, and is the first attorney in New Jersey to become Board-Certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy in the field of Family Law. Ms. Williams is an accomplished businesswoman. In 2017, the Williams Law Group won the LawFirm500 award, ranking 14th of the fastest-growing law firms in the nation, as Ms. Williams grew the firm by 581% in three years. Ms. Williams won the Silver Stevie Award for Female Entrepreneur of the Year in 2017. In 2018, Ms. Williams was voted as NJBIZ's Top 50 Women in Business and was designated one of the Top 25 Leading Women Entrepreneurs and Business Owners. In 2019, Ms. Williams won the Seminole 100 Award for founding one of the fastest-growing companies among graduates of Florida State University. In 2018, Ms. Williams created Law Firm Mentor, a business coaching service for lawyers. She helps solo and small law firm attorneys grow their business revenues, crush chaos in business and make more money. Through multi-day intensive business retreats, group and one-to-one coaching, and strategic planning sessions, Ms. Williams advises lawyers on all aspects of creating, sustaining, and scaling a law firm business – and specifically, she teaches them the core foundational principles of marketing, sales, personnel management, communications, and money management in law firms.

Steph Tuss is an extraordinary woman who took advantage of every opportunity she was given because she was able to live by the mantra, “just say yes.”  She has a vast knowledge of business even though she didn't come from an entrepreneurial background, and didn't even major in business courses.  Yet, she is now the CEO of a hugely successful company, Life Is Now, Inc.  In this episode we discuss: How people will be smooth when they have an agreement. Being able and open to experience whatever you need to experience knowing that whatever happens, you're going to be okay. The importance of beginning with a framework to face difficult conversations. How to manage vulnerability as a leader About Steph Tuss: Steph Tuss is the CEO of the multimillion-dollar global coaching company Life Is Now, Inc, helping thousands of entrepreneurs, experts and self-employed professionals gain the confidence and find the right mindset to increase their revenue, turning their endeavors into seven- and eight-figure ventures. Prior to her work with Life Is Now, Steph was a school teacher turned entrepreneur, who built and sold her first business by the age of 33. She has a passion for helping others create their vision mixed with the nuts and bolts of solid business strategy.   Allison Bio: Allison C. Williams, Esq., is the Founder and Owner of the Williams Law Group, LLC, with offices in Short Hills and Freehold, New Jersey. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, is Certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a Matrimonial Law Attorney, and is the first attorney in New Jersey to become Board-Certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy in the field of Family Law. Ms. Williams is an accomplished businesswoman. In 2017, the Williams Law Group won the LawFirm500 award, ranking 14th of the fastest-growing law firms in the nation, as Ms. Williams grew the firm by 581% in three years. Ms. Williams won the Silver Stevie Award for Female Entrepreneur of the Year in 2017. In 2018, Ms. Williams was voted as NJBIZ's Top 50 Women in Business and was designated one of the Top 25 Leading Women Entrepreneurs and Business Owners. In 2019, Ms. Williams won the Seminole 100 Award for founding one of the fastest-growing companies among graduates of Florida State University. In 2018, Ms. Williams created Law Firm Mentor, a business coaching service for lawyers. She helps solo and small law firm attorneys grow their business revenues, crush chaos in business and make more money. Through multi-day intensive business retreats, group and one-to-one coaching, and strategic planning sessions, Ms. Williams advises lawyers on all aspects of creating, sustaining, and scaling a law firm business – and specifically, she teaches them the core foundational principles of marketing, sales, personnel management, communications, and money management in law firms.

There are many benefits to having a bookkeeper and using automation in your business. They save you time, money and energy that can be put back into your lawfrim. How will you know when it is time to hire a bookkeeper? In this episode we discuss:  How doing your own bookkeeping is taking time, money, and energy that could be going into your law firm.  What are the benefits of choosing the right bookkeeper. Bookkeeping will save you time and energy while you run your business. What your numbers are telling you about the health of your business to be able to hire. Asking the right questions when interviewing a bookkeeper as he/she will act as an advisor. How automation is an important and essential component of law firm management. Allison Bio: Allison C. Williams, Esq., is the Founder and Owner of the Williams Law Group, LLC, with offices in Short Hills and Freehold, New Jersey. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, is Certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a Matrimonial Law Attorney, and is the first attorney in New Jersey to become Board-Certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy in the field of Family Law. Ms. Williams is an accomplished businesswoman. In 2017, the Williams Law Group won the LawFirm500 award, ranking 14th of the fastest-growing law firms in the nation, as Ms. Williams grew the firm by 581% in three years. Ms. Williams won the Silver Stevie Award for Female Entrepreneur of the Year in 2017. In 2018, Ms. Williams was voted as NJBIZ's Top 50 Women in Business and was designated one of the Top 25 Leading Women Entrepreneurs and Business Owners. In 2019, Ms. Williams won the Seminole 100 Award for founding one of the fastest-growing companies among graduates of Florida State University. In 2018, Ms. Williams created Law Firm Mentor, a business coaching service for lawyers. She helps solo and small law firm attorneys grow their business revenues, crush chaos in business and make more money. Through multi-day intensive business retreats, group and one-to-one coaching, and strategic planning sessions, Ms. Williams advises lawyers on all aspects of creating, sustaining, and scaling a law firm business – and specifically, she teaches them the core foundational principles of marketing, sales, personnel management, communications, and money management in law firms. Contacts – Social Media https://www.lawfirmmentor.net/speak-with-a-growth-strategist Book: Simple Numbers Big Profits! By Greg Crabtree Snip-Its 00:11:49 (35 Seconds) The more we fear things that seem to be harming us, the more action we take to secure them to, to resolve those issues. And the problem with that is that as we are looking to resolve those issues, because we are in a state of fear, we are oftentimes making knee-jerk reactions, knee-jerk responses today without a long-term plan. We are deciding in a state of lack a lack mindset rather than an abundance mindset. So we are restricting, we are limiting, we are forcing rather than allowing and fostering and supporting.    

