BE THAT LAWYER

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Ryan Kimler discuss:The numbers side of your law firm practice. The KPIs firms should be looking into. Why you need to understand your firm’s numbers. Utilizing an expert to look at your numbers to set your firm up for success.  Key Takeaways:A lot of built in reports in financial software are for compliance, not for understanding what is happening with your firm’s numbers. Five of the simple numbers you should be tracking regularly: revenue, cost of goods sold, and operating expenses (marketing, payroll, other overhead). Getting a numbers assessment will give you a starting place to understand what your firm needs. You didn’t go to law school to understand the numbers of your firm, working with a financial expert can help you to understand where you are at and where you are going.  "The rule of thirds absolutely still holds true today, which is, when you hire an attorney 1/3 of the revenue that are going to generate goes to pay them, 1/3 to overhead, and 1/3 to profit." —  Ryan Kimler Connect with Ryan Kimler:  Website: https://netprofitcfo.com/Email: ryan@netprofitceo.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryankfinancialclarityllc/   Thank you to our Sponsors!Legalese Marketing: https://legaleasemarketing.com/Moneypenny: https://www.moneypenny.com/us/ Connect with Steve Fretzin:LinkedIn: Steve FretzinTwitter: @stevefretzinFacebook: Fretzin, Inc.Website: Fretzin.comEmail: Steve@Fretzin.comBook: The Ambitious Attorney: Your Guide to Doubling or Even Tripling Your Book of Business 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 Jaclyn Foster discuss:Changes in virtual law firm assistance. Understanding where hires need to be made. Keep it simple with roll clarity. Preventing bottlenecks in your law firm.  Key Takeaways:Hiring virtual gives you a broader hiring pool and gives more flexibility to your employees. You need to understand where time is being spent before you can understand where you may need to bring in additional help. As a lawyer, you should only be doing things the paralegals cannot do. Onboarding is a marathon, not a spring. But it is the best place to define and understand what a job roll contains. "It just keeps reminding us, especially in this world of technology and software and automation and all of these little intricacies that have changed the face of how we work, that people are still the foundational component to making our businesses succeed." —  Jaclyn Foster Connect with Jaclyn Foster:  Website: https://www.del-trust.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaclyn-foster-60b457196/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/deltrustsolutions   Thank you to our Sponsors!Legalese Marketing: https://legaleasemarketing.com/Moneypenny: https://www.moneypenny.com/us/ Connect with Steve Fretzin:LinkedIn: Steve FretzinTwitter: @stevefretzinFacebook: Fretzin, Inc.Website: Fretzin.comEmail: Steve@Fretzin.comBook: The Ambitious Attorney: Your Guide to Doubling or Even Tripling Your Book of Business 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 Jason Levin discuss:Always be chipping away as you are waiting with hope. Self-selecting our next opportunities. Developing relationships to develop business. Using your memory to your advantage in relationship building.  Key Takeaways:Every lawyer has the capacity to do business development, it just isn’t often on their radar as it isn’t something that was taught to them previously. Regardless of an attorney’s personality type, they have the ability to build relationships. Most people are going to be polite when you reach out, even if it’s been years. Social science says people love connection and nostalgia. The best CRM is the one that is used. It doesn’t need to be fancy, it just needs to be organized and used.  "We all have our own Bermuda Keep In Touch Triangles where you are trapped in your own head because you don't know what to do. The emotions around the triangle that are completely normal are guilt, fear, and worry." —  Jason Levin Connect with Jason Levin:  Website: https://readysetlaunch.net/Email: jason@readysetlaunch.netBook: https://readysetlaunch.net/relationships-to-infinity/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonlevincareercoach/Twitter: https://twitter.com/jasoncareersFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/readysetlaunchllc/ Thank you to our Sponsors!Legalese Marketing: https://legaleasemarketing.com/Moneypenny: https://www.moneypenny.com/us/ Connect with Steve Fretzin:LinkedIn: Steve FretzinTwitter: @stevefretzinFacebook: Fretzin, Inc.Website: Fretzin.comEmail: Steve@Fretzin.comBook: The Ambitious Attorney: Your Guide to Doubling or Even Tripling Your Book of Business 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 Barbara Kaplan discuss:Relationships as the key to success. Why lawyers may struggle with branding. Defining your own brand and narrative. Understanding how to define your brand and what you do.  Key Takeaways:Your why lives at the intersection of what you love, what you're great at, what you want to be known for, what sets you apart, and what your ideal client needs.Your brand will be tweaked as you go through your life, but it should always resonate with your clients. If you do not choose what you want to be known for, those you work with will define it for you and it may not be what you want. You want your clients to be your best referral source. If your brand is clear and clearly defines who you are and what you do, your brand can be your best friend. "Branding is about the future. It leverages the past, it reflects the present, and it carries you into the future." —  Barbara Kaplan Connect with Barbara Kaplan:  Website: https://www.bskstrategies.com/Email: barbara@bskstrategies.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbarakaplanprofile/ Thank you to our Sponsors!Legalese Marketing: https://legaleasemarketing.com/Moneypenny: https://www.moneypenny.com/us/ Connect with Steve Fretzin:LinkedIn: Steve FretzinTwitter: @stevefretzinFacebook: Fretzin, Inc.Website: Fretzin.comEmail: Steve@Fretzin.comBook: The Ambitious Attorney: Your Guide to Doubling or Even Tripling Your Book of Business and more!YouTube: Steve FretzinCall Steve directly at 847-602-6911  Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-SturkieAudio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Molly McGrath discuss:The greatest employment tools you have as a business owner. Attracting players and keeping key employees. Reinventing the hiring process to catch the rockstar candidates. What lawyers want more than money and perks. Key Takeaways:It’s not just about the money. It is about the time, the attention, the resources, the communication, and the feedback with you and your employees. People are not job hunting. They are digging into coaching and self-discovery. You have to outsource hiring because you have to sell your firm, yourself, and your company.Investing in your people, invest in yourself, invest in your culture, invest in coaching. This will help to attract and retain employees. Lawyers want firms that are flexible and progressive in their thinking and business models.  "When you hire someone, it is a relationship and not a transaction. The greatest retention tool, the greatest hiring tool, even if you cannot compete with big firm salaries, if you can communicate and demonstrate that you are invested in the relationship with an employee and you give them consistent time, attention and feedback they'll take your job over anybody else's." —  Molly McGrath Connect with Molly McGrath:  Website: https://hiringandempowering.com/  Books: https://hiringandempowering.com/business-development-books/Show: https://hiringandempowering.com/podcast/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/molly-hallmcgrath/Twitter: https://twitter.com/HireAndEmpowerFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/hiringandempowering/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hiringandempowering/ Thank you to our Sponsors!Legalese Marketing: https://legaleasemarketing.com/Moneypenny: https://www.moneypenny.com/us/ Connect with Steve Fretzin:LinkedIn: Steve FretzinTwitter: @stevefretzinFacebook: Fretzin, Inc.Website: Fretzin.comEmail: Steve@Fretzin.comBook: The Ambitious Attorney: Your Guide to Doubling or Even Tripling Your Book of Business and more!YouTube: Steve FretzinCall Steve directly at 847-602-6911  Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-SturkieAudio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Marc Hankin discuss:Relationships first, middle, and last. Listen first and tune your hearing to hear what others are saying is the problem. The little things to pull together the networking connection. Remembering social rules as we move back to in person meetings.  Key Takeaways:Regular communication with those friends you want to maintain connections with is extremely important. Stay top of mind, think of others, and put the relationship first. You have two ears and one mouth, use them in proportion. When making a quality referral, think about how it will put more money in the pocket of those you are helping. Give to give. Do the preparation necessary before meetings to better serve those you are meeting with. If you do the research first, your meetings will go far better.  "I learned long ago, the Six Ps: Proper Preparation Prevents Piss Poor Performance. It is the same thing with a meeting, with the troika, with getting together a client pitch, you have to prepare in advance, you have to come in knowing what you need to know, and then ask the questions." —  Marc Hankin Connect with Marc Hankin:  Website: https://www.hankinpatentlaw.com/Email: marc@hankinpatentlaw.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mehankinprotectwhatsinyourmind/ Thank you to our Sponsors!Legalese Marketing: https://legaleasemarketing.com/Moneypenny: https://www.moneypenny.com/us/ Connect with Steve Fretzin:LinkedIn: Steve FretzinTwitter: @stevefretzinFacebook: Fretzin, Inc.Website: Fretzin.comEmail: Steve@Fretzin.comBook: The Ambitious Attorney: Your Guide to Doubling or Even Tripling Your Book of Business 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 Lindsey Markus discuss:Putting yourself out there to build your brand, network, and show yourself as an authority in your space. Adding value through connections. Why Lindsey created a publication house to publish her book. Overcoming challenges of business development as a woman.  Key Takeaways:Just say yes. Be willing to meet with people who have powerful connections that you may not have to grow your own network. The only thing better than getting a referral, is being able to give one. Be willing to make the ask. You never know who will say yes. We all need support. If you are passionate about something, support those things that resonate with you at whatever points in your career you are in.  "You need to figure out what works for you, and you need to do something that you're passionate about and care about." —  Lindsey Markus Connect with Lindsey Markus:  Website: https://lindseymarkus.com/ & https://www.chuhak.com/Email: lmarkus@chuhak.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsey-markus-a279237/Twitter: https://twitter.com/estateplanattyFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/lindsey.p.markus  Book: A Gift For The Future: Conversations About Estate Planninghttps://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09XH19NVD/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0 Thank you to our Sponsors!Legalese Marketing: https://legaleasemarketing.com/Moneypenny: https://www.moneypenny.com/us/ Connect with Steve Fretzin:LinkedIn: Steve FretzinTwitter: @stevefretzinFacebook: Fretzin, Inc.Website: Fretzin.comEmail: Steve@Fretzin.comBook: The Ambitious Attorney: Your Guide to Doubling or Even Tripling Your Book of Business and more!YouTube: Steve FretzinCall Steve directly at 847-602-6911  Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-SturkieAudio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Amy Gardner discuss:Mistakes lawyers make with their time.Taking the initiative to learn the things that you did not learn in law school.Solutions to getting your time under control.Track your time and see if you’re actually spending the time where you want to be.Key Takeaways:Building relationships is not something that can happen when you try and do it faster.Take the time on the things that matter.Look at your to-do list - What can you eliminate? What can you automate? What can you delegate? What can you trade?Be open to new ideas and bring in people with a fresh perspective. You never know where you’re wasting time that you didn’t even realize was being wasted. "Start viewing Saturday and Sunday as extensions of your week. I'm not saying do more work on Saturday and Sunday; I'm saying go into the weekend with a plan. When you do that you can be much more intentional with how you're spending those two days a week, rather than just using them as the recovery time. And that really helps you build a more full life." —  Amy Gardner Connect with Amy Gardner: Website: apochromatik.comEmail: Amy@Apochromatik.comLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/apochromatikAmy’s LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/amygardnerTwitter: twitter.com/apochromatikFacebook: facebook.com/apochromatikSign up at www.aposignup.com/btl for a FREE 30-minute consultation! Referenced Episode: Episode 181 Keith Sbiral: https://fretzin.com/keith-sbiral-delegation-for-success/ Thank you to our Sponsors!Legalese Marketing: https://legaleasemarketing.com/Moneypenny: https://www.moneypenny.com/us/ Connect with Steve Fretzin:LinkedIn: Steve FretzinTwitter: @stevefretzinFacebook: Fretzin, Inc.Website: Fretzin.comEmail: Steve@Fretzin.comBook: The Ambitious Attorney: Your Guide to Doubling or Even Tripling Your Book of Business and more!YouTube: Steve FretzinCall Steve directly at 847-602-6911  Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-SturkieAudio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Justin Weinrich discuss:Justin’s journey of building his own firm in a city where he knew nobody. Scheduling your networking without burning out. Creativity in your networking connections (not everyone wants more business).Niching down to perfect your craft and be known for that among your network.  Key Takeaways:Strategically plan who you are going to network with will allow you to make the most out of your networking time. Be constantly communicating with your clients. Those who refer others to you want to know that you are taking care of those referrals. Get to know people. Your best clients may take years to come, but you’ve built the trust and rapport and will get more referrals from those clients. Perfect your craft - that is what you owe your clients, and that is what will sustain you and your family.  "You have to work together to try to figure out how you can help each other. I always tried to give a little bit of something, even if I felt like the other person was helping me a lot more." —  Justin Weinrich Connect with Justin Weinrich:  Website: https://jweinrichlaw.com/Cell Phone: 636-795-7256LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jweinrichlaw/ Referenced Episode: Episode 162: Kate Curler: https://fretzin.com/kate-curler-the-power-in-people/ Thank you to our Sponsors!Legalese Marketing: https://legaleasemarketing.com/Moneypenny: https://www.moneypenny.com/us/ Connect with Steve Fretzin:LinkedIn: Steve FretzinTwitter: @stevefretzinFacebook: Fretzin, Inc.Website: Fretzin.comEmail: Steve@Fretzin.comBook: The Ambitious Attorney: Your Guide to Doubling or Even Tripling Your Book of Business and more!YouTube: Steve FretzinCall Steve directly at 847-602-6911  Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-SturkieAudio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Paul Porvaznik discuss:Thinking about business development (even when things are going well). Taking action on taking control of your career. Meeting with the right people and asking the right questions. Start developing your book of business now.  Key Takeaways:Having your own clients is one of the best ways to create job security, regardless of where you’re practicing. Keep a blog or write articles. It will show your expertise and help you to grow your business. Not everyone is going to be a good fit for you. If you have a vast connection of networking partners, you can be a great referral partner for them. Business development won’t be natural on day one. It takes practice to continually improve and become more efficient at this craft.  "People who have a book of business have autonomy." —  Paul Porvaznik Connect with Paul Porvaznik:  Website: http://paulporvaznik.com/Email: porvaznik@bc-lawyers.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-porvaznik/Twitter: https://twitter.com/PaulPorvaznik Thank you to our Sponsors!Legalese Marketing: https://legaleasemarketing.com/Moneypenny: https://www.moneypenny.com/us/ Connect with Steve Fretzin:LinkedIn: Steve FretzinTwitter: @stevefretzinFacebook: Fretzin, Inc.Website: Fretzin.comEmail: Steve@Fretzin.comBook: The Ambitious Attorney: Your Guide to Doubling or Even Tripling Your Book of Business 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.