The Rainmaking Podcast

In this episode of The Rainmaking Podcast, host Scott Love speaks with Laura Leopard, founder of Leopard Solutions, about the ongoing challenges women face in Big Law and the alarming trends of mid-career women leaving the industry. Laura shares insights from her extensive research, including surveys and data analysis, which reveal that the top reasons for women exiting the legal profession include a lack of mentorship, limited opportunities, and feelings of being unsupported in their workplaces.Key topics include strategies for law firms to improve retention, such as implementing meaningful mentorship programs, addressing unconscious bias, and providing flexible work arrangements. Laura highlights successful initiatives from law firms, like amplification strategies to ensure women’s voices are heard in meetings and centralized tracking systems to ensure equal opportunities. She also discusses the critical need for fair promotion practices and the importance of male allies in calling out workplace sexism. This episode offers actionable solutions for fostering equity and creating an environment where women can thrive in the legal profession.Visit: https://therainmakingpodcast.com/------------------------------------Laura Leopard is the founder and CEO of Leopard Solutions, which provides the world's largest and most accurate law firm database for legal recruiters, attorneys, law firms, corporations, and law schools.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/Links:Download the Women Leaving Law report here:https://www.leopardsolutions.com/index.php/thought-leadership/women-leaving-law-research-report/.Leopard Solutions Thought Leadership Page:https://www.leopardsolutions.com/index.php/thought-leadership/Leopard Solutions Upcoming Events: https://www.leopardsolutions.com/index.php/events/View all past webinar recordings for Leopard Solutions here:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi7McSCNOioHoUuSM1G_ZCQ/videos?view=0&sort=dd&shelf_id=0 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of The Rainmaking Podcast, host Scott Love interviews Mary Kelly, leadership expert, economist, and author of Who Comes Next? Leadership Succession Planning Made Easy. Mary shares her expertise on succession planning and why it is critical for organizational continuity and long-term success. She emphasizes that succession planning is not just about preparing for the departure of top executives but also about ensuring that key roles throughout the organization are covered to avoid disruptions.Key topics include how to integrate succession planning into a strategic plan, identifying and preparing future leaders at all levels, and addressing common pitfalls such as reluctance to plan for leadership transitions. Mary shares actionable steps for starting the succession planning process, including evaluating key roles that would significantly impact the organization if left vacant, aligning succession planning with the company’s strategic goals, and fostering transparency and collaboration across the team. This episode offers practical advice for leaders to ensure their organization’s resilience and future success.Visit: https://therainmakingpodcast.com/-------------------------------------------------Mary Kelly is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy and spent over 20 years on active duty in intelligence and logistics. She retired from the Navy as a commander. She has masters’ degrees in history and economics, and a PhD in economics.With over 20 years combined teaching experience at both the Naval Academy and at Hawaii Pacific University, she taught economics, finance, history and management. She has extensive experience in business coaching, management, economics, finance, banking, insurance, real estate, government, organizational leadership, communication, business growth, teamwork, strategic planning, human resources, customer service, time management, and project development.Links:https://productiveleaders.com/https://productiveleaders.com/podcast/Get Mary Kelly’s book “Who Comes Next?” Here:https://whocomesnext.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmarykelly/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of The Rainmaking Podcast, host Scott Love speaks with Laurie Gilbertson, a former prosecutor, legal analyst, and founder of Tribeca Blue Consulting, about the critical role of communication in professional success. Laurie challenges the misconception that communication is a "soft skill" and instead positions it as a vital leadership tool. She shares strategies for developing clarity, confidence, and creativity in communication, whether it’s for public speaking, courtroom presentations, or media appearances.Key topics include understanding that effective communication is about the audience, not the speaker; the importance of listening as a key communication skill; and how storytelling can create impactful and memorable connections. Laurie also discusses the challenges of communicating in a virtual world, emphasizing the need to adapt and connect authentically through platforms like Zoom. This episode offers practical advice for professionals looking to enhance their communication skills and build stronger relationships in business and beyond.Visit: https://therainmakingpodcast.com/---------------------------------------------Laurie Gilbertson is a former New York City sex crimes and organized crime prosecutor, television legal analyst, educator, and entrepreneur. As the owner of Tribeca Blue Consulting, she helps professionals communicate with clarity and confidence in their public speaking, presentations, trial work, and media appearances.Laurie is passionate about helping people present their ideas in creative and persuasive ways that engage their audiences. As a former trial lawyer and television legal analyst, she shares insider’s tips and tricks from her experiences in front of judges, juries, and live television audiences to help her clients get the most out of their presentations and public speaking.Laurie works with her clients through group training and one on one coaching to develop their personal and professional narratives, craft the hooks that draw their audiences in, and curate the stories that keep them listening and wanting to learn more.This means more attention and success to them and their businesses and more clarity and confidence in their communications.Laurie is a graduate of Cornell University and American University, Washington College of Law. She traded big city life for the beauty of Colorado when she and her family moved to Denver from New York several years ago. You can find her reading in her backyard, running (slowly but surely) in the park, hiking in the mountains, or watching a sporting event or dance competition involving her three awesome teenagers.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/Links:www.tribecablueconsulting.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/lauriegilbertson/laurieg@tribecablueconsulting.com Conference Links:https://www.naps360.org/page/ConferenceOverviewThe National Association of Personnel Services; Conference dates: Oct 2 – 4, 2022; Alexandria, VA www.sanfordrose.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of The Rainmaking Podcast, host Scott Love interviews Mike Lipkin, internationally renowned motivational speaker and author of The Potentiator: How to Create Breakthroughs with Others in a Post-Pandemic World. Mike introduces the concept of a "potentiator"—someone who brings out the best in others and builds strong, meaningful connections that lead to extraordinary outcomes. He shares insights into how professionals can develop a "moonshot mindset" to pursue bold ambitions and navigate a world defined by constant change and uncertainty.Key topics include the five potentiator practices: knowing your game (defining your goals and value proposition), building robust resilience (learning from setbacks and adapting), being courageously creative (taking bold, calculated risks), communicating like a champion (clarity, authority, reassurance, and empowerment), and cultivating close connections (building a network of fans, advocates, mobilizers, and evangelizers). Mike emphasizes the importance of resilience, experimentation, and cultivating relationships that expand your impact. This episode is packed with actionable strategies to help professionals lead with purpose and maximize their potential.Visit: https://therainmakingpodcast.com/--------------------------------------------Mike Lipkin is one of Canada’s preeminent speakers.In 2021, he spoke to over one hundred thousand people in nineteen countries and delivered 150 programs internationally; almost every working day, excluding public holidays and travel days, he was talking to an audience somewhere on the planet. Mike knows meetings. In fact, his life is one long conversation.Mike is president of Environics/Lipkin, the motivation and sales empowerment practice of Environics Research Group— one of Canada’s leading research houses. The distinctions that he has gathered from talking to a million people in forty-three countries, combined with the insights from the celebrated Environics social values research, is how he offers his clients the best of all worlds: a powerful blend of ideas, principles, and observations that will help you achieve preeminence one conversation at a time.Mike has authored eight best-selling books. His newest book is The Potentiator - How to Create Breakthroughs with Others in a Post-Pandemic World.https://potentiator.mikelipkin.com/Mike is also a certified Leadership Circle Profile coach. He specialized in engaging with c-level decision-makers to build organizational capability and create outcomes that matter most.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/Links:https://www.mikelipkin.com/Get Mike’s book here:https://potentiator.mikelipkin.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikelipkin/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of The Rainmaking Podcast, host Scott Love interviews Mike Mooney, author of Reputation Shift: Lessons from Pit Road to the Boardroom, about building a revenue-generating reputation. Drawing on his 25 years in motorsports and his experience with major brands like NASCAR and Mercedes-Benz, Mike shares how professionals can proactively shape their reputation to drive trust, referrals, and business success. He highlights the critical role of values, consistency, and time in building a reputation that aligns with personal authenticity and organizational goals.Key topics include the importance of understanding reputation as a revenue driver, using tools like the "Says Who" method to address potential reputation risks, and anticipating industry challenges to differentiate your brand. Mike emphasizes aligning personal values with organizational values and adopting proactive strategies to turn potential challenges into opportunities for trust and growth. This episode provides actionable insights for professionals looking to leverage their reputation as a key business asset.Visit: https://therainmakingpodcast.com/--------------------------------------------It would be easy to say that Mike Mooney’s career has been going in circles for more than 25 years in the high-speed world of professional motorsports.An award-winning executive, Mike built and protected the reputations of global brands such as Mercedes-Benz, 3M, NASCAR, Sunoco, Tylenol, Walmart, Sprint, Kellogg’s, and Eli Lilly.Having worked with championship drivers and teams for decades, Mike saw the power and results of continuous improvement, mindset, and peak performance.With a passion for personal empowerment and results, Mike left a high-visibility and high-performing career to share his experiences and lessons as a professional speaker to help organizations and leaders find people-centered speed.Mike speaks, coaches, and consults with people who recognize that shifting is the new norm. He guides his audiences to proactively identify where, when, and how to shift in order to stay on track and in a position to win!His breakthrough book, Reputation Shift – Lessons from Pit Road to the Boardroom, is a toolbox with ready-to-use personal branding strategies for people who want to create greater personal and professional opportunities in their lives. 