BE THAT LAWYER

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Alay Yajnik discuss:The biggest errors law firms make when hiring. Leveraging your network to grow your firm (not just your business). Vetting the candidates that you bring into your firm. Hiring quickly in the current war for talent.  Key Takeaways:You do not need to settle for your hire. Working with a recruiter is often worth the money as it saves you time and resources in looking for that new hire. Ask open ended questions when you are interviewing to dig deep into the credibility of your candidate. Check the references - this is one of the most underrated aspects of hiring. Always be hiring and always be looking for talent.  "Right now, there's a big demand for legal services, but there are not very many attorneys to go around. Firms that don't get out ahead of this quickly find themselves buried with work. And when you're buried with work, it impacts your ability to hire because you just don't have enough time." —  Alay Yajnik Connect with Alay Yajnik:  Website: LawyerBusinessAdvantage.comOne Page Strategic Plan: LawFirmSuccessGroup.comEmail: Alay@YajnikGroup.comLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/alayyajnikBook: https://www.lawfirmsuccessgroup.com/book/Lawyer Business Advantage Podcast: https://www.lawfirmsuccessgroup.com/podcast-2/ 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 Maya Markovich discuss:The evolution of the legal tech industry. The growing need for focus on client-centric law practices. Useful technologies that can help lawyers run a more efficient practice. How COVID has changed the legal industry for the better. Key Takeaways:We all have to fight together for access to justice. The law is not set up to be client-centric, and there is no single solution to change this. Robots and AI are not replacing lawyers. There is more than enough work to go around and the new technologies will free up lawyers for more strategic things than something like document review. Think about how the client is experiencing service at your firm and consider ways to make it more streamlined for your client. Law firms grow faster and serve the clients better when they focus on a niche, and don’t try to be everything to everyone.  "There's this increased focus on client experience, which, I think, is long overdue. Client expectations are continually increasing, and there's going to be more and more emphasis on value-based services and tailored pricing models." —  Maya Markovich Connect with Maya Markovich:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mayamarkovichTwitter: https://twitter.com/MarkovichMayaWebsite: https://vilcap.com/ & https://justicetechassociation.org/ 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 Jay Paul Deratany discuss:Doing things in your work and life that make a difference. Making smart decisions to achieve your ambitions. Creating time to yourself in the midst of your busy life. Lessons learned in starting your own practice.  Key Takeaways:Go into everything you do with the mindset of service, not just a mindset of serving yourself. Making mistakes is going to happen, but we need to learn from those things and continue to track what is working as you go forward. Having a team brings different perspectives to your firm. Don’t give up, choose your passion, and be passionate about your work.  "We take a team approach to our cases…Usually a client understands it because they want a team, and a team brings about a better result. I couldn't have had the verdicts I've had unless I had the team I have." —  Jay Paul Deratany Connect with Jay Paul Deratany:  Website: https://lawinjury.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaypaulderatanyTwitter: https://twitter.com/deratanyFirst Star: https://www.firststar.org/  Foster Boy: http://fosterboy.com/CASA: https://nationalcasagal.org/ 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 Kate Curler discuss:The power of people’s networks. Finding mutual advantage in your networking meetings. Redirection during connection conversations. Keeping at the front of a networking partner’s mind.  Key Takeaways:When you are networking, give your networking partner something they can work with to help you even as you are helping them. Going into a networking meeting with the plan to sell is not going to work for you for long. Be a giver, but also stay top of mind when you’re networking. Reach out when you refer clients and make yourself known as a rainmaker and key networking partner. You don’t have to do it all yourself, you don’t have to know everything, and you can be wrong. Be willing to be vulnerable and human and people will more to you.  "Business coaching has been just keeping track of the numbers, delegating, and, regarding networking, once you have an opportunity to send somebody a client, I do that, but I make sure I get credit for it as well." —  Kate Curler Connect with Kate Curler:  Website: https://www.curlerlaw.com/Email: kcurler@curlerlaw.comPhone: 312-952-1077LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-curler-84a72413/ 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 Walt Hampton discuss:Your extraordinary toolbelt taught in law school.Success beyond what society thinks it should be.Why you should write a book and what it can do for your book of business.Writing, publishing, and marketing a book. Key Takeaways:There will be amazing rewards for those who can lean into the discomfort.With a book in the world you have the capacity to touch people beyond your wildest imaginations.From a business perspective, there is no better credibility builder, authority builder, expertise builder, client attracting magnet than having a book.You have to put yourself out there to promote your book, your services, and your business. "If we feel called, as you and I do, to have a broader impact, or global impact, as you and I are privileged to do, then figuring out ways to leverage that is important." —  Walt Hampton Connect with Walt Hampton:  Website: Summit-Success.comEmail: Walt@Summit-Success.comFREE eBook: summitsuccess.lpages.co/the-power-principles-of-time-masteryLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/walthamptonPublishing Resource: http://summitpresspublishers.com/stevePrevious Episode: https://fretzin.com/walt-hampton-time-mastery-through-self-mastery/ 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 Andy Cabasso discuss:Focusing on the business, not just in the business Why a law firm should care about their web presence. Finding your unique differentiator (and communicating it properly). Ways to increase your Google ranking and SEO.  Key Takeaways:Your website is your only chance for a first impression with those who find you online. Your client is looking to solve a specific issue. They want to know that you can help them with their very specific needs. Getting your site organically ranked without paying for clicks is largely based on content creation. Make sure you have a Google Business listing. It is free and it is the first step to showing up in local search results.  "It should be very easy for someone visiting your website, whether it's on a mobile phone, or a desktop computer, or laptop, or anything like that, to be able to connect with you. Test this out." —  Andy Cabasso Connect with Andy Cabasso:  Website: https://postaga.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewcabasso/Twitter: https://twitter.com/andycabassoCoupon Code: PODCAST50 for 3 Months at 50% off on Postaga.com!  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 Ida Abbott discuss:Realigning your values and your work.Developing and retaining talent.Challenges lawyers face when considering and thinking about retirement.Examining who you are by choice, not by default. Key Takeaways:People want to feel a sense of belonging and community in their firms.Loyalty is earned and ever changing. It needs to be constantly developed and the relationships maintained.65 is an arbitrary number decided by the social security system. Your retirement is your own and you can decide when is the right time for you.Keep a personal interests list. Figure out what is interesting to you now and when you get to a point where you need to decide what you are going to do, you have a list of things you already are interested in. "It's a lot of internal investigation, self exploration, and then recognizing the myths and the misunderstandings that hold you back. Retirement means it's the end, if that's what you believe. I ask you to reframe it. It's not the end. Think of somebody you know, who's retired, who is doing something cool. And if you don't know anybody personally, start looking around online, they are everywhere." —  Ida Abbott Connect with Ida Abbott:  Website: https://idaabbott.com/Email: ida@idaabbott.comBook: https://idaabbott.com/books/retirement-by-design/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ida-abbott-9a0736Twitter: https://twitter.com/IdaOAbbottFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/sponsoringwomenbook 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 Susan Ibitz discuss:Soft skills are marketable and make you employable.The relationship behind know, like, and trust. Starting soft and inviting questions. Tips about nonverbal communication.  Key Takeaways:If you’re not selling a product, you are selling yourself or your service. If people don’t remember you when you talk, there is a problem. We have two ears and one mouth, use them proportionately. Treat others the way they want to be treated and you will be remembered as remarkable. Gather the baseline information before you jump to solutions or try and fix without understanding the client’s problem.  "In law sales and networking, you establish rapport and you use words, which are more important than the body. Words are be more important because I pay attention. Be present." —  Susan Ibitz Connect with Susan Ibitz:  Website: https://humanbehaviorlab.com/Email: susan@humanbehaviorlab.comYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsAwKi2NQchiXWrrMd9-uXALinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susan-ibitz/Twitter: https://twitter.com/HBehaviorLabFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/SusanIbitzHBL  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/humanbehaviorhacker/ 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 Jennifer Bullock discuss:Treating customers in a way that will make them feel like your only customer. Becoming a strong, influential woman in law. The importance of committing to your business growth and development early on as part of your necessary work. Harmonizing your work and your life in the right environment.  Key Takeaways:When you are opening your own firm (or even just looking to grow your book of business) talk to everyone you know and make yourself known. Seek out a mentor and build relationships early on. They will require you taking action and will not just fall in your lap. You only need to do two things when you start to work with networking organizations: show up and do what you say you will do. You can build your book of business in non-traditional ways. Look at what you like to do, where you like to be, and who you like to connect with.  "I firmly believe that if you focus on business development, as a female attorney early on in your career, you truly can create your own path, you are in control of your own destiny. You may choose to stay in a firm, you may choose to launch your own firm, you may go in house, but you will have many more opportunities available to you." —  Jennifer Bullock Connect with Jennifer Bullock:  Website: https://bullocklegal.net/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferbullocklegal/Twitter: https://twitter.com/bullocklegalFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/flaemploymentlawyer/   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 Andy Stickel discuss:Overcoming analysis paralysis. Marketing beyond getting leads. Taking a lead through to a sell. Understanding the pain of your prospective clients and the impact that pain is having.  Key Takeaways:Getting leads is rarely the problem. Follow up is the key - three times, three ways, and continuously reaching out. Nobody likes a linktree. Have a real person answer the phone. Focus on the end result, not on the vehicle for getting to that result.  "The way that you get someone to buy something is that when they're in so much pain, that the value of getting out of pain is greater than the value of the money. That's what attorneys need to learn how to do." —  Andy Stickel Connect with Andy Stickel:  Website: https://www.socialfirestarter.com/Book: https://freebookforlawyers.com/test-drive-1YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbRE2UVB83CCo4S9rFgZn0QLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewstickel/Twitter: https://twitter.com/andystickelFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/marketingforlawyers/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andrew.stickel/Operation Underground Railroad: http://ourrescue.org/ 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.