BE THAT LAWYER

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Jodie Zerega discuss:Why many lawyers are unhappy with their current situations. How longevity can assist in your job search. The importance of having a book of business (and how it plays with the business of running a law firm). Continue learning, find your niche, become the expert.  Key Takeaways:While longevity at a firm is not as important as it used to be, law firms do still want to see that a lawyer gave the firm a chance and had a chance to be valuable within the firm. You need to have a portable book of business. It is important to know what your objectives are going to be at your new firm. Building a book of business takes consistent effort over time. Start early in your career (and if you didn’t, start today). Network both within and outside of your law firm. You never know where someone is going to be in five years.  "From a partner perspective, you have to have a portable book of business. Right now, I'm seeing a minimum of $750K. One thing that attorneys have a hard time understanding is salary - and they bring you over it as a lateral partner, they have a formulaic process that they use to calculate your salary, and it's usually a third, a third, a third." —  Jodie Zerega Get a free copy of Steve’s book “Sales-Free Selling” here: www.fretzin.com/sales-free-selling Thank you to our Sponsors!Get Staffed Up: https://getstaffedup.com/bethatlawyer/Overture: https://overture.law/Get Visible: https://www.getvisible.com/Moneypenny: https://www.moneypenny.com/us/ Episode References: Traction by Gino Wickman About Jodie Zerega: Jodie Zerega is a highly experienced legal recruiter and founder of Zerega Consulting, a recruiting firm that specializes in placing attorneys in law firms, corporations, and non-profit organizations. With over 20 years of experience in legal recruiting, Jodie has worked with a diverse range of clients, including private start-ups to multi-national publicly traded companies. She is an expert in legal hiring trends, AI in attorney hiring, legal recruiter benefits, job search technology, social media and hiring, and in-house legal recruiting.Jodie's expertise in legal recruiting and her extensive experience make her an ideal guest for podcasts with audiences of attorneys, paralegals, law firm administrators, and managing partners. She can provide valuable insights and practical tips to help listeners navigate the complex legal hiring landscape and stay ahead of the curve in their job search. With the recent launch of the Attorney Jobs app, Jodie can also share a unique perspective on how technology is shaping the legal job market and offer advice on how attorneys can use technology to their advantage. Connect with Jodie Zerega:  Website: https://www.zeregaconsulting.com/Attorney Jobs App: https://www.zeregaconsulting.com/attorney-jobsEmail: jzerega@zeregaconsulting.comPhone: 404-660-3414LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodie-zerega-8265586/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/zerega-consulting-legal-recruiting/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeregaconsulting/ Connect with Steve Fretzin:LinkedIn: Steve FretzinTwitter: @stevefretzinInstagram: @fretzinsteveFacebook: Fretzin, Inc.Website: Fretzin.comEmail: Steve@Fretzin.comBook: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!YouTube: Steve FretzinCall Steve directly at 847-602-6911  Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

The podcast discusses the importance of focusing on what is working and being grateful, as well as the power of paradigm shifts in personal growth and overcoming challenges. They also mention resources for finding great employees and boosting online visibility for law firms.

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Marcia Wasserman discuss:Challenges law firms are facing today that they’ve never had to before. Managing generational differences to the benefit of both parties. Where to start when everything seems to be going sideways. The benefit of a peer advisory group.  Key Takeaways:Managing expectations for both the law firm managers and the younger lawyers is key to making sure everything is being accomplished at the right profitability. Clients are also getting younger, not just new attorneys. Understanding how the younger generations think can be crucial for your law firm success. It doesn’t take a certain personality to be a leader - it takes listening skills, vulnerability, and transparency to your vision. If you delegate more, you will be more effective in what you are best at.  "It's getting the lawyers who manage the firms to understand that things have changed and they are not able to do it the way they've always done it." —  Marcia Wasserman Get a free copy of Steve’s book “Sales-Free Selling” here: www.fretzin.com/sales-free-selling Thank you to our Sponsors!Overture: https://overture.law/Moneypenny: https://www.moneypenny.com/us/Get Visible: https://www.getvisible.com/ Episode References: Measure What Matters by John Doerr - https://www.amazon.com/Measure-What-Matters-Google-Foundation/dp/0525536221ProVisors - https://provisors.com/ About Marcia Wasserman: Marcia Watson Wasserman is the Founder and President of Comprehensive Management Solutions, Inc., which provides “C.O.O. to Go”™ law practice management consulting services to boutique and midsize law firms. Her expertise includes operational management reviews; management and leadership development and training; succession planning; strategic planning; retreat facilitation; law firm start-ups and mergers. Marcia serves as a coach, mentor, and accountability partner to Managing Partners, Attorneys, and Legal Administrators. Marcia also leads multiple law firm Managing Partners’ and Legal Administrators’ Roundtables, focused on thought leadership and sharing best practices. She is a Fellow in the College of Law Practice Management and the author of 2 books published by the ABA.  Connect with Marcia Wasserman:  Website: https://www.comprehensivemgmt.com/Email: mwasserman@comprehensivemgmt.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marciawwasserman/ Connect with Steve Fretzin:LinkedIn: Steve FretzinTwitter: @stevefretzinInstagram: @fretzinsteveFacebook: Fretzin, Inc.Website: Fretzin.comEmail: Steve@Fretzin.comBook: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!YouTube: Steve FretzinCall Steve directly at 847-602-6911  Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Darren Wurz discuss:Learning skills outside of just the law. Niche down to stand out in the crowd. Top struggles lawyers have around money. Making the changes that will make the biggest difference in the future.  Key Takeaways:Awareness of your money is the first step. You have to know where it is going in order to understand what is happening.In a law firm, money is often fluctuating. Understanding your cash flow is key to understanding your overall financial situation. You have to know where you are going with an inspiring vision in order to know how much you need to save to get there. Few people are inspired by saving money. You want to make your financial plans somewhat realistic. If you’re in a situation that is completely unsustainable (maybe due to lifestyle creep) you may have to make dramatic changes to get back to your goals.  "It's tough to build a business. It is tough to launch out on your own. But the cool thing about it is if you put in the hard work and determination, if you learn the skills you need to learn, you can build the business that you want." —  Darren Wurz Get a free copy of Steve’s book “Sales-Free Selling” here: www.fretzin.com/sales-free-selling Thank you to our Sponsors!Overture: https://overture.law/Moneypenny: https://www.moneypenny.com/us/Get Visible: https://www.getvisible.com/ About Darren Wurz: Darren Wurz is a respected authority on retirement planning for law firm owners, as well as a published author and dynamic public speaker. As an experienced financial planner, Darren specializes in helping law firm owners more effectively manage their personal finances and investments, and plan for retirement and succession. He is the author of *[The Lawyer Millionaire: The Complete Guide for Attorneys on Maximizing Wealth, Minimizing Taxes, and Retiring with Confidence](https://www.americanbar.org/products/inv/book/423608863/)*, published by the American Bar Association. He is also the host of The Lawyer Millionaire Podcast. Darren has been featured on radio, television, podcasts, and as a guest speaker at bar associations, law firms, and legal organizations across the country. After a brief career in education, Darren joined his dad and brother as a fee-only financial advisor and co-owner of Wurz Financial Services. As a small business owner himself, he understands the challenges law firm owners face. Over the past 8 years, Darren has developed an expertise in helping law firm owners master their money and achieve financial independence through his unique financial planning process for law firm owners—The Lawyer Millionaire™ Method. Darren holds a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ designation and earned his master’s degree in financial planning from Golden Gate University. Darren is a member of the American Bar Association and the Financial Planning Association. He currently works and resides in the Toledo, OH, area but works remotely with clients in all 50 states. To learn more about Darren and his work, please visit TheLawyerMillionaire.com or connect with him on LinkedIn. Connect with Darren Wurz:  Website: https://wurzfinancialservices.com/Book: https://wurzfinancialservices.com/the-lawyer-millionaire-the-book/Podcast: https://wurzfinancialservices.com/category/podcasts/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darren-p-wurz/Twitter: https://twitter.com/wurzfinancialFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/thelawyermillionaireInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thelawyermillionaire/ Connect with Steve Fretzin:LinkedIn: Steve FretzinTwitter: @stevefretzinInstagram: @fretzinsteveFacebook: Fretzin, Inc.Website: Fretzin.comEmail: Steve@Fretzin.comBook: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!YouTube: Steve FretzinCall Steve directly at 847-602-6911  Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Whitney Harper discuss:Why so many law firms still use the billable hour. Deliverables-based billing. Getting clear about what your deliverables are. Building the playbooks to increase your profitability.  Key Takeaways:Most tech for lawyers are based on hourly billing, which makes it difficult for those wishing to switch without creating new software. Hourly billing can make you adversarial to your clients, and adversarial to yourself and your mental health. Understanding what you are looking for (more money, more time, etc.) then you can look at more ways to make yourself efficient in delivering those products. If you have agreed on the price at the front end, you are less likely to have a collection issue.  "When you bill by the hour, there's a kind of an upper limit on what you can reasonably say an hourly rate is. There's also an aspect of it, that's a mental health issue - as a lawyer, if I only can win by burning more of the midnight oil, there's a level of exhaustion, and you feel like you're playing the game that you can't win." —  Whitney Harper Get a free copy of Steve’s book “Sales-Free Selling” here: www.fretzin.com/sales-free-selling Thank you to our Sponsors!Overture: https://overture.law/Moneypenny: https://www.moneypenny.com/us/Get Visible: https://www.getvisible.com/ Episode References: The Taboo Surrounding Sales in Legal - https://www.fretzin.com/eventsThe Go-Giver by Bob Burg - https://thegogiver.com/ About Whitney Harper: Whitney Harper is a seasoned practicing lawyer, and the co-founder of ADVOS Pro, a business that helps law firms break up with the billable hour method and begin measuring what matters - value, expertise, and results. Her practice, ADVOS legal, has leveraged the ADVOS Pro P3 Method and [A]OS platform for nearly a decade, building a successful, healthy, and highly profitable practice that delivers sophisticated, strategic legal counsel to clients who are raving fans. Connect with Whitney Harper:  Website: https://www.advospro.com/Email: whitney@advospro.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/whitneycharper/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/advos-pro/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ADVOSProInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/whit_onthewater/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/advospro/ Connect with Steve Fretzin:LinkedIn: Steve FretzinTwitter: @stevefretzinInstagram: @fretzinsteveFacebook: Fretzin, Inc.Website: Fretzin.comEmail: Steve@Fretzin.comBook: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!YouTube: Steve FretzinCall Steve directly at 847-602-6911  Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

The podcast discusses building and maintaining relationships, going solo versus having a partnership, outsourcing components of your business, and tips for a successful partnership. They emphasize the importance of business development, managing expectations, and the role of relationships with vendors and referral sources. The significance of aligning expectations and effective note-taking in client partnerships is highlighted. The speakers also discuss investing in a paper-free tool for efficient note-taking and the topic of partnerships for lawyers wanting to start their own practice.

- What does it mean to Live Big? - How does creating connect to living big — and what is creativity all about (that most people do not understand or appreciate, or feel intimidated about)? - How we can all be powerful creators of the lives we want to live.  In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Rochelle Seltzer discuss:Why lawyers need creativity. What does it mean to Live Big?How creativity connects to living big.Setting boundaries with kindness.  Key Takeaways:We all are filled with creativity - but most of it goes untapped and underutilized. When you've tapped into your creativity, you’re excited about trying new things, making bolder moves, and excited about expressing yourself. Try something that you’ve never done before. Do something to inspire you. You need to understand what it is that you want. What is your personal why? What would you do if you were bolder? "When you're in that state of being lit up and feeling inspired, the people around you feel that energy. It will impact everybody - it will impact colleagues, it will impact the people that support you in your role, it will impact your clients. It just elevates everything." —  Rochelle Seltzer Get a free copy of Steve’s book “Sales-Free Selling” here: www.fretzin.com/sales-free-selling Thank you to our Sponsors!Overture: https://overture.law/Moneypenny: https://www.moneypenny.com/us/Get Visible: https://www.getvisible.com/ Episode References: Under the Influence Podcast - https://terryoreilly.ca/undertheinfluence/Unlocking Us with Brené Brown - https://brenebrown.com/podcast-show/unlocking-us/ About Rochelle Seltzer: Rochelle Seltzer is a Creative Core Coach, a dynamic speaker, and the author of the highly acclaimed book, Live Big: A Manifesto for a Creative Life. Her mission is to unleash the untapped creative capacity inside all of us, so we can bring all of our greatness into the world. Rochelle coaches accomplished women, helping them to get clear about the lives they want and create with intention, so they can live their biggest, most fulfilling lives. Connect with Rochelle Seltzer:  Website: https://www.rochelleseltzer.com/Book: https://thelivebigbook.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rochelleseltzercreativecorecoach/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rochelle-seltzer-coach/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rochelle.seltzer/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CoachRochelleSeltzerInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/seltzerrochelle/ Connect with Steve Fretzin:LinkedIn: Steve FretzinTwitter: @stevefretzinInstagram: @fretzinsteveFacebook: Fretzin, Inc.Website: Fretzin.comEmail: Steve@Fretzin.comBook: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!YouTube: Steve FretzinCall Steve directly at 847-602-6911  Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Kerri Coby White discuss:How KerriJames was created and how they assist law firm growth.The compounding power of data.The harsh realities attorneys should accept and address.The four fundamentals for law firm growth. Key Takeaways:If you have the right systems in place, your systems will put out the right outputs, and you can focus your time and energy on the relationships.Every bit of data you collect can be transformative if you apply the right context to it and analyze it.You need to know your marketing numbers. You need to know the ROI of each employee. You need to know your numbers.Build your systems - once they are built and integrated they can address the harsh realities, create the change, and push your law firm growth to greater heights. "When we got serious with our marketing clients about building systems, we got this incredible, unexpected gift. And that was the data - the data that spilled out and provided such unbelievable insight." —  Kerri Coby White Get a free copy of Steve’s book “Sales-Free Selling” here: www.fretzin.com/sales-free-selling Thank you to our Sponsors!Overture: https://overture.law/Moneypenny: https://www.moneypenny.com/us/Get Visible: https://www.getvisible.com/ Episode References: Michael Hyatt Freedom Compass - https://freetofocus.com/Atomic Habits by James Clear - https://jamesclear.com/atomic-habitsSmall Law Firm KPIs: How to Measure Your Way to Greater Profits by Mary Juetten https://www.amazon.com/Small-Firm-Measure-Greater-Profits/dp/0314876014Hidden Brain Podcast - https://www.npr.org/series/423302056/hidden-brain About Kerri Coby White: Kerri Coby White has been serving the legal industry in growth and business development for more than a decade, merging her consulting firm with that of James Brooks and forming KerriJames, LLC in 2019. As CEO of KerriJames, Kerri speaks on the value of data and technology in achieving next-level growth. It is her personal belief that strategy-driven systems can provide firms with the intelligence that enables them to compete amidst a host of challenges and do the important work of seeking justice, supporting clients, and growing organizations that serve their communities.  Connect with Kerri Coby White:  Website: https://www.kerrijames.co/The Law Firm Growth Machine Book: https://www.kerrijames.co/book/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerricobywhite/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kerrijamesllc/Twitter: https://twitter.com/kerricobywhiteFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/kerricobywhiteFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/KerriJamesConsultingInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/kerricobywhite/ Connect with Steve Fretzin:LinkedIn: Steve FretzinTwitter: @stevefretzinInstagram: @fretzinsteveFacebook: Fretzin, Inc.Website: Fretzin.comEmail: Steve@Fretzin.comBook: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!YouTube: Steve FretzinCall Steve directly at 847-602-6911  Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Ben Paul discuss:Importance of just being active in your business development. Taking action and executing on your conversations. The three steps to building your business development successfully. Top tips to improve your business development and the questions to ask to get referrals.  Key Takeaways:Being active in business development will get you far. Having the right activity will get you further. You can’t solve things at the moment - they need to sit and process with the other person. Have the discipline to do the small actions that will build habits and carry your business development forward. When you understand your reason and have the motivation to do your business development, be curious and listen well and you will go far.  "There is no perfection, but inaction is imperfection. Action is moving on to perfection in terms of developing client relationships." —  Ben Paul Get a free copy of Steve’s book “Sales-Free Selling” here: www.fretzin.com/sales-free-selling Thank you to our Sponsors!Overture: https://overture.law/Moneypenny: https://www.moneypenny.com/us/Get Visible: https://www.getvisible.com/ Episode References: STOP! Hammer Time - The West Ham Podcast - http://playbackmedia.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/westham.htmlThis Legal Life: NOT Another Legal Podcast - https://bol.nexl.cloud/tag/listen/ About Ben Paul: Ben Paul is CEO of The BD Ladder, a BD and marketing consultancy specializing in providing practical advice to lawyers and legal firms. He has over 20 years of experience in business development and marketing advice. Ben has worked in senior BD roles in several professional services and law firms. Prior to establishing The BD Ladder, he was the BD & Marketing Director at one of NZ’s leading law firms and oversaw their successful rebranding to Dentons Kensington Swan. Ben provides regular BD coaching and skills sessions to his clients which help them to grow their practices. One of his key strengths is that he brings active change to the way things are done, so that his clients can achieve the results that they aspire  Connect with Ben Paul:  Website: https://bdladder.com/Email: ben@bdladder.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benpaulbdm/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bdladder/Twitter: https://twitter.com/BenPaul_NZTwitter: https://twitter.com/BdLadderFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/BDLadderInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/bd_ladder/ Connect with Steve Fretzin:LinkedIn: Steve FretzinTwitter: @stevefretzinInstagram: @fretzinsteveFacebook: Fretzin, Inc.Website: Fretzin.comEmail: Steve@Fretzin.comBook: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!YouTube: Steve FretzinCall Steve directly at 847-602-6911  Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Alexandra Watkins discuss:The profession of naming. Brand, personal, and business naming. Identifying what makes you unique and your brand personality. Creating a consistent message across your brand, social media, and all aspects of your business.  Key Takeaways:People fall in love with brands, but it doesn’t happen overnight. The name is the soul of your brand. If you name it correctly, you can attract the business you want to work with off of the name alone. Brainstorm by using all of your online resources. Using colors on a whiteboard is outdated and one of the worst ways to brainstorm. Review your client testimonials - understand what words they are using to describe what you are helping them with, even if it isn’t the language you would have used.  "Use your moniker, use your name everywhere that you can. It's going to help people remember you." —  Alexandra Watkins Get a free copy of Steve’s book “Sales-Free Selling” here: www.fretzin.com/sales-free-selling Thank you to our Sponsors!Overture: https://overture.law/Moneypenny: https://www.moneypenny.com/us/Get Visible: https://www.getvisible.com/ Episode References: Beyond Curious - https://podcasts.bcast.fm/beyond-curious About Alexandra Watkins: Alexandra Watkins is a brand name expert and author of the Inc. Top 10 Marketing Book, “Hello, My Name is Awesome: How to Create Brand Names That Stick." She is the founder of Eat My Words, a naming firm that specializes in creating names that make people smile instead of scratch their heads. If you have ever enjoyed a Wendy's Baconator, you have literally eaten her words.  Connect with Alexandra Watkins:  Website: https://eatmywords.com/Email: alexandra@eatmywords.comBook: https://eatmywords.com/brand-names-book/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandrawatkins/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/eat-my-words/Twitter: https://twitter.com/eatmywordsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/EatMyWordsNamesInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/sandiegobitchinbackyard/ Connect with Steve Fretzin:LinkedIn: Steve FretzinTwitter: @stevefretzinInstagram: @fretzinsteveFacebook: Fretzin, Inc.Website: Fretzin.comEmail: Steve@Fretzin.comBook: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!YouTube: Steve FretzinCall Steve directly at 847-602-6911  Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.