The Law Firm Owner Podcast

Do you know where your business falls on the S-curve right now? The S-Curve illustrates the growth of a small business from initial slow growth, to expansion, to a plateau as the market saturates. This means that after a phase of hyper-growth, you will most likely experience a tapering off, and this period is full of opportunities you can take to ensure the long-term health of your firm. Join Melissa this week as she shows you how to navigate the peaks and plateaus in your firm’s S-Curve, and the key pieces you must address during these periods for the long-term success of your company. You’ll learn why plateaus are a sign of a healthy business, the importance of being both honest and curious as an owner, and how to avoid getting distracted by shiny object syndrome. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.velocitywork.com/258

In a world that tells you there’s one right way to do things and perfection is virtuous, you’re not alone if you feel resistance to the idea that 80% is enough. The Awesome 80% is the foundation to Melissa’s work across all of her programs, and she’s here today to show you the power of celebrating good enough. Tune in to learn about the importance of aiming for progress, not perfection, and why you only need to strive for 80% in anything you do. Melissa is sharing examples from inside her Mastery Group of what happens when you’re in the practice of celebrating good enough, and why real progress gets made when you adopt this mindset. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.velocitywork.com/257

If you’re a long-time listener of the show, you’ll likely be familiar with Mastery Group; the container in which quarterly strategic planning is facilitated. Melissa has the perfect guest on the show this week to dive deep into what you can expect from Mastery Group, Client Services Manager Mika Beccone. Mika is the backend coordinator and point person for all members, and she’s here to shed light on what goes on inside. Tune in this week to learn everything you need to know about Mastery Group, from the resources available to you inside and what to expect when you join, to how much time you need to invest in the program, and Mika’s top three pieces of advice to all new members. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.velocitywork.com/256

If you’ve ever questioned the power of strategic planning, look no further. Melissa has centered her entire business around it for good reason, and she believes it is vital for every firm to do. On this episode, she’s laying out the key aspects involved in effective strategic planning so you can plug yourself into this process in a meaningful way and fly further faster. Tune in this week to learn what strategic planning is and why every law firm owner needs this process. Melissa is sharing the basic elements of strategic planning that make it a game-changing system, how Monday