When we are  talking about role description, we are actually talking about  role differentiation. What are the key differences between a task list and a job description? In this episode we discuss: What is the difference between a task list and a job description. How to make sure that the content you are defining for a job description is not a static idea. When you create a job description add a growth path for the person's future. Be aware that all the gaps or activities should be covered in advance to grow your business. Allison Bio: Allison C. Williams, Esq., is the Founder and Owner of the Williams Law Group, LLC, with offices in Short Hills and Freehold, New Jersey. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, is Certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a Matrimonial Law Attorney, and is the first attorney in New Jersey to become Board-Certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy in the field of Family Law. Ms. Williams is an accomplished businesswoman. In 2017, the Williams Law Group won the LawFirm500 award, ranking 14th of the fastest-growing law firms in the nation, as Ms. Williams grew the firm by 581% in three years. Ms. Williams won the Silver Stevie Award for Female Entrepreneur of the Year in 2017. In 2018, Ms. Williams was voted as NJBIZ's Top 50 Women in Business and was designated one of the Top 25 Leading Women Entrepreneurs and Business Owners. In 2019, Ms. Williams won the Seminole 100 Award for founding one of the fastest-growing companies among graduates of Florida State University. In 2018, Ms. Williams created Law Firm Mentor, a business coaching service for lawyers. She helps solo and small law firm attorneys grow their business revenues, crush chaos in business and make more money. Through multi-day intensive business retreats, group and one-to-one coaching, and strategic planning sessions, Ms. Williams advises lawyers on all aspects of creating, sustaining, and scaling a law firm business – and specifically, she teaches them the core foundational principles of marketing, sales, personnel management, communications, and money management in law firms. Contact Info: https://www.lawfirmmentor.net/speak-with-a-growth-strategist My favorite excerpt from the episode: 00:10:33 (34 Seconds) Now, for a lot of lawyers, there is resistance around even asking the question of what's not being done, because we fear that if something's not being done, that means that I'm putting my business at risk, I'm putting my license at risk, I'm committing malpractice, I'm going to have clients that are upset. And those are not the gaps that we're talking about. I mean, obviously, if you are servicing legal clients, you have to do so ethically. You have to meet the requirements of serving the client

On tonight's edition of the Other Side of Midnight: Frank Morano is Munsters maniac. We are first joined by Edward Belbruno,  artist, mathematician and scientist whose interests are in celestial mechanics, dynamical systems, dynamical astronomy, and aerospace engineering, to discuss dark matter. Later, Matthew Fazelpoor, journalist with NJBiz, gives us an update on all things Atlantic City-related, and Brian Kilmeade, New York Times Best-Selling Author, Fox and Friends Co-Host and radio talk show host, gives us the news of day. We celebrate national Mac and Cheese Day, explore gaslighting in the workplace, and ponder over the efficacy of loading up on forever stamps. This round of the Other Side of Midnight is guaranteed to keep you up! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Frank Morano goes deuces wild with Matthew Fazelpoor, journalist with NJBiz. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

School is out for a lot of you that are parents and for a lot of people, the warm months are the time of the year where they like to get away. They like to lawyer at the beach, they like to do a lot of things that will support overall mental health, but of course, rejuvenation so that they can be their best selves. So, of course, we want to make sure that you are planning your law firm in a way that allows you to be able to not just take time off and to have your teams take time off, but to do that in a way that does not take your profits. I want to give you three strategies today as to how you can do that, how you can plan for a successful summer, knowing that you're going to meet your numbers, knowing that you're going to hit your targets, but also making sure that you are ahead of the curve for the fall ahead. In this episode we discuss: Communicate and give realistic expectations how the work this year is going to look like. Stop and pause and remind your employees the metrics expected throughout the year. Plan around what is the ebb and flow of your work. Sharing strategies that are conducive to the individuals that you work with. Allison Bio: Allison C. Williams, Esq., is the Founder and Owner of the Williams Law Group, LLC, with offices in Short Hills and Freehold, New Jersey. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, is Certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a Matrimonial Law Attorney, and is the first attorney in New Jersey to become Board-Certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy in the field of Family Law. Ms. Williams is an accomplished businesswoman. In 2017, the Williams Law Group won the LawFirm500 award, ranking 14th of the fastest-growing law firms in the nation, as Ms. Williams grew the firm by 581% in three years. Ms. Williams won the Silver Stevie Award for Female Entrepreneur of the Year in 2017. In 2018, Ms. Williams was voted as NJBIZ's Top 50 Women in Business and was designated one of the Top 25 Leading Women Entrepreneurs and Business Owners. In 2019, Ms. Williams won the Seminole 100 Award for founding one of the fastest-growing companies among graduates of Florida State University. In 2018, Ms. Williams created Law Firm Mentor, a business coaching service for lawyers. She helps solo and small law firm attorneys grow their business revenues, crush chaos in business and make more money. Through multi-day intensive business retreats, group and one-to-one coaching, and strategic planning sessions, Ms. Williams advises lawyers on all aspects of creating, sustaining, and scaling a law firm business – and specifically, she teaches them the core foundational principles of marketing, sales, personnel management, communications, and money management in law firms.   Contact info https://www.lawfirmmentor.net/speak-with-a-growth-strategist Snip-Its 00:12:29 (28 Seconds) But when you think about where work is coming in and when you are going to be at your most busy, that might be at a time where people really want to go on vacation. So how do you accommodate that? Well, what you have to do is you have to plan for staggering of time that people are going to be taking time out of the office so that sometimes we are hard-hitting, heavy charging, working hard, and other times we are off and we are truly off. Now, what I mean by that is I'm a big proponent of allowing people to take vacation and encouraging them to do so without interruption from an office.

A virtual community is about how we stay connected as people, despite the fact that we're not physically working with each other. What's important is how to master your work communications in a way that builds a strong collective culture in your law firm, even when it's virtual or a hybrid of brick and mortar and virtual. In this episode we discuss: How to master your work communications in a way that builds a strong collective culture. 3 Key Strategies to create your Virtual Community at work. Encouraging people to engage in light chatter through an app, helping you to start the day in a positive way. Helping your employees be successful at home, encouraging them to have their own workspace in a specific location. The importance of regular check-in meetings with someone in the management of the business. Sustaining a quality business while working virtually. How important is it to create engagement with and between your team. Encouraging your employees to take time off will reduce stress and make them happier. Contacts – Social Media Facebook, Linkden, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube Snip-Its 00:09:22 (38 Seconds) Remember, we learned about llamas through talking to this employee, right? So like, there's little things that you don't really think matter. And they might seem kind of like, why does that why, why take additional time for that? But it really does create cohesion between people. They feel closer to each other, actually, when they are intentional about communicating with each other, and communicating about something positive sets the tone so that over the course of time, everyone's message has gotten increasingly more positive and everyone has gotten more excited about the things that we are learning about each other and sharing with each other through that channel. Allison Bio: Allison C. Williams, Esq., is the Founder and Owner of the Williams Law Group, LLC, with offices in Short Hills and Freehold, New Jersey. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, is Certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a Matrimonial Law Attorney, and is the first attorney in New Jersey to become Board-Certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy in the field of Family Law. Ms. Williams is an accomplished businesswoman. In 2017, the Williams Law Group won the LawFirm500 award, ranking 14th of the fastest-growing law firms in the nation, as Ms. Williams grew the firm by 581% in three years. Ms. Williams won the Silver Stevie Award for Female Entrepreneur of the Year in 2017. In 2018, Ms. Williams was voted as NJBIZ's Top 50 Women in Business and was designated one of the Top 25 Leading Women Entrepreneurs and Business Owners. In 2019, Ms. Williams won the Seminole 100 Award for founding one of the fastest-growing companies among graduates of Florida State University. In 2018, Ms. Williams created Law Firm Mentor, a business coaching service for lawyers. She helps solo and small law firm attorneys grow their business revenues, crush chaos in business and make more money. Through multi-day intensive business retreats, group and one-to-one coaching, and strategic planning sessions, Ms. Williams advises lawyers on all aspects of creating, sustaining, and scaling a law firm business – and specifically, she teaches them the core foundational principles of marketing, sales, personnel management, communications, and money management in law firms.

We set business goals at the beginning of the year with every intention of meeting them. But life can get messy and this year things got VERY messy. In today's episode I am going to teach you three strategies you can use to get your business back on track. These are concrete strategies that you can not only use right away but you can work on RIGHT NOW as I outline them for you. In this episode we discuss: What to do when you find yourself off course from making your goals due to unplanned challenges out of your control, such as covid. The importance of knowing your numbers when evaluating your business. How your reaction to unplanned challenges can impact business outcomes. Taking personal responsibility for your choices as they influence and contribute to outcomes going forward. Owning control over the things that you can control. Taking stock of your mental health and mindset. Asking yourself how you have maintained or changed your standards to adjust to a changed workplace. The impact PPP loans may have on your tax bill due to be paid next year. How there's still time for an amazing fourth quarter with the right course corrections.   Bio: Allison C. Williams, Esq., is Founder and Owner of the Williams Law Group, LLC, with offices in Short Hills and Wall Township, New Jersey.  She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, is Certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a Matrimonial Law Attorney, and is the first attorney in New Jersey to become Board-Certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy in the field of Family Law. Ms. Williams is a member of the New Jersey Board on Attorney Certification (NJBAC) – Matrimonial Committee, a New Jersey Supreme Court committee that determines eligibility of candidates to be certified as a recognized practitioner in the field of matrimonial law. Ms. Williams has been named a Rising Star Attorney by the New Jersey Super Lawyers franchise continuously from 2008 – 2013, and has been named a Super Lawyer by that organization for 2014 – 2019. In 2016, she was featured in the Super Lawyers publication (Williams v. The Rubber Stamp), she has been named one of the Top 50 Women Super Lawyers in New Jersey from 2017-2019 and in 2019, was voted in the Top 100 Super Lawyers in the State of New Jersey. Ms. Williams is an accomplished businesswoman. In 2017, the Williams Law Group won the LawFirm500 award, ranking 14th of the fastest growing law firms in the nation, as Ms. Williams grew the firm 581% in three years. Ms. Williams won the Silver Stevie Award for Female Entrepreneur of the Year in 2017.  In 2018, Ms. Williams was voted as NJBIZ's Top 50 Women in Business and was designated one of the Top 25 Leading Women Entrepreneurs and Business Owners. In 2019, Ms. Williams won the Seminole 100 Award for founding one of the fastest growing companies among graduates of Florida State University. In 2018, Ms. Williams created Law Firm Mentor, a business coaching service for lawyers.  She helps solo and small law firm attorneys grow their business revenues, crush chaos in business and make more money.  Through multi-day intensive business retreats, group and one-to-one coaching, and strategic planning sessions, Ms. Williams advises lawyers on all aspects of creating, sustaining and scaling a law firm business – and specifically, she teaches them the core foundational principles of marketing, sales, personnel management, communications and money management in law firms. She received her B.S., magna cum laude, and her M.S., summa cum laude, from Florida State University. She received her J.D., cum laude, from Syracuse University College of Law. Snip-Its: 00:17:21 (47 Seconds) Almost instinctually, we go to the mindset of if something is happening in the external world, we have no choice but to accept the ramifications of that in our law firm. And many times that is not true. Many times we are making choices that have adverse consequences for our business and if we were to make a different choice, the consequence would be different. And so you have to start thinking about what exactly is the cause of the current circumstance that you're experiencing in your business, whether it's an uptick or a downward slide in business. Where did that come from and what are all the pieces that contributed to that so that you can start making different choices to change the outcome that you're experiencing.   00:35:57 (43 Seconds) There are ways for you to keep the standard the same in terms of production, but allow for some modification of what will actually be produced, meaning if I don't have the work to give to a client, I could give the work into a marketing initiative or I could give the work into a system for the firm, or I could give the work into, you know, pouring into the cultural morale, depending on how high your standards are. Ultimately, that will dictate whether or not your standards should be modified. But if there's a modification, the modification should be a revamping of your structure and it ought to have very clearly defined parameters around it. It should not be simply a wholesale walking away from the standards that you created.   00:41:31 (19 Seconds) But your goal is to be fully educated and to make decisions that are best for your business based on your business metrics and separating your emotional connection to those decisions from the analysis. And this is where taking stock of yourself and why you are doing what you were doing is very important.

There's a great skill set that comes with being a people person who knows how to make connections, who knows how to drive engagement, and get people interested in your message. Vanity Marketing, however, is done by those who go into a networking opportunity as an experience of being social and making friends instead of finding a way to get business in the door.   In this episode, we discuss: Vanity networking means those people that don't network with intentionality. How important is it to have a map of the people that are attending the networking event. Focus on the idea of who you're going to speak to. Spending your time effectively before and after the event.   Allison Bio: Allison C. Williams, Esq., is the Founder and Owner of the Williams Law Group, LLC, with offices in Short Hills and Freehold, New Jersey. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, is Certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a Matrimonial Law Attorney, and is the first attorney in New Jersey to become Board-Certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy in the field of Family Law. Ms. Williams is an accomplished businesswoman. In 2017, the Williams Law Group won the LawFirm500 award, ranking 14th of the fastest-growing law firms in the nation, as Ms. Williams grew the firm by 581% in three years. Ms. Williams won the Silver Stevie Award for Female Entrepreneur of the Year in 2017. In 2018, Ms. Williams was voted as NJBIZ's Top 50 Women in Business and was designated one of the Top 25 Leading Women Entrepreneurs and Business Owners. In 2019, Ms. Williams won the Seminole 100 Award for founding one of the fastest-growing companies among graduates of Florida State University. In 2018, Ms. Williams created Law Firm Mentor, a business coaching service for lawyers. She helps solo and small law firm attorneys grow their business revenues, crush chaos in business and make more money. Through multi-day intensive business retreats, group and one-to-one coaching, and strategic planning sessions, Ms. Williams advises lawyers on all aspects of creating, sustaining, and scaling a law firm business – and specifically, she teaches them the core foundational principles of marketing, sales, personnel management, communications, and money management in law firms.   Contact Info: https://www.lawfirmmentor.net/speak-with-a-growth-strategist   My favorite excerpt from the episode: TIME: 00:08:55 (25 Seconds)  You want to be the person that's proactively taking the bull by the horns and inviting that prospect or that prospective referral relationship partner out for some type of contact. Right. That and buy out, by the way, I don't mean you don't necessarily have to go out. You can invite them to a Zoom meeting, you can invite them to coffee. You could just stop by their office. Right. But you want to have a planned event where you two are going to be intentional about discussing business.

Whether you are a big firm, a solo practice, or something in between - you need process and structure. Today I chat with Steve Fretzin about how he helps his clients by understanding their personalities and leverages that to create processes and structures that give them the best chance to succeed in efficiency. No one has to be terrified of winging it, or feeling like they are flying by the seat of their pants with a proper structure in place.    In this episode we discuss:   How important is developing your time management skills. Learn how you are spending the time doing business development. Spending your time efficiently Steve Fretzin Podcast: Be That Lawyer   Books: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science Sales Free Selling Legal Business Development   Website URL: https://fretzin.com LinkedIn: Steve Fretzin   Allison Bio: Allison C. Williams, Esq., is the Founder and Owner of the Williams Law Group, LLC, with offices in Short Hills and Freehold, New Jersey. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, is Certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a Matrimonial Law Attorney, and is the first attorney in New Jersey to become Board-Certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy in the field of Family Law. Ms. Williams is an accomplished businesswoman. In 2017, the Williams Law Group won the LawFirm500 award, ranking 14th of the fastest-growing law firms in the nation, as Ms. Williams grew the firm by 581% in three years. Ms. Williams won the Silver Stevie Award for Female Entrepreneur of the Year in 2017. In 2018, Ms. Williams was voted as NJBIZ's Top 50 Women in Business and was designated one of the Top 25 Leading Women Entrepreneurs and Business Owners. In 2019, Ms. Williams won the Seminole 100 Award for founding one of the fastest-growing companies among graduates of Florida State University. In 2018, Ms. Williams created Law Firm Mentor, a business coaching service for lawyers. She helps solo and small law firm attorneys grow their business revenues, crush chaos in business and make more money. Through multi-day intensive business retreats, group and one-to-one coaching, and strategic planning sessions, Ms. Williams advises lawyers on all aspects of creating, sustaining, and scaling a law firm business – and specifically, she teaches them the core foundational principles of marketing, sales, personnel management, communications, and money management in law firms.

 The major problem with delegation is that you have to develop a rhythm for how you delegate, the same way that you develop a rhythm for how you pay your bills or a rhythm for how you hire your staff or how you market your law firm. If you just kind of pinch-hit and do it here and there, you get pinch-hit results.   In this episode we discuss:   Develop a rhythm for how you delegate. Practice intentionality around delegating so you can trust your team members. Explain to your team the why behind your system in your law firm. Empower others to be a force for your delegation benefit. SEE THE FULL TRANSCRIPT BELOW Allison Williams: [00:00:05] Hi, everybody. It's Allison Williams here, your host of The Crushing Chaos with Law Firm Mentor podcast. Law Firm Mentor is a business coaching service for solo and small law firm attorneys. We help you to grow your revenues, crush chaos in business and make more money.   Allison Williams: [00:00:26] Welcome, my dear Steve Fretzin to the Crushing Chaos with Law Firm Mentor podcast.   Steven Fretzin: [00:00:31] Hey, Alison, how are you doing?   Allison Williams: [00:00:32] Hey, I'm doing well. You know, I'm excited to have you on. We've had you on before. Every once in a while, you get a really great guest. We have a great conversation and a lot of value to the audience. So you're definitely one of those people I wanted to have come back, but even after I made the decision I was going to invite you back, I saw that once again. You're at it in this, in this author biz that you're in. And I wanted to talk to you specifically about your book, because I know that it is starting to get a lot of buzz in the legal industry.   Steven Fretzin: [00:01:03] Yeah, it was a, it was a blast to do. And I got a really big kick-off even without doing like a book launch party, which I would normally do. Non-covid I got a really big international bestseller status in four countries and I was just so excited about it. And it's six years of work into this book, so really thrilled about it and I appreciate you having me back.   Allison Williams: [00:01:24] Yeah. So congratulations on the international bestseller status. For those that are watching us on YouTube, you can actually see the title of the book over Steve's right, right Shoulder. But for those of you that are listening on the podcast platforms, the name of the book is Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science 250 plus easy and actionable ways to grow your book of business in less time and with greater results. So I know that was a, that was a mouthful, but it tells you everything you need to know about why this is going to be such a great resource for those of you that really want to expand your legal career and generate more business. So let's talk about the book and let's start first by giving some people that have not been introduced to you before or have not heard you on this podcast before. Learn a little bit about you. Right? The fact that you are not a lawyer, but you play one on TV, I think is remarkable because you blend right in with us. But tell us about you, Steve.   Steven Fretzin: [00:02:20] Yeah, so I'm someone who got pulled into the legal industry in 2008, never realizing or even considering that lawyers needed help with business development. My father is a retired attorney now, but he always, as a solo, had plenty of business, plenty of work, he made plenty of money. There was all, he was the total package, not having to network, not having to do. It just was natural that relationships would happen for him. So he didn't really have to think about it. He never wrote a plan. He never considered time management or any delegation skills or anything that we're teaching lawyers on a daily basis just wasn't a part of his makeup in the seventies, eighties, and nineties. And so I got pulled into this in 2008, working with an individual attorney in the real estate space. And what he loved about working with me is that I actually Teach Sales Free Selling, which is one, which is the name of my first book. I love to work with lawyers to teach them, you don't have to pitch, you don't have to convince, you don't have to sell. It's all about relationships. It's all about being consultative and understanding and walking people through a buying decision to see essentially if it's a fit.   Steven Fretzin: [00:03:26] So one lawyer turned into two, two and a three, then a firm, then another, and it just took off. And within about a year and a half to two years, Allison, I looked at my numbers. I was like, Wait a second. I think 80% of my total business this year are attorneys. And I didn't even oh my God. So I had been teaching lawyers about specialization and all that. I said, you know, maybe I need to practice what I preach a little. So I pushed my chips in, changed my name from a very salesy name. Sales Results Inc Which lawyers go you to Frets and Inc, which they were like, okay, that's just his name. We're used to that, right? So that's how I got going in. Even recently, I've adapted even more where I've, I've stopped working with law firms a couple of years ago. I only work with highly motivated and ambitious individual attorneys at all levels and all practice areas. And I also run peer advisory groups to help them win their successful to maintain and continue to develop even after they've become a great, be that lawyer type of lawyer.   Allison Williams: [00:04:25] Yeah. Well, since you mentioned be that lawyer, for those of you that don't know, Steve has an amazing podcast affectionately known as Be That Lawyer. And so a lot of your work actually does stem from some of the major concepts that I always learn about as a, as an avid follower of your podcast. So talk to us a little bit about the podcast and then we're going to shift back into the book. So I really want to get some of those, those meaty topics covered in your book talked about today.   Steven Fretzin: [00:04:52] Yeah. So the show, you know, jeez, you know, it's one of those situations I think you can you can understand where I'm coming from or I wish I had started at five years ago, not two years ago, but we're coming up on 200 episodes at the end of this month. And I'm doing two a week right now. And the reason is, is I keep meeting so many amazing people like you, Allison, and others that have so much to share and so much to give to the legal community that it allows me to get to three or four takeaways from every single show because I'm drilling down similar to you to get to the, the nuts and bolts tactical stuff. How does, how does this actually work? So it could be anything from time management to health and wellness to marketing, branding, and of course, business development, networking, and developing that book, that almighty book of business, which we all know is so important. So that's the podcast and I just love doing it similar to like you and I just we enjoy it. We enjoy meeting people, we enjoy interviewing people, and having these fun conversations. And sure enough, if we can get sort of like to the middle of that onion from peeling away some layers, it ends up being a really interesting show with lots, again, takeaways for the audience.   Allison Williams: [00:06:01] Yeah, yeah. So and you are such a great interviewer, Steve. I had the pleasure of not just being on your podcast, but also you did a celebration for Women's History Month and you brought together an amazing panel. And we talked about a lot of different topics relative to business development in the law. And I just I wanted to make a special nod to you for that program because I don't think a lot of people really refine the art of being a good interviewer, and I think that you really excel at that exceptionally.   Steven Fretzin: [00:06:29] I appreciate that. And it's funny because if I'm going to do a 200 episode special and if you go back and listen and I've done this a couple of times to like the first ten or 20 episodes, they're very different than the last 20 or even the last 100 because as you know, it's, it's one of these skills that you have to keep refining. You have to keep considering how am I getting more out of the guest? How am I getting so I might ask someone to explain something to me and then I'll say, Hey, do you have a specific example of how you did that? And then they talk about how they worked with the client to get a result. Well, that's going to resonate with people more than just an explanation of something. So that's the kind of stuff that Howard Stern and Oprah and some of the best interviewers on the planet do. And I, and I'm just trying to emulate what I'm, what I what I'm hearing from others, and what I'm what I know will resonate with my audience.   Allison Williams: [00:07:21] Yeah, well, we definitely want people to check that out because we have I have had the pleasure recently of some of my clients saying, oh, yeah, you know, you have gotten better at this. And I say, God, well, how bad was I? And said, Well, it wasn't that it was bad, but it has gotten better. And so I love getting that feedback and I know that it's something that it's kind of the universal experience of people that do what they love and love what they do and really lean into it. So let's now shift back to the book because, you know, when when you think about the idea of a legal business development book, I am sure lawyers have thoughts about what that means, what that could be. But why don't you kind of in a nutshell encapsulate for us, what does the book offer to someone who wants to learn about legal business development and why is it a resource that you recommend that people check out.   Steven Fretzin: [00:08:09] I would say in the most important part of the book is that you can read it cover to cover, but it's not a book you have to read cover to cover if you're in a solo practice and it's really important for you to get out in network, well then there's some chapters on networking and you can just read those chapters as a starting point to kind of start get your skills together, your mind together, your plan together as it relates to networking, best practices. And what I do when I write, and I write articles for the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, I write for impact lawyers out of, out of the UK and stuff like that is I try to write in a very simple tactical, here's what you do, here's what you say. And it's not that I have all the answers, but it's evolved over time where I'm, I'm getting feedback from clients, what's working, what's not, what I do, what that's working, and what's not. So that when I put together an article or a book or a chapter, it's going to, it's going to be something that people don't just, Oh, that was a great idea but I don't know how to execute on that. No, no. Here's what you do and here's what you say. And just do what I'm saying and tweak it for your own personality, tweak it for your own practice area, whatever you want to do. But I try to write in that, in that type of here's three bullet points that you can follow, and here's the actual quote of what you would ask or say so that it's going to hit home for the people that read it.   Allison Williams: [00:09:30] And so when you say 250 plus examples, I mean that, that is a lot. So you're calling this information where, where are these examples or these strategies coming from?   Steven Fretzin: [00:09:42] So what I try to do, and this is in every chapter, but most chapters I try to pull from an experience in my life. So this one isn't in the book, but I'll give it is because it's such an easy one for me to pick on. I'm dealing with a teenager at home. All right? And I was a teenager and I was difficult. And guess what? I'm getting it back. It's coming back to me now. So my teenagers up here, moody and Dad, come on, I want to talk about it. And then he's down here where he's like, Hey, you want to hang out and want to do this? And then the other. I don't necessarily always know what teenager I'm going to get from day to day, from hour to hour. So I'm like, Where's the support group for this? So I decided, you know what? I had like an experience with him recently where I was like, You know what? I'm just at the end of my wits. Here I am. Teaching lawyers, building $1000 plus an hour how to build a successful law practice.   Steven Fretzin: [00:10:30] They're listening to every word I have to say. They're at the edge of their seats, but my teenager thinks I'm a moron. My teenager thinks that everything I say is just the dumbest thing, one after the other. So it's like, All right, there's an article here and there are some takeaways here from this so that I think the article is like, are lawyers really just moody teenagers? And then, of course they're not, but I make a goof about it, and then I give like, here are some things that we need to consider as it relates to how to how to do legal business development and keep a straight mind about it. So then I'll break it down and give some bullet points on that, on that topic. So it could be fishing, it could be a sport I'm playing, being competitive. It could be swinging a golf club. It could you know, there's all different ways to create content. And I just try to use my own life experience as a way to make it a little more interesting for the reader.   Allison Williams: [00:11:19] Well, and I think that that's just really the key point there, right? Because as soon as you say teenager, you know, you heard me sigh childfree by choice and revolves around the idea that teenagers are not something I ever experience intentionally. But as, as somebody who is a father, and a business person, and somebody who works with lawyers, you know, you have a lot of, of your unique personality that comes through in what you read and what you write and what you say. And I think that bringing that to the legal marketplace, it's just going to make for an entertaining read. And if not just the immense value that, of course, I know you bring from your years of experience doing this.   Steven Fretzin: [00:11:58] Yeah, I mean, think about business development for lawyers. So they're not taught in law school. They're generally not taught at the law firm level. And you know this because you're in that you're in the space that it's a learned skill. But then the question is how many attorneys are interested in learning the skill or putting time into this skill? 5% of the population, maybe. So this is a book that if you're going to learn business development and you're interested in business development, you need a place to start or you need a place to kind of like, I'm doing it, but I want to just kind of check how I'm doing and see if there are maybe some additional ways to do things better or more efficiently, etc. Well, that's what I'm doing. I'm not giving ideas that aren't going to move the needle. I mean, I'm working with attorneys, you know, 8 to 10 hours a day, every day, five days a week. So I'm in the weeds with the lawyers. It's just a matter of, of what can, what can we all keep improving? We all need to keep improving. And so why not learn from someone who's been in the, in the in that, you know, in the weeds with attorneys as long as I have. And see if there's nuggets that you can pull out of it that, that you can use that are going to improve your game or make it more fun or interesting to do business development. Not such a drug, such drudgery.   Allison Williams: [00:13:08] Yeah. Well, so I love that you put the phrase put fun together with business development, because I don't think that most people, when they hear that, especially most attorneys, are going to think of fun and business development. But that's really your approach to it. So talk to us about when you say you're kind of been in the weeds with the lawyers, you know, you've been in the struggle with us. What are some of the things that lawyers really struggle with that you help with? And how do you help them to ultimately over overcome those struggles so that they can get to the success that they desire?   Steven Fretzin: [00:13:40] Yeah. So what I do is I sit down with an attorney that I meet through a presentation, through referral, through whatever, and I always do like a 30 to 40 minute evaluation. And it's interesting to go through these evaluations every week, multiple times, and hear the same things over and over again. So I'll give you the top three and then if we can go from there. But number one, poor time management, they're not really they never learn time and so again, learn skill time management to learn skill. I am the perfect example because I'm a feather on the wind. I am the least organized person you would have met 15, 16 years ago. And it took really learning and dedicating time and energy. And now I don't have an open email. At the end of the day, everything's been been handled. There's no paper on my desk. Everything's done through my remarkable two, through Dropbox, through whatever. So organization is something that's number one on the list. Number two is how are they spending their time doing business development? And in most cases, it's not being done in the most efficient way. They're not in the right place with the right people. They're out spinning their wheels, presenting all over. They're networking haphazardly. There's no plan in place of how to go after low-hanging fruit, how to go after where the business is. So I say this to attorneys all the time. You realize there's a table right in front of you with a pile of money on it, and you're walking around it all day and they go, What? I go, Yeah. Like all the business you ever need and will ever need is right in front of you and you're not taking it. They go, Well, why? Well, okay, so you have 250 clients that think you're the greatest thing since sliced bread and you're not asking them for introductions to people they know to get new business. Well, I'm not comfortable with that. Well, there you go. There you go. So where's the gap? Well, the gap. Is the lack of process and lack of language to make it comfortable, to make it easy. So that's where we're in the weeds, that's where we're working every day, and most importantly, getting in front of decision-makers and, and having a process to walk them through a buying decision. So most lawyers call it a pitch meeting. Hey, we're going on a pitch meeting. Right. And I hate it. I hate pitch, I hate convince. I hate sell. I'm very anti-sell. My first book is Sales Free Selling. Why? Because I'm teaching lawyers, you don't have to go out and be a salesman. All right? You can do it through relationships, consultative, questioning. You can do it through empathy, listening, and most importantly, qualifying. They go qualifying. What do you mean? Well, you're presenting and giving solutions to people that aren't qualified and they go, What do you mean? I go, Well, they're not the right decision maker. They're not committed to sign up with you. If, if they, if they, even if they wanted to and they don't have any money to pay you, but yet you're spending a year chasing after this person that's never going to work with you. So how quickly can we figure out that someone's real or not is a huge part of where lawyers spin their wheels and spend their time inefficiently.   Allison Williams: [00:16:32] Yeah. So a lot, a lot there that you just shared with us. And the thing that I think that of all that you just describe that really resonated with me is the idea that it sounds like just having a system and an approach to doing things can take away the stress of the unknown, right? It can give you a certain level of you might not immediately feel comfortable, but it can at least give you the bravery to get out there and do it. Scared, right?   Steven Fretzin: [00:16:57] Yeah. Yeah.   Allison Williams: [00:16:58] And then the other piece of it is having someone like you to actually not just hold them accountable, but to actually guide them through what to say, where to go, how to be, what to, what not to overlook. Because, you know, there are so many things in this that are self-evident when you're looking from the outside in. But, you know, when you are in the center, right, when you're the epicenter of your own life, you oftentimes can't see what you're missing. So we just go right past it without help.   Steven Fretzin: [00:17:24] And it's interesting because I'm not only working with lawyers in every practice area, but I'm working with the most extroverted lampshade on the head at the party fund lawyers. And what are they lacking? Well, they're lacking process and structure, similar to what I was lacking because I was that person. So I need to bring them into process and structure so they can leverage their personality and their energy in a way that's going to be efficient with their time. Now, on the other side of it, I work with some of the most introverted like IP attorneys and people that don't want to go anywhere, do anything. They don't want to be in front of anybody. But they also recognize that the key to freedom and success and control in a career, whether you're at a big firm or a solo, is having more of your own business, selecting your clients and having that. And so they love the fact that I'm giving them the structure, the language, the process to follow because they are scared and terrified of winging it and failing, or they've already tried winging it and failed. And now it's like, well, why bother? Well, so the structure works for everyone that's willing to put the time in to learn it and execute on it, internalize it. It's all there. They just have to have they have to draw a line. I mean, literally, I need people to kind of convince me that they're going to work with me. It's not just about me saying convincing them to work. They need to convince me that they're going to put the time in and they're going to follow the structure to get the results. Because if they're not, then I don't have the time to spend with them or want to spend with them because I'm only as good as my players, right Allison? That's what it comes down to. We need to find the right players. That's how we win.   Allison Williams: [00:18:57] Yeah. And it sounds like no matter what type of lawyer you are, no matter what type of personality you have, whether you are an introvert, extrovert, and I would dare say andover, right, those folks in the middle that kind of go both ways. You know, there's a strategy for you and it really just takes finding someone who has the dedication and the talent to be able to guide you to the right strategy for who you are.   Steven Fretzin: [00:19:16] Yeah. And the best part is and I don't if you find this too, I work with the best, smartest, most enjoyable attorneys that exist. Now, why is that? Well, think about who wants to learn. Think about who wants to achieve. Think about who can get their ego in a place where they can take advice and they can take coaching. Those aren't the crazy people at the law firms that everyone's afraid of. Right. These are people that are humble, and open, and modest, and interested in developing, and that makes them the best people for me. I just every day I get to enjoy my job and enjoy my career helping these attorneys take it to the next level. So it's just like I wake up every morning just excited to go to work.   Allison Williams: [00:19:59] Yeah, well, I think that that is really the difference between someone who chooses a path where you chose lawyers. Right. So it's one thing to be a lawyer and to experience the different shades of our personalities and the different types of lawyers that there are. But for somebody who's on the outside, right, you start to experience what it is to work with lawyers and you start to see the complexity and the wide diversity of people that we are. The same way you find in every other profession and you chose to stick around. So I think, yeah.   Steven Fretzin: [00:20:27] I'm not going anywhere. I'm not going anywhere. So, you know, my my legacy is, look, I'm only a one man band. I'm not going to work with more than maybe 30 lawyers in a year for my main like coaching and training program. However, when I as I go through this industry and as I eventually leave the industry and when I'm 100 years old or whatever it's going to be, I want there to be a legacy. And the legacy is that I'm helping lawyers all over the world figure out something that they were denied in law school and they were denied at the law firm level. And that is a proper education and proper motivation to build the future and the life that they dreamed about when they went to law school. And it isn't always happening. As you know, for most lawyers, they're not always happy. They're in there, in, you know, in the crap dealing with multiple partners, yelling at them, and forcing work on them. They're in a bad culture environment. I mean, the great resignation is obviously helping to kind of weed, weed out the bad firms or weed out the, the egomaniacs that no one wants to work for anymore. Happiness has come to the forefront and I want to be a part of that future.   Allison Williams: [00:21:35] Yeah, well, you're absolutely taking the right steps to let people know who you are, how you are, and what immense value that you add. I mean, I have I've exposed quite a few of our audience, obviously have have heard you on our previous podcast. You were somebody that got a lot of favorable ratings and I got a lot of very good feedback from the show before. And of course, I know that you offer immense, immense value in the books that you read that you write. So, Steve, thank you so much for being on. Thank you for sharing with us about your book, Legal Business Development. I want everyone that's listening to check that out. It's a great resource. And Steve, I would like you to let everyone know if they are interested in learning more about you, not just the array of your library, but also how they could work with you to please let them know where they can find you.   Steven Fretzin: [00:22:21] Yeah. So the easiest way is, is one of two places. One is my website, which is essentially my last name. So Fretzin and F, R, E, T, Z, I, N dot com. And that's going to give you the information on my programs, videos of my clients talking about the programs I run and how they kind of viewed it from before they joined and after they went through it. And then, of course, I'm a big LinkedIn guy, so if you want to connect with me on LinkedIn, just type in Steve Fretzin on LinkedIn and give me a little message saying you heard me on The Crushing Chaos in Allison show and that would be fantastic and happy to connect with lawyers all over the world and I do and again, then then you're able to see all my content real-time.   Allison Williams: [00:22:59] Yeah. All right. Thank you so much, Steve Fretzin. You have always been a friend of the show and a great guest. And once again, we, we delivered on our great promise to offer you to the world. Everyone, all of Steve's information is going to be in the show notes, so please do check that out. You are watching The Crushing Chaos with Law Firm Mentor podcast. I'm Allison Williams. Everyone have a wonderful rest of your day.   Allison Williams: [00:23:28] Thank you for tuning in to the Crushing Chaos with Law Firm Mentor podcast. To learn more about today's show and take advantage of the resources mentioned, check out our show notes. And if you enjoy today's episode, take a moment to follow the podcast wherever you get your podcast and leave us a rating and review. This helps us to reach even more law firm owners from around the country who want to crush chaos in business and make more money. I'm Allison Williams, your Law Firm Mentor everyone. Have a great day. Allison Bio: Allison C. Williams, Esq., is the Founder and Owner of the Williams Law Group, LLC, with offices in Short Hills and Freehold, New Jersey. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, is Certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a Matrimonial Law Attorney, and is the first attorney in New Jersey to become Board-Certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy in the field of Family Law. Ms. Williams is an accomplished businesswoman. In 2017, the Williams Law Group won the LawFirm500 award, ranking 14th of the fastest-growing law firms in the nation, as Ms. Williams grew the firm by 581% in three years. Ms. Williams won the Silver Stevie Award for Female Entrepreneur of the Year in 2017. In 2018, Ms. Williams was voted as NJBIZ's Top 50 Women in Business and was designated one of the Top 25 Leading Women Entrepreneurs and Business Owners. In 2019, Ms. Williams won the Seminole 100 Award for founding one of the fastest-growing companies among graduates of Florida State University. In 2018, Ms. Williams created Law Firm Mentor, a business coaching service for lawyers. She helps solo and small law firm attorneys grow their business revenues, crush chaos in business and make more money. Through multi-day intensive business retreats, group and one-to-one coaching, and strategic planning sessions, Ms. Williams advises lawyers on all aspects of creating, sustaining, and scaling a law firm business – and specifically, she teaches them the core foundational principles of marketing, sales, personnel management, communications, and money management in law firms.   Contact Info:     My favorite excerpt from the episode: TIME:

Email really does require a level of maintenance and I wanted to share the rules that I actually created around email, the email inbox, and why I constantly struggle with email.   In this episode, we discuss: The email requires a level of maintenance. Setting rules and boundaries around communication through emails will help you to prioritize. How to use the tools that are available electronically to manage what is getting in your inbox. Making time to check and deal with email and how to stick to it   Allison Bio: Allison C. Williams, Esq., is the Founder and Owner of the Williams Law Group, LLC, with offices in Short Hills and Freehold, New Jersey. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, is Certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a Matrimonial Law Attorney, and is the first attorney in New Jersey to become Board-Certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy in the field of Family Law. Ms. Williams is an accomplished businesswoman. In 2017, the Williams Law Group won the LawFirm500 award, ranking 14th of the fastest-growing law firms in the nation, as Ms. Williams grew the firm by 581% in three years. Ms. Williams won the Silver Stevie Award for Female Entrepreneur of the Year in 2017. In 2018, Ms. Williams was voted as NJBIZ's Top 50 Women in Business and was designated one of the Top 25 Leading Women Entrepreneurs and Business Owners. In 2019, Ms. Williams won the Seminole 100 Award for founding one of the fastest-growing companies among graduates of Florida State University. In 2018, Ms. Williams created Law Firm Mentor, a business coaching service for lawyers. She helps solo and small law firm attorneys grow their business revenues, crush chaos in business and make more money. Through multi-day intensive business retreats, group and one-to-one coaching, and strategic planning sessions, Ms. Williams advises lawyers on all aspects of creating, sustaining, and scaling a law firm business – and specifically, she teaches them the core foundational principles of marketing, sales, personnel management, communications, and money management in law firms.   Contact Info: Meeting Billable Hours Training   My favorite excerpt from the episode: TIME: 00:20:36 (38 Seconds)  So we talked about email management as a strategy, and then I asked the person, How are you currently dealing with email? And the person told me, Well, every morning I get up, I wake up at 6 a.m., go to the bathroom, come back, lay in the bed for another 10 minutes and during that time period, I am usually checking social media, checking my email, checking my calendar for the day, kind of kickstarting the day. And so they've already taken in ten, 12 to 15 communications that have come in since they left the office the night before. And they're absorbing all of the problems of the day before they even get out of bed in the morning.