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/Links:Website: https://www.mikemooney.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-mooney-0a242b4/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCV_pB--cym8DqyY0RvEYEfQ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of The Rainmaking Podcast, host Scott Love interviews Guillaume Wiatr, strategic narrative expert and author of Strategic Narrative: A Simple Method That Business Leaders Can Use to Transform Their Business. Guillaume explains the concept of a strategic narrative as a leadership tool that aligns teams, mobilizes clients, and drives innovative adoption by creating a system of stories that inspire and engage stakeholders. He highlights the difference between closed-ended stories and open-ended narratives, emphasizing that the latter invites collaboration and client participation.Key topics include the four dimensions of Guillaume's Strategic Narrative Canvas: the origin story, the external opportunity, the perspective story (a reason to disagree with competitors), and the product story. Guillaume also shares actionable steps for leaders to map their stakeholders, refine their messaging, and create space for clients to co-create the narrative. This episode offers a roadmap for turning complex business challenges into opportunities by fostering alignment and engagement through storytelling.Visit: https://therainmakingpodcast.com/--------------------------------------------Guillaume is the author of Strategic Narrative: A Simple Method That Business Leaders Can Use to Make Everyone Understand Their Business, Get Behind it and Believe In It. His company, MetaHelm, guides CEOs, founders, and business owners to align teams and accelerate innovation adoption. A former big-firm strategy consultant, Guillaume has founded four ventures. He is sought after by senior executives of companies like Alaska Airlines, the Gates Foundation, Generations For Peace, AIG, L’Oréal, Spencer Stuart, GAP, Google, Microsoft, and the US and French governments. After helping to save a 20M euros venture during the dot-com boom, Guillaume went on a mission to turn every company into a source of inspiration that few can resist. Guillaume teaches and mentors entrepreneurs at startup incubators, EMLyon international business school, and the University of Washington Master of Science in Entrepreneurship, ranked #3 in the US.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/Links:Download Guillaume's free ebook at https://www.metahelm.com/getstrategicnarrativebook/ Connect with Guillaume on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/guillaumewiatr/ Get Guillaume's email insights: https://www.metahelm.com/the-next-narrative/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of The Rainmaking Podcast, host Scott Love interviews Lou Diamond, a master connector, podcast host, and author of Speakeasy: Connect with Every Conversation. Lou shares his insights on creating meaningful connections through authentic conversations that prioritize curiosity, empathy, and generosity. By focusing on how to "speak easy," he offers practical advice for fostering impactful dialogue that leads to deeper relationships and business growth.Key topics include overcoming selfishness in communication, shifting from talking and telling to asking and listening, and embracing curiosity as the foundation of great conversations. Lou introduces actionable frameworks, such as the VOICE model (Visualize, Opportunity, Identity, Charisma, Energy) and B5G (Be Brief, Be Bright, Be Gone), to help professionals elevate their interactions. Whether you're leading a team, engaging clients, or seeking personal growth, this episode provides valuable tools to transform how you connect with others.Visit: https://therainmakingpodcast.com/--------------------------------------Lou Diamond is a dynamic speaker and master connector who will energize and motivate your organization to explode your sales, retain your clients and build a thriving culture.He has consulted and mentored top performers at hundreds of companies the world over. Lou inspires audiences to feel they can conquer the world.... and make tons of great new connections doing it.Lou has over 25 years of experience in sales, relationship management, business development, and executive mentoring.He is an international keynote speaker, consultant, leadership & performance mentor, best-selling author, podcast & TV host, and CEO of Thrive, a company focused on making the most amazing people, businesses, and brands become even more amazing through the power of connecting.Thrive pushes today's true disruptors to tap their ability to connect in ways that inspire them toward unprecedented levels of success. Through consulting and strategic workshops, Lou and his team at Thrive will propel you and your team to new heights -- Turning top producers into amazing leaders by escalating their own success and helping them inspire others to succeed, too.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/ Links:www.thriveloud.comwww.speakeasybook.comhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thrive-loud-with-lou-diamond/id1232947138https://www.linkedin.com/in/thriveloud/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of The Rainmaking Podcast, host Scott Love interviews Andy Paul, renowned sales expert and author of Sell Without Selling Out, about transforming the sales process by adopting a "selling-in" mindset. Andy challenges the traditional "selling out" approach, where sellers prioritize their interests over the buyer's, and introduces the concept of building authentic connections, fostering trust, and focusing on understanding the client's needs to deliver genuine value.Key topics include the four pillars of the selling-in mindset: connection, curiosity, understanding, and generosity. Andy explains how to ask insightful questions, focus on the buyer's priorities, and create a positive decision-making experience. He also shares strategies for being intentional with client interactions, ensuring every meeting or conversation brings the buyer closer to making a decision. Whether you're a professional looking to refine your business development skills or improve client relationships, this episode offers a practical framework for selling effectively without compromising authenticity.Visit: https://therainmakingpodcast.com/----------------------------------------Andy's hit "Accelerate Your Sales" podcast was acquired by Revenue.io in 2020. Since re-named "Sales Enablement with Andy Paul", the show continues to inspire thousands of sales professionals each week.Andy has also written two award-winning sales books, "Zero-Time Selling" and "Amp Up Your Sales".He is ranked #8 on LinkedIn's list of Top 50 Global Sales Experts.And he has consulted with some of the biggest businesses in the world including Square, Philips, Grubhub and more, making him one of the leading voices in the sales industry today.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/Links:Website: www.andypaul.comLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/realandypaul/Buy Andy’s book, Sell Without Selling Out:https://www.amazon.com/Sell-Without-Selling-Out-Success/dp/B09RLTW23D/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of The Rainmaking Podcast, host Scott Love speaks with Ivy Slater, an entrepreneur, certified business coach, and internationally best-selling author, about building authentic business relationships. Ivy shares practical strategies to overcome the fear of networking, develop meaningful connections, and translate those relationships into business opportunities. She emphasizes the importance of showing up authentically, being curious, and focusing on personal connections to foster trust and long-term business growth.Key topics include preparing for in-person networking events, asking thoughtful questions to build genuine rapport, and maintaining a system to track and nurture relationships over time. Ivy also highlights the value of follow-up and follow-through, such as scheduling check-ins, remembering personal details, and creating opportunities for deeper conversations. Whether you’re just starting to network or looking to refine your approach, this episode is filled with actionable insights for building a network that drives both personal and professional success.Visit: https://therainmakingpodcast.com/---------------------------------------Ivy Slater is the CEO of Slater Success, a boutique training, consulting and coaching company focused on growth strategies and leadership development for high-level, service-based businesses. Ivy is a professionally certified business coach, speaker, internationally bestselling author, and podcast host. She's scaled her own two businesses to multiple 6 & 7 -figures and speaks nationwide on the topics of leadership, sustainable growth, and the value of relationships. In 2020, she was a recipient of a Power Women of New York and of Long Island award, presented by Schneps Media.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/Links:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivyslater/www.slatersuccess.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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/----------------------------------In this episode of The Rainmaking Podcast, host Scott Love interviews Professor Heidi K. Brown, author of The Flourishing Lawyer: A Multidimensional Approach to Performance and Well-Being. Heidi shares her insights on how lawyers and professionals can thrive by adopting a holistic, multidimensional approach to their careers. Drawing on her background in law and her studies in positive psychology, Heidi emphasizes the importance of viewing professionals as "scholar-athletes" who can enhance their performance through intentional focus on well-being and resilience.Key topics include the ten dimensions of fitness for professionals, such as emotional, intellectual, creative, and caregiving dimensions, as well as finding meaning and purpose in work. Heidi introduces concepts like the Individual Zone of Optimal Functioning (IZOF), which helps individuals identify their unique environments for peak performance, and "eustress," the positive form of stress that motivates growth. With practical strategies for managing stress, cultivating creativity, and building resilience, this episode offers a refreshing perspective for professionals looking to not just survive but truly flourish in their careers.Visit: https://therainmakingpodcast.com/----------------------------------Having suffered from extreme public speaking anxiety throughout law school and law practice, Heidi’s passion lies in researching, studying, and writing about introversion, shyness, social anxiety, and extreme public speaking anxiety in the legal context—and helping quiet law students and lawyers amplify their authentic advocacy voices. Based on her research, she was appointed to serve as a Board Member of the Association of American Law Schools' Committee on Balance in Legal Education.She also won the Global Legal Skills Award at the Global Legal Skills Conference at the Collegio di Giurisprudenza at the Università Degli Studi di Verona, in Verona, Italy in 2014, for “excellence in the advancement of global legal skills education around the world.”Heidi is leading a Task Force on Law Student and Lawyer Well-Being at Brooklyn Law School.Heidi is the author of four other books on federal litigation and legal writing. She resides in Brooklyn, New York and when she is not teaching or writing, she loves working out at SoulCycle, boxing, studying Italian, and accumulating stamps in her passport.Links:https://www.brooklaw.edu/Contact-Us/Brown-Heidi-Khttps://www.linkedin.com/in/theintrovertedlawyerbook/http://www.theintrovertedlawyer.com/www.viacharacter.org Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices