The Rainmaking Podcast

In this episode of The Rainmaking Podcast, host Scott Love speaks with Gary Miller, owner of Miller Resource Group, about building long-term client relationships and establishing a powerful personal brand in executive search. With over 47 years of experience in the recruiting industry, Gary shares real-world insights on how to develop trust with clients, stay top-of-mind, and consistently generate new business. He emphasizes that success in business development isn’t about quick wins—it’s about showing up, building authentic connections, and delivering value over time.Key topics include the importance of genuine care in client relationships, how industry involvement through conferences and associations strengthens credibility, and why rainmakers need to focus on being present where their clients are. Gary shares his strategic approach to networking at industry events, explaining how attending conferences—not just trade shows—positions professionals as trusted advisors. He also discusses leveraging LinkedIn for personal branding, the role of consistency and persistence in business development, and why a single phone call or introduction can change the course of a business. This episode provides actionable insights for professionals looking to build trust, gain more clients, and create a sustainable business development strategy.Visit: https://therainmakingpodcast.com/----------------------------------------Gary Miller has been in the recruiting industry for 47 years and is the CEO of Miller Resource Group, and executive search firm based in the Chicago area that focuses on manufacturing. ----------------------------------------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://millerresource.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/bestrecruitingfirm/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of The Rainmaking Podcast, host Scott Love speaks with Travis Hoechlin, CEO of Rise Up Media, about how professional services firms can effectively market themselves online. Travis, an expert in digital marketing for law firms and other professional service providers, explains that a strong online presence is no longer optional—it’s essential for attracting and converting potential clients. He emphasizes that firms must optimize their digital footprint to remain competitive, ensuring they are visible and easily discoverable by prospects searching online.Key topics include the importance of a well-optimized website, how Google reviews and online reputation management influence client decisions, and the three key areas of Google search that firms must dominate—local service ads, pay-per-click ads, and organic search rankings. Travis shares strategies for maximizing conversions, including how to structure a website for mobile users, the role of content marketing in search engine optimization (SEO), and how paid advertising can provide an immediate return while SEO builds long-term credibility. He also discusses common pitfalls firms face, such as failing to answer incoming calls and losing potential clients due to poor follow-up processes. This episode provides practical, actionable steps for professionals looking to strengthen their online presence, increase lead generation, and optimize their marketing investment.Visit: https://therainmakingpodcast.com/----------------------------------------Travis Hoechlin is the CEO of Rize Up Media, a marketing company that helps Law Firms generate new clients from the Internet, increase revenue & help grow their businesses.----------------------------------------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/Starting on June 25 at 1 PM Eastern time, Scott Love will lead a virtual six-session masterclass with a small group of professional service providers on the topic of rainmaking. Space is limited. Get your seat today at www.rainmakingseminar.com. Use discount code “podcast” for a $200 tuition discount.Links:https://www.rizeupmedia.com/https://www.linkedin.com/company/rizeupmedia/https://www.instagram.com/rizeupmedia/https://twitter.com/rizeupmediahttps://www.facebook.com/rizeupmedia Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of The Rainmaking Podcast, host Scott Love speaks with Sophia Matveeva, CEO and founder of Tech for Non-Techies, about how professional service providers can attract and work with tech clients. Sophia, an expert in tech education for business professionals, explains that technology is reshaping every industry, making it a lucrative and forward-thinking niche for consultants, lawyers, and other service providers. She emphasizes that understanding the language and mindset of tech founders, venture capitalists, and startup executives is essential for building relationships and winning business in this sector.Key topics include the importance of learning the fundamentals of tech without becoming a coder, how to segment the tech industry into consumer and enterprise sectors, and how professionals can leverage tech accelerators and networking opportunities to gain credibility. Sophia shares three actionable steps: 1) Acclimate to tech language by listening to tech podcasts and industry news, 2) Engage with the industry by attending tech accelerators and networking events, and 3) Build credibility by mentoring startups or advising at incubators. She also highlights common pitfalls, such as trying to learn coding unnecessarily instead of focusing on industry fluency and relationship-building. This episode provides practical strategies for professionals looking to break into the tech sector, position themselves as trusted advisors, and capitalize on the rapid growth of digital transformation.Visit: https://therainmakingpodcast.com/----------------------------------------Starting on June 25 at 1 PM Eastern time, Scott Love will lead a virtual six-session masterclass with a small group of professional services providers on the topic of rainmaking. Space is limited. Get your seat today at www.rainmakingseminar.com. Use discount code “podcast” for a $200 tuition discount.Sophia Matveeva is the CEO & founder of Tech For Non-Techies, an executive education and consulting company.Sophia has contributed to the Harvard Business Review, Financial Times, The Guardian, and Forbes on entrepreneurship and technology, and hosts the top-rated Tech for Non-Techies podcast. She has also guest lectured at the University of Chicago, London Business School, and Oxford University.Sophia is a start-up mentor at the Chicago Booth Polsky Center of Entrepreneurship and has advised leading accelerators including Chicago Booth’s New Venture Challenge and the Techstars x Blackstone Launchpad.She holds an MBA from Chicago Booth, and a BSc (Hons) in Politics from Bristol. She speaks English, Russian, and French.Sophia also sits on the Advisory Board to Riviter, which uses AI to predict consumer trends for the world's biggest brands.