The Rainmaking Podcast

In this episode of The Rainmaking Podcast, Scott Love welcomes brand strategist Cheri Quinn, Director of Brand Strategy at Mercury Creative Group, to discuss “Finding Focus in a Crowded Space.” Cheri explains that today’s marketplace is more crowded than ever—not just because of competition, but because clients are constantly flooded with information. To cut through the noise, professionals must clearly define their primary audience—the people they serve best—and communicate with authenticity and focus. Cheri shares her “dartboard” analogy for targeting ideal clients: those in the bullseye deliver the greatest results, while trying to appeal to everyone leads to “missing the mark.” She walks listeners through exercises to identify their favorite clients, understand their motivations, communication styles, and values, and align their firm’s brand strategy accordingly. By clarifying audience, message, and brand alignment, professionals can stand out in a crowded market and attract the right opportunities. Visit: https://therainmakingpodcast.com/ YouTube: https://youtu.be/pNZU13CEz9I ---------------------------------------- 📖 Subscribe to The Rainmaking Magazine For the intellectually-driven and results-focused professional who wants to grow their book of business. Visit ⁠www.therainmakingmagazine.com⁠ to chart your course to greater rainmaking success. ---------------------------------------- This podcast is sponsored by: SurePoint Legal Insights (formerly known as Leopard Solutions) –turning legal intelligence into opportunity Link: https://www.leopardsolutions.com/index.php/request-a-demo/ ---------------------------------------- Cheri Quinn is a brand and marketing strategist who specializes in asking open and honest questions and listening with an open heart and mind. As the Director of Brand Strategy at Mercury Creative Group, Cheri is a master at discovering and communicating an organization’s essential value. With a wealth of experience in brand strategy, strategic planning, marketing, and communications, she has helped numerous organizations discover their unique value and voice. Links: cheri@mercurycreativegroup.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/cheriquinn https://mercurycreativegroup.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of The Rainmaking Podcast, Scott Love welcomes back Rudhir “Rudi” Krishtel, former patent litigation partner at Fish & Richardson, former senior patent counsel at Apple, and now executive coach and founder of Krishtel. Rudi discusses “Overcoming Pitfalls to Becoming a Rainmaker” and shares practical insights on how lawyers can shift their mindset to grow their book of business. He explains that business development is 80% mindset and 20% skillset—most lawyers don’t need more tools; they need a new way of thinking. By reframing marketing as helping, not selling, attorneys can replace fear and hesitation with purpose and authenticity. Rudi also outlines how to identify your smallest viable market—the eight to ten people or companies most aligned with your expertise—and focus all your efforts on being helpful to that group. Through strategic clarity and mindset realignment, professionals can eliminate fear of rejection, become more consistent in outreach, and build a sustainable business development playbook. Rudi concludes with three action steps: remember you’re helping, define your smallest viable market, and take concrete, helpful actions toward that audience over the next 90 days. Visit: https://therainmakingpodcast.com/ YouTube: https://youtu.be/8Zwzm00eb9k ---------------------------------------- 📖 Subscribe to The Rainmaking Magazine If you’re serious about growing your book of business, you’ll want to check out The Rainmaking Magazine — a monthly digital publication packed with insights, strategies, and real-world advice for professionals in law, consulting, recruiting, and beyond. 💡 Created for results-driven rainmakers who value credibility and substance. 💥 Now live — subscribe today www.therainmakingmagazine.com ---------------------------------------- This show is sponsored by Leopard Solutions Legal Intelligence Suite of products, Firmscape, and Leopard BI. Push ahead of the pack with the power of Leopard. For a free demo, visit this link:https://www.leopardsolutions.com/index.php/request-a-demo/ ---------------------------------------- Prior to becoming an executive coach and consultant, Rudhir practiced law for 15 years as a federal judicial clerk, Patent Litigation Partner at Fish & Richardson, and then as Senior Patent Counsel at Apple.   To focus his approach to support the legal community, Rudhir trained as a professional Co-Active leadership coach and as a yoga and mindfulness meditation instructor. Rudhir founded Krishtel in 2018, where he leads workshops and coaching on business development and leadership. He specializes in creating space for having difficult conversations and growth at the intersection of leadership, well-being, and collective engagement. Krishtel’s flagship BD Circle Program has reached hundreds of law firm partners and executives. Check out the BD Circle video here.  More info at www.krishtel.com and LinkedIn.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of The Rainmaking Podcast, Scott Love welcomes back Stacey Brown Randall, author of The Referable Client Experience: A Proven Method to Generate Referrals Without Asking. Stacey shares her science-based framework for creating client experiences that naturally generate referrals—without the awkwardness of asking. She explains that client experience is not just about doing great work; it’s about how clients feel when working with you. Professionals who intentionally design their client journey to include both excellent results and meaningful relationship-building touchpoints create the emotional connection that makes them truly referable. Stacey outlines her three-stage model—New, Active, and Alumni—and shows how to tailor communication and touchpoints at each phase to build trust and loyalty. She also discusses “referral hot zones,” those key moments when clients are most likely to refer, and how to identify and leverage them strategically. By focusing on both client emotions and relationship touchpoints, professionals can bridge the gap between being referable and receiving consistent, high-quality referrals. Visit: https://therainmakingpodcast.com/ YouTube: https://youtu.be/lWTNQlQ3RMA ---------------------------------------- 📖 Subscribe to The Rainmaking Magazine If you’re serious about growing your book of business, you’ll want to check out The Rainmaking Magazine — a monthly digital publication packed with insights, strategies, and real-world advice for professionals in law, consulting, recruiting, and beyond. 💡 Created for results-driven rainmakers who value credibility and substance. 💥 Now live — subscribe today www.therainmakingmagazine.com ---------------------------------------- This show is sponsored by Leopard Solutions Legal Intelligence Suite of products, Firmscape, and Leopard BI. Push ahead of the pack with the power of Leopard. For a free demo, visit this link:https://www.leopardsolutions.com/index.php/request-a-demo/ ---------------------------------------- Stacey Brown Randall is the multiple award-winning author of Generating Business Referrals Without Asking, host of the Roadmap to Grow Your Business podcast and national speaker. She has had the privilege of helping well-known corporations and franchises but her focus is on small business owners and solopreneurs including HM Properties, O’Connor Insurance Associates, Keller Williams Real Estate, Farris Cooke CPA, Tyra Law Firm, Nicole Odom Coaching, Slater Interiors, HF Financial, Kintsugi Home Staging, Financial Symmetry, Rae Images, CAJA Bookkeeping, and hundreds more. Stacey has been featured in national publications like Entrepreneur magazine, Investor Business Daily, Forbes, CEO World, Fox News, Cheddar TV Network and more. She received her Master’s in Organizational Communication and is married with three kids. Links: www.StaceyBrownRandall.com www.referralquiz.com http://www.referableclientexperience.com Book link on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Generating-Business-Referrals-Without-Asking/dp/1683509269/ref=sr_1_2?crid=39MDIKFER2FKU&dchild=1&keywords=generating+business+referrals+without+asking&qid=1597412491&s=books&sprefix=generating+business%2Caps%2C233&sr=1-2 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of The Rainmaking Podcast, Scott Love welcomes back Kevin Wheeler, a seasoned business development consultant with over 30 years of experience advising law and professional services firms on strategy, marketing, and client growth. Together, they explore “Growing Key Clients: The Low-Hanging Fruit of Business Development.” Kevin explains that most firms overlook their most lucrative opportunities—their existing clients. Rather than constantly chasing new business, firms can achieve greater profitability by deepening relationships with key accounts and institutionalizing client management. Kevin outlines the major barriers preventing firms from capitalizing on these opportunities, including compensation structures that reward origination over collaboration and a lack of leadership support for client-focused strategies. He provides a roadmap for building a strong key client program: secure buy-in from firm leadership, appoint dedicated client relationship partners, conduct regular client listening interviews, and link compensation to client growth goals. By developing structured account plans, engaging clients directly for feedback, and mapping relationships strategically, firms can uncover untapped opportunities, strengthen retention, and create long-term growth. Visit: https://therainmakingpodcast.com/ YouTube: https://youtu.be/unWLu82HdqY ---------------------------------------- 📖 Subscribe to The Rainmaking Magazine For the intellectually-driven and results-focused professional who wants to grow their book of business. Visit www.therainmakingmagazine.com to chart your course to greater rainmaking success. ---------------------------------------- This podcast is sponsored by: SurePoint Legal Insights (formerly known as Leopard Solutions) –turning legal intelligence into opportunity Link: https://www.leopardsolutions.com/index.php/request-a-demo/ ---------------------------------------- Kevin Wheeler has been advising professional services firms on all aspects of strategy, marketing, business development and client relationship management/key account management for more than thirty years. Before setting up Wheeler Associates in 1997, he had been Marketing Director with Nabarro Nathanson, the commercial law firm, and Cinven, the private equity house. He also held various senior in-house strategy and marketing positions with Coopers & Lybrand, now PricewaterhouseCoopers. As a consultant and coach, Kevin has provided services to more than one hundred firms drawn from the legal, accountancy, actuarial, real estate consultancy, tax, corporate finance, management consulting and insolvency practitioner sectors. Wheeler Associates is also a leading provider of strategic and client insight solutions and thought leadership delivered through bespoke market research studies. As well as his consultancy and coaching activities, Kevin writes, blogs and lectures frequently on strategy, marketing, business development and CRM/KAM issues facing professional services organizations. Links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinjwheeler/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of The Rainmaking Podcast, Scott Love welcomes Jordana Confino, founder of JC Coaching and Consulting and author of the blog Chronicles of a Recovering Type A+ Perfectionist, to explore “The Perfectionist Paradox.” Jordana explains that perfectionism is not about high standards—it’s a fear- and shame-based mindset driven by self-doubt and the need to prove worth. She reveals how this approach undermines both mental health and performance, blocking creativity, risk-taking, and authentic business development. Drawing on neuroscience and positive psychology, she describes how to replace the inner critic’s harsh voice with self-compassion, rewiring the brain through neuroplasticity to enhance confidence and performance. Jordana shares practical strategies to help high-achieving professionals and lawyers break free from destructive perfectionism. These include “drawing your critic” to externalize self-judgment, practicing compassionate self-talk, and identifying core values to shift from fear-based motivation to values-driven achievement. By replacing self-criticism with self-compassion and clarity, professionals can perform at a higher level, strengthen resilience, and enjoy greater fulfillment in their careers and lives. Visit: https://therainmakingpodcast.com/ YouTube: https://youtu.be/Td8DVO6nlZM ---------------------------------------- 📖 Subscribe to The Rainmaking Magazine If you’re serious about growing your book of business, you’ll want to check out The Rainmaking Magazine — a monthly digital publication packed with insights, strategies, and real-world advice for professionals in law, consulting, recruiting, and beyond. 💡 Created for results-driven rainmakers who value credibility and substance. 💥 Now live — subscribe today www.therainmakingmagazine.com ---------------------------------------- This show is sponsored by Leopard Solutions Legal Intelligence Suite of products, Firmscape, and Leopard BI. Push ahead of the pack with the power of Leopard. For a free demo, visit this link:https://www.leopardsolutions.com/index.php/request-a-demo/ ---------------------------------------- Jordana is a certified professional coach, speaker, and advisor, valued for her expertise in positive psychology and well-being, and her unparalleled ability to connect with and inspire everyone she meets. Seven years after graduating from Yale Law School, Jordana founded JC Coaching & Consulting to empower lawyers and other high-achieving professionals to transform their lives and work for the better. Having spent the bulk of her career working as a lawyer and in legal education at elite institutions, Jordana knows that many high-achieving, successful people hold limiting beliefs that prevent them from truly flourishing. For many years, she was one of them. Jordana transformed her life leveraging the science of positive psychology and human motivation theory, and she is passionate about helping others do the same. Jordana is an Adjunct Professor at Fordham Law School, where she previously served as the inaugural Assistant Dean of Professionalism. Jordana teaches a course on Positive Lawyering, which educates students on how they can harness the insights and science-backed strategies of positive psychology to reach their highest potential and build meaningful, satisfying careers in law. She also teaches Peer Mentoring & Leadership, a one-of-a-kind course designed to equip mentors with the tools and training they need to optimally support their mentees and emerge as leaders in the profession. Jordana was voted Fordham Law Adjunct Professor of the Year in 2021. Website: https://www.jordanaconfino.com/ Blog: https://www.jordanaconfino.com/subscribe LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordanaconfino/ Values Discovery Guide: https://www.jordanaconfino.com/values Self-Compassion Guide: https://www.jordanaconfino.com/self-compassion-guide  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this conversation, David Freeman, an award-winning consultant with over 30 years of experience coaching lawyers, shares invaluable insights for laterals at new firms. He emphasizes that success hinges on owning relationship-building and likens it to being the 'new kid in school.' David introduces the Memory Matrix for tracking relationships and offers strategies for identifying internal allies. He also discusses the importance of proactive value-giving and outlines key steps: create an integration plan, prioritize connections, and establish an accountability system for follow-through.

In this episode of The Rainmaking Podcast, Scott Love interviews Jim Camp Jr., retired Air Force Major General, author of Lead From No, and principal at the Camp Negotiation Institute. Jim shares his systematic approach to negotiation, which combines mindset, structure, and behavior to help professionals achieve stronger outcomes without unnecessary compromise. He explains why most people mistakenly equate negotiation with giving something up, and instead reframes it as “the effort to bring about an agreement with all parties having the right to say no.” Jim outlines practical tools like the negotiation checklist and journal, emphasizing preparation, emotional control, and asking the right questions to uncover an opponent’s true concerns, vision, and decision-making process. He highlights how avoiding pressure and welcoming “no” builds trust, lowers tension, and leads to more durable agreements. With stories from both business and military contexts, Jim demonstrates how negotiation skills are essential across professional services, leadership, and even everyday life. Visit: https://therainmakingpodcast.com/ YouTube: https://youtu.be/rVMKH3ZBKCc ---------------------------------------- This show is sponsored by Leopard Solutions Legal Intelligence Suite of products, Firmscape, and Leopard BI. Push ahead of the pack with the power of Leopard. For a free demo, visit this link:https://www.leopardsolutions.com/index.php/request-a-demo/ ---------------------------------------- Jim, recently retired as a Major General in the United States Air Force (Jim Camp Jr.’s bio), rejoined the Camp Negotiations team after serving many years as the Commander of the Ohio Air National Guard, and National Guard Assistant to the Commander of the US Transportation Command.  Prior to dedicating his full-time efforts to military service, Jim helped build Camp Negotiations from 2000-2007 as a coach and contributor to “No, The Only System of Negotiation You Need For Work and Home.”   Serving at the National strategic level, Jim was personally responsible for negotiating the largest pay increase in history for thousands of Air National Guard Instructor Pilots.  Jim credits his military success to the Camp System of Negotiation. “If you lead people, you negotiate every day.”   Despite Jim's long military career, he’s remained an owner of Camp Negotiations and is now fully re-engaged as a coach.  His diverse leadership background, education, and military experiences bring a welcomed perspective to the Camp Negotiations Team.  In fact, Jim Camp Jr. recently published his new book, Lead from No: A Systematic Approach to Leadership Negotiation. His new work is highly acclaimed and considered to be a long-awaited sequel to his father’s book, Start with No.  His combination of business and leadership coaching stories makes a strong case that the Camp Negotiation system is highly effective and time-tested. Links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim-camp-jr-2a8ab79/ www.campnegotiations.com https://campnegotiations.com/lead-rom-no-book-jim-camp-jr https://campnegotiations.com/coaches Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this legal-focused edition of The Rainmaking Podcast, Scott Love speaks with Randy Peck (CEO) and Jordan Peck (VP of Business Development) of Peck Financial about the crucial but often overlooked issue of partner benefits during law firm transitions. Under the theme “Rainmakers Without Umbrellas”, they discuss how many high-earning partners neglect their own financial protection, leaving themselves and their families exposed when changing firms or going through mergers. From life insurance to disability and long-term care coverage, the Pecks explain how benefits often don’t keep pace with rising compensation—and why partners must treat themselves like their own clients by proactively evaluating their protection. They also highlight specific risks such as assuming new firms will provide sufficient coverage, overlooking portability of benefits, and ignoring international complications. With stories from decades of advising AmLaw 100 and 200 firms, Randy and Jordan stress that the biggest pitfall is simply looking past these issues during transitions. Their three key action steps: regularly audit your coverage, inventory benefits before moving, and compare them with offerings at your new firm. By taking these steps, partners can avoid being “rainmakers without umbrellas” and ensure long-term financial security. Visit: https://therainmakingpodcast.com/ YouTube: https://youtu.be/kluHcPD4bqs ---------------------------------------- This show is sponsored by Leopard Solutions Legal Intelligence Suite of products, Firmscape, and Leopard BI. Push ahead of the pack with the power of Leopard. For a free demo, visit this link:https://www.leopardsolutions.com/index.php/request-a-demo/ ---------------------------------------- Peck Financial is an established industry leader specializing in executive benefit solutions. For more than 30 years our core business has focused on developing and administering employer-sponsored executive disability, life, and long-term care insurance plans. While these plans have become more common in recent years, our clients consistently remark on our responsiveness and unmatched customer service. Links: www.peckfinancial.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordan-peck-992786156/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/randallpeck/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of The Rainmaking Podcast, Scott Love speaks with social media strategist and LinkedIn expert Kait LeDonne about the shifting landscape of LinkedIn. Kait traces how the platform has evolved—from being a digital résumé hub to today’s creator-driven space optimized for knowledge and advice. She explains why vulnerability posts surged during the pandemic, how LinkedIn adjusted its algorithm to emphasize value-driven content, and what professionals should focus on now: consistency, storytelling, and educational insights. Kait also provides practical guidance for professional services providers who want to turn LinkedIn visibility into real business opportunities. She highlights the power of newsletters, personal branding, and using story as a bridge to credibility and trust. With actionable strategies—posting at least twice a week, engaging meaningfully with comments, and adding strategic connections daily—Kait shows how professionals can build influence, grow their networks, and convert visibility into revenue. Visit: https://therainmakingpodcast.com/ YouTube: https://youtu.be/o_pgpKiGDu8 ---------------------------------------- This show is sponsored by Leopard Solutions Legal Intelligence Suite of products, Firmscape, and Leopard BI. Push ahead of the pack with the power of Leopard. For a free demo, visit this link:https://www.leopardsolutions.com/index.php/request-a-demo/ ---------------------------------------- Kait LeDonne is a personal branding expert who specializes in transforming professionals into industry leaders, forging powerful employee personal brands, and demystifying the essentials of impactful personal branding. Links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaitledonne-personalbrandingexpert/ https://www.kaitledonne.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of The Rainmaking Podcast, Scott Love interviews Gavin Sharpe, former lawyer, global legal search firm CEO, and now performance and leadership coach, to discuss the blind spots of rainmakers. Gavin explains that blind spots are unconscious behaviors others see but we often miss—like interrupting, failing to delegate, or hiding vulnerability. Left unchecked, these blind spots create limiting assumptions such as “I’m not a natural rainmaker” or “asking for help is weakness,” which can undermine success and stall growth. Gavin shares how lawyers’ personalities and the pressures of perfectionism often reinforce these blind spots, creating a cycle of stress and missed opportunities. He offers strategies for uncovering and challenging limiting beliefs, from seeking peer and client feedback to reframing outdated stories we tell ourselves. By identifying, examining, and dismantling these beliefs, professionals can unlock untapped potential, build stronger teams, and become more effective rainmakers. Gavin closes with actionable steps to help listeners start recognizing and addressing their own blind spots. Visit: https://therainmakingpodcast.com/ YouTube: https://youtu.be/8rGE3jRwZTM ---------------------------------------- This show is sponsored by Leopard Solutions Legal Intelligence Suite of products, Firmscape, and Leopard BI. Push ahead of the pack with the power of Leopard. For a free demo, visit this link:https://www.leopardsolutions.com/index.php/request-a-demo/ ---------------------------------------- About Gavin Sharpe: “I blend coaching, business, and psychology, to facilitate ambitious leaders achieve their full potential. With a strong focus on the legal sector, I empower lawyers to cut through the noise, lead with purpose, and become great rainmakers.” Links: Webinar: https://www.rivierawellbeing.com/events/the-rainmaker-playbook-attracting-and-activating-top-performers/ Ditch The Pitch: Rethinking Sales in Law Managing Law Firm Talent in 2025: My Top Three Tips Lawyers Are the Biggest Imposters of Them All. I Should Know: I Am One of Them. Partners Are From Mars, Associates Are From Venus: The Real War for Talent Rainmakers Are Not The Answer To Law Firm Transformational Growth. Here Is Why What the Monaco Grand Prix Teaches Us About Performance Are You A Workaholic? Gavin Sharpe on Riviera Radio, Sept 2024 "Gavin Sharpe: Becoming a Rainmaker Starts with Mindset" Podcast www.rivierawellbeing.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices