Episodes

176
Aug. 7, 2024

Public Speaking for Introverts with Saja Raoof

In this episode, Alay and Saja discuss: The benefits of public speaking. Best audiences to speak at for introverts. Choosing the topic to speak on. Key Takeaways: Don’t get lost in the details, focus on the results. When you speak about what you do, you will be remembered. It is an investment of your time and effort. Use your time in the car to practice your speeches and pitches. Record yourself and learn from what you’ve done right and what you need to improve on. Speaking can help others as...
175
July 31, 2024

LinkedIn for Introverts with Saja Raoof

In this episode, Alay and Saja discuss: Leveraging LinkedIn for success as an introvert. Garnering interest and engagement with your LinkedIn posts. How to understand if your LinkedIn post is doing well. What to post. Key Takeaways: LinkedIn gives you a business-focused connection with other attorneys, coaches, and advisors in a way other social platforms do not. Be honest, be authentic, and say what you are trying to say. People will connect with you as you speak your truth and your why. Peo...
174
July 24, 2024

Networking for Introverts with Saja Raoof

In this episode, Alay and Saja discuss: Networking as an introvert and with visible things that make you feel different. Networking for client resources, not just for yourself. Managing your energy as an introvert at networking events. Comparing and contrasting networking, speaking, and writing/social media as business development options. Key Takeaways: Having one-on-one conversations and making those connections will make it easier to attend your next networking event. Personal growth happe...
173
July 17, 2024

How Law Firms Hire Great Employees with Dominic Grew

In this episode, Alay and Dominic discuss: Job hiring through LinkedIn. Building your dream team. Leveraging your network and your current employees. Standing out from the competition to grab the attention of your candidates. What to do from interview to onboarding. Key Takeaways: Make sure you’re on LinkedIn and post – it’s free! If you can add a visual, people are more likely to look at it. If you can do a video, that’s even better! The best hires tend to have a connection to your firm in s...
172
July 10, 2024

How to Hire Attorneys and Staff with Dominic Grew

In this episode, Alay and Dominic discuss: Attracting the right talent when you can’t afford to pay them top salaries. Advantages of a smaller law firm. Separating yourself from the competition in the war for talent. Key Takeaways: Finding talent is similar to finding clients – people will come to your firm because of what you do and what you represent. Smaller firms could offer more control over the work environment, less bureaucracy, a different culture, and even more fun. The reason you hi...
171
July 3, 2024

Why Lawyers Need to Hire with Dominic Grew

In this episode, Alay and Dominic discuss: Problems most law firms have to overcome. Why hiring is a bigger problem than client acquisition for many small firms. Consider hiring part-time, not just full-time for what you need. Rehiring framing from being an expense to an investment. Key Takeaways: For many small law firms, the ability to find the right staff is one of the biggest challenges. The hiring process takes time, and it should take time because you want to have an A-Team working for ...
170
June 26, 2024

The Remote Law Firm with Belal Hamideh

In this episode, Alay and Belal discuss: Overcoming stress and challenges to grow. Taking advantage of the opportunities life offers you. Maintaining a successful culture of a remote law firm. Managing results, not people, to build trust within your law firm. Key Takeaways: COVID changed the landscape of work – learn from what did work and leverage technology to help your team succeed. If your team understands the expectations, you can manage results not people which leads to a more cohesive ...
169
June 19, 2024

Client Consultation Tips with Gary Johnson

In this episode, Alay and Gary discuss: Why you should be the CPO of your firm – the Chief Pain Officer. Understanding the potential client’s goal and expectations. Consulting with confidence and having a great intake system. Key Takeaways: Getting to the pain point of the client will help to better identify how to best serve the client. Ask how the pain is impacting the potential client. They need to identify and make the pain real to them for them to want to take the next step. You want the...
168
June 12, 2024

Business Development Ideas with Gary Johnson

In this episode, Alay and Gary discuss: Perception of leadership and authority. Building relationships for purposes other than growing your business. Leveraging your role as a parent for business development. Referring business between other lawyers, including your competition. Key Takeaways: You’re not pushing your business card on everyone you meet. Talk about what you do and its value for your clients – that is where the power is. Focus on serving, not selling. As you serve those in your c...
167
June 5, 2024

Business Development that Works with Gary Johnson

In this episode, Alay and Gary discuss: Why what works for the rainmaker doesn’t necessarily work for each attorney. Different ways of tackling business development that fit your strengths. Building a business development strategy for your law firm.   Key Takeaways: The rainmaker’s strengths may not be your strengths – your business development should play to your strengths. Introverts can be the best networkers because they are better at active listening. Curiosity connects people. The more ...
166
May 29, 2024

Modern Recruiting with Richard Brock

In this episode, Alay and Richard discuss: Issues Richard saw with recruiters and how he’s made the change for his firm. Building a recruiting firm with the individual law firm in mind. How smaller firms can compete with larger firms when hiring an attorney. Richard’s best-selling book, Win the Talent Game: A Guide to Lateral Hiring for Law Firms and Lawyers. Key Takeaways: The majority of legal recruiting is done on a contingency basis. Small firms do have advantages that large firms don’t h...
165
May 15, 2024

Connecting at Conferences with Janet Falk

In this episode, Alay and Janet discuss: Leveraging conferences as in-person events begin their return. Preparation before a conference. Scheduling meetings with other conference attendees or speakers. Standing out before, during, and after the event.   Key Takeaways: Be proactive in your preparation and attendance at events and in the follow-up. Understand why you are attending the conference before you go and know what you want to accomplish while you’re there. Law firm growth happens outsi...
164
May 8, 2024

How to Ask Clients for Referrals with Steve Fretzin

In this episode, Alay and Steve discuss: Harvesting low-hanging fruit to build your business. Overcoming the fears of rejection and damaging relationships. Balancing building relationships and billing hours. Helpful language for asking for the referral. Key Takeaways: What are you doing to deepen your relationships that make it easier for people to give you introductions when you ask? Be more specific than just “keep your eyes open if anything comes up” when asking for referrals. Learn how to...
163
May 1, 2024

Networking for Results with Steve Fretzin

In this episode, Alay and Steve discuss: Shaking up the negative connotations around networking. How to know when you’ve found your right networking partner. Creating your own networking group. Tips to improve your networking. Key Takeaways: The ultimate goal is to spend 80% of your time with 20% of people – your strategic partner dream team. You can create your own group with the people that make the most sense for you to refer to each other and learn from each other. Have a plan when you go...
162
April 24, 2024

Sales-Free Selling for Lawyers with Steve Fretzin

In this episode, Alay and Steve discuss: Why lawyers usually call selling “business development.” Having a business development system in place and not wasting time along the way. Working with a coach to build your book of business. Key Takeaways: Sales is a skill that can be learned and honed to your needs. Qualify potential clients. You can’t work with everyone and not everyone is a right fit for you. Having your own book of business gives you power and control over your career, whether you...
161
April 17, 2024

Think Like Your Clients and Earn More with Bruce La Fetra

In this episode, Alay and Bruce discuss: Gaining an advantage with your clients by being clear and making decisions easy. Remaining the right choice by removing risk. Positioning yourself to attract your ideal clients. Be specific about what you want. Key Takeaways: Billboards and awards do not demonstrate trust. Alignment with the client does form the basis for trust. It’s not just your current best client that matters, it’s also a question of who is your best future client. Look at the one ...
160
April 10, 2024

Better Clients, Better Fees with Bruce La Fetra

In this episode, Alay and Bruce discuss: Bruce’s 40-40-20 rule. Minimizing challenges early in your sales process. Attracting your future best clients. Key Takeaways: Your bottom clients are somebody else’s best clients. It’s not about the work, it’s about the fit. Your offer is not what you do, it is what your client can do because of what you do. The right audience is not who you can help, but who is a great fit for you. When there’s clear alignment, there’s more trust, and clients see more...
159
April 3, 2024

The Expert Trap with Bruce La Fetra

In this episode, Alay and Bruce discuss: Working with clients who are the best fit for you. The difference between cogs, experts, and advisors. The value of different roles. Why nothing is your biggest competitor. Building trust and backing that with knowledge. Key Takeaways: Shedding the clients that drain your energy will increase your ability to do work with those who give you energy and your business will improve. As an advisor, it is not what you do. It is what your client can do because...
158
March 27, 2024

Seamless Client Intakes with Eric Proos

In this episode, Alay and Eric discuss: Putting in the time to learn the craft. A frictionless approach to the client journey. Developing functional workflows. Defining roles and responsibilities with a focus on strengths. Key Takeaways: Use a detailed intake process to weed out the clients that are not right for you. Take the time in the beginning to build your intake process and run all the scenarios you can think of. It will save you so much time every week. Running a law firm is still a b...
157
March 20, 2024

The Power of Process with Brad Herda

In this episode, Alay and Brad discuss: Best practices from the manufacturing sector that apply to law firms. Why the billable rate is the wrong metric to focus on when looking at growth. Defining success to ensure successful staff. Key Takeaways: Focus on a happy customer and everything else will take care of itself. Take care of the client first. The process does not need to change, even if the scope of the work changes. There is a big difference between process and work instructions. Creat...
156
March 13, 2024

Building Trust with Jennifer Novak

In this episode, Alay and Jennifer discuss: Environmental law as a practice area. Creating your perfect law firm and building a successful business. Challenges to overcome in building a successful law firm. Proactive and educational marketing. Key Takeaways: There are ways to communicate your value without it being only about the money. Let people know what you do and why it is important. Many people may not realize how you can help them if they don’t understand what you do in your area of la...
155
March 6, 2024

Leadership Skills for Lawyers with Julie Entwistle

In this episode, Alay and Julie discuss: Running your firm, not being run by your firm. Working with a coach to make the changes you want with your life and business. Understanding your DISC personality profile and how it relates to others around you. Working through time management challenges and delegation. Key Takeaways: It is easier to throw yourself into your work 100% than to make changes in your practice to deliver to your clients and maintain the lifestyle you want. Build your busines...
154
Feb. 28, 2024

Law Firm Profits with Bo Yancey

In this episode, Alay and Bo discuss: What profit is and why it is so important. Understanding where you’re making money and how you can make more of it. The concepts of realization and utilization, how well you price, and how well you maintain pricing. Key Takeaways: Many law firms look at cash in the door to understand if they were successful, but there are many ways of understanding profitability. Understand the non-standard owner expenses that are being applied to your firm’s finances. Wa...
153
Feb. 21, 2024

Thinking Like a CEO with Andrea Liebross

In this episode, Alay and Andrea discuss: Differences in men and women in professional coaching and in running a law firm. Embracing the discomfort to grow and evolve your organization. What it means to think bigger using TRUST. Two tips all attorney entrepreneurs should be thinking about. Key Takeaways: The real problem is not a problem, it’s a feeling that attorneys are trying to avoid experiencing. Be okay with knowing and admitting that you don’t have all the answers. Wearing too many hat...