----------------------------------------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/sophia-matveeva-556365a/techfornontechies.co/ podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/tech-for-non-techies/id1516475320  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of The Rainmaking Podcast, host Scott Love speaks with Jim Kraus, President of the Buyer Persona Institute, about leveraging buyer personas to better influence buying decisions. Jim explains that understanding the buyer’s journey—from the moment a prospect recognizes a need to their final purchasing decision—is essential for professionals looking to differentiate themselves, build trust, and increase sales effectiveness. He highlights that trust, not just price, is the primary factor in winning business, and that by aligning messaging with the key triggers and concerns buyers experience, professionals can position themselves as the clear choice.Key topics include the five critical elements of a buyer’s journey: 1) Triggers that spark a need for change, 2) Key success factors buyers seek, 3) Perceived barriers that create hesitation, 4) Decision criteria that guide the selection process, and 5) The buyer’s full decision-making journey. Jim shares how professionals can conduct interviews with recent buyers to uncover these insights and then map them to their firm’s strengths to craft a compelling, differentiated value proposition. He also discusses how professionals can refine their business development approach using buyer persona research, ensuring they engage prospects in a way that resonates with their needs and concerns. This episode provides practical strategies for professionals looking to improve sales effectiveness by deeply understanding what drives their clients' purchasing decisions.Visit: https://therainmakingpodcast.com/----------------------------------------Jim is the President of Buyer Persona Institute (BPI) and a leading authority on buyer personas and buying insights.BPI’s buyer persona research and workshop methodologies have become the gold standard for thousands of marketers in hundreds of companies worldwide that rely on these studies to reveal everything a prospective buyer needs to know and experience to have confidence in their solution. Marketers use these insights to develop strategies and messaging that drive more leads, improve conversion rates, and helps sales hit their numbers.In addition to his work at BPI, Jim is an avid blogger, author of the Buyer Persona Buzz newsletter, and is currently working on a second edition of the book Buyer Personas with BPI’s founder, Adele Revella. He also frequently speaks at events and podcasts to advance the thinking around buyer personas and buying insights more broadly.Outside of work, Jim enjoys travel, reading, sports, and spending time with his family.----------------------------------------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.Buyerpersonas.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this special 200th episode of The Rainmaking Podcast, host Scott Love reflects on three key trends that have shaped business development and rainmaking success over the past few years. He shares lessons learned from interviewing top industry experts and discusses how professionals can apply these insights to stand out in an increasingly competitive market. Scott also introduces game theory concepts to help professionals predict business outcomes and optimize their client development strategies.Key topics include the three major trends in rainmaking success: 1) Empathy, the ability to understand and connect with clients on a deeper level; 2) Active Listening, which helps professionals uncover pain points and build trust; and 3) Distinction, the importance of identifying and leveraging unique personal or professional traits to differentiate from competitors. Scott also discusses how to gamify business development using a point-based system to track key performance activities, inspired by principles from blackjack and MIT-style card counting strategies. He shares how professionals can measure and refine their business development approach, ensuring they focus on high-value activities that yield the greatest ROI. This episode provides a roadmap for professionals looking to enhance their sales effectiveness, build stronger client relationships, and create a sustainable rainmaking process.Visit: https://therainmakingpodcast.com/----------------------------------------Scott Love is a legal recruiter who recruits private equity attorneys for global law firms and facilitates law firm mergers. He also is an author and speaker on client development.----------------------------------------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/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of The Rainmaking Podcast, host Scott Love speaks with Hugh Hornsby, sales leader and business transformation expert, about the power of people-based leadership and building high-performance teams. Hugh shares his experiences leading and turning around multiple companies, growing businesses from tens of millions to over $150 million in revenue. He emphasizes that success in business isn’t just about numbers—it’s about investing in people, creating belief systems, and fostering a culture of personal growth and accountability. He explains that true leadership is about empowering individuals to overcome their personal and professional barriers so they can reach their full potential.Key topics include identifying intrinsic motivation in employees, the importance of developing self-belief and personal accountability, and how to build a culture of collaboration where team members invest in each other’s success. Hugh shares insights on coaching employees past their mental barriers, using gratitude practices to shift mindset, and structuring team meetings for maximum impact. He also discusses the challenges leaders face in scaling businesses, including the CEO mindset shift needed to delegate effectively and how to avoid micromanagement while building trust and autonomy within teams. This episode provides practical strategies for professionals looking to transform their leadership approach, develop stronger teams, and achieve exponential business growth.Visit: https://therainmakingpodcast.com/----------------------------------------Hugh Hornsby is a turnaround expert, a culture-developer, and a sales expert. Throughout his career, he has worked in positions that have made significant improvements to companies through his team-building skills, leadership, and philosophy of personal development.----------------------------------------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/hugh-hornsby-51986b10/hugh.h@everflowsupplies.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this solo episode of The Rainmaking Podcast, host Scott Love shares insights on how game theory applies to client development and business growth. Drawing from his experience as a legal recruiter and his time studying professional gambling, Scott explains how understanding probabilities and strategic decision-making can help professionals focus their efforts on the highest-return activities. He emphasizes that professionals often spend too much time chasing cold leads when they should be doubling down on relationships that already yield results. By applying game theory principles, rainmakers can prioritize efforts that have the greatest likelihood of success.Key topics include the five levels of client development, ranked from highest to lowest probability of success: 1) existing clients, 2) people who know you, 3) referrals, 4) people who have heard of you, and 5) cold outreach. Scott discusses how to optimize business development efforts by focusing on existing relationships, leveraging trade associations, and setting up structured referral systems. He also shares strategies for increasing visibility, building credibility, and minimizing wasted effort on low-probability opportunities. Using his blackjack analogy, Scott explains how betting strategically in client development—just as in gambling—ensures professionals maximize their time and resources for long-term success. This episode provides a structured, game-theory-driven approach to business development that helps professionals work smarter, not harder.Visit: https://therainmakingpodcast.com/----------------------------------------Scott Love is a legal recruiter who recruits private equity attorneys for global law firms and facilitates law firm mergers. He also is an author and speaker on client development. ----------------------------------------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:Bill Cates' website www.billcates.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of The Rainmaking Podcast, host Scott Love speaks with Jill Huse, co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Society 54, about women in leadership roles within professional services firms. Jill shares insights on the challenges women face in leadership, including limited access to key opportunities, bias in leadership selection, and a lack of allies to support their growth. She discusses how firms sometimes promote women into leadership roles without giving them real authority, which can undermine firm culture and professional development.Key topics include coaching strategies for leadership success, how women can advocate for themselves in equity and compensation discussions, and the importance of developing confidence in self-promotion. Visit: https://therainmakingpodcast.com/----------------------------------------Society 54 Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer Jill Huse is renowned as a trusted professional services advisor. Jill, a certified Business Coach, is highly regarded for her progressive ingenuity, research-based strategy and, most importantly, her ability to deliver results for clients. In addition to her work with Society 54, Jill is also co-founder and CSO of Society Tech, a technology company that utilizes the proprietary software INform54 to help law firms track and analyze their firm performance initiatives to support strategic growth.Jill’s strengths lie in ideation on high-level strategy, leadership development, and coaching attorneys and business professionals on career growth and relationship selling. She has worked in professional services marketing (legal and accounting) for over twenty years. She has an innate ability to identify, encourage, and develop her clients’ unique and differentiating professional strengths, and to help clients leverage these strengths to meet and exceed bottom-line goals.Prior to launching Society 54, Jill led the marketing and business development department at one of the most reputable AmLaw firms in the southeast. While there, she structured and guided her team in developing, implementing, and managing award-winning communication, business development, and marketing initiatives. Further, Jill is a tenured member of the Legal Marketing Association (LMA), serving as the 2020 President of the International Board of Directors where she led the efforts to expand LMA to Europe; additionally, she also served as the president of the Southeastern Chapter. Jill is also one of the founding members of Law 2.5, a roundtable think tank focused on the future of the legal industry and how to implement and lead change, and was co-founder and Principal at The Chiral Project which focused on Leadership Development for Women in Professional Services.Jill was inducted into the Legal Marketing Association’s Hall of Fame in 2024 for her leadership and contributions to the association and its membership. In 2023, Jill and Heather earned a spot in the Charlotte Business Journal’s Fast 50, ranking Society 54 as the 8th fastest-growing private company in the Charlotte region. In 2021, she was inducted as a Fellow into the College of Law Practice Management. And, in 2016, Jill was personally selected as one of the “50 Most Influential Women in Charlotte” by The Mecklenburg Times.----------------------------------------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/jillhuse/https://society54.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of The Rainmaking Podcast, host Scott Love speaks with Rick Watson, financial services expert and author of A Firm Worth Building, about trust compression and edification—two powerful concepts that help professionals build relationships and accelerate business development. Rick explains that trust compression is the idea that trust is built not through the length of interactions but through the frequency of meaningful touchpoints. He shares how professionals can restructure their meetings into shorter, more frequent interactions to build stronger client relationships in less time. He also introduces edification, a technique for making powerful referrals that enhance credibility and create stronger business connections.Key topics include how to structure meetings for faster trust-building, the psychology behind frequent and consistent client interactions, and the importance of setting up a referral process that highlights credibility rather than commoditizing professionals. Rick discusses practical strategies for optimizing introductions, including how to frame referrals with personal stories to make them more memorable and impactful. He also shares insights on building a culture of edification within teams, ensuring that staff members are empowered and positioned as trusted experts. This episode provides actionable techniques for professionals looking to deepen client relationships, strengthen referrals, and build a high-value network.Visit: https://therainmakingpodcast.com/----------------------------------------Rick Watson is the author of “A Firm Worth Building”, which helps professional businesses scale and thrive. He identifies a common problem advice professionals all seem to share. These business owners focus more on performing their professional specialty rather than what it takes to run the business well.Many professional firms, and experts in their fields, like accountants, financial advisors, and attorneys struggle to find “good” growth. Some professionals even look to discard a percentage of their client book every few years, as a way of managing growth. Rick would say this is all backward. When you build a strong business, as the firm grows it gets easier to run, not harder.Rick’s unique experience was forged from growing a firm with only $20 in his savings to managing 1⁄2 billion dollars in his current RIA and becoming the of the National Referral Network and several other businesses which has forced him to be a student of running businesses in the best possible way. Rick’s book “A Firm Worth Building” covers about 30 lessons that every business owner should know, from thinking through branding to increasing referrals through professional networks.Additionally, he has a few unique success concepts like compressing the time it takes to build client trust and why building up your staff and other professionals through a dedicated process of “edification” is so helpful. He and his partners are forward-thinkers, their motto is - "We build what should exist". Rick and his team are not afraid of complexity, hard work, or innovation.Rick’s accomplishments have opened the path to achieving his own dreams. Living with his family on a 5-acre horse ranch and wine-making operation in Loomis, California where he still finds the time to enjoy the life that he has been able to build through embodying his own teachings. When he's not helping manage and scale businesses, Rick rides Arabian horses in 30-100 mile races.----------------------------------------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.NRNAmerica.comhttps://www.protectionpointadvisors.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/72002560https://www.linkedin.com/in/rickwatsonppa/https://www.facebook.com/richard.watson.92351 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of The Rainmaking Podcast, host Scott Love speaks with Rudhir Krishtel, executive coach and business development strategist, about the common traits, actions, and strategies of top-performing rainmakers. Rudhir shares insights from his extensive experience coaching high-level professionals, helping them scale their books of business from six figures to multi-million-dollar practices. He emphasizes that clarity and consistency are the two defining characteristics that separate elite rainmakers from those who struggle with growth. By clearly defining their goals and taking consistent, focused action, professionals can dramatically transform their success.Key topics include identifying and setting clear business and income goals, developing a strategic roadmap for growth, and avoiding the common pitfall of being too broad in target client selection. Rudhir introduces the AIMS framework—focusing on Annual revenue, Income goals, Matters handled, and Support structure—to help professionals define their growth trajectory. He also highlights the importance of relationship-building, strategic exposure through thought leadership, and making direct business development asks. Additionally, he shares a three-step action plan: conducting a network audit, setting clear revenue and client goals, and implementing consistent outreach and branding efforts. This episode provides practical, high-impact strategies for professionals looking to scale their practice, build meaningful relationships, and achieve sustainable business development success.Visit: https://therainmakingpodcast.com/----------------------------------------Rudhir Krishtel is an executive coach and facilitator working specifically with lawyers and the legal community. Rudhir works with clients on a range of issues, including: Career Strategy, Business Development, Building Leadership Skills, Navigating Workplace Relationships, and Diversity and Inclusion Challenges. He practiced law for 15 years as a litigation partner and then as senior counsel at Apple. His lawyer days led him to train as a yoga teacher and mindfulness meditation instructor, and as a professional coach and leadership instructor, to serve as a support for the legal community.----------------------------------------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.krishtel.com/https://www.krishtel.com/workshops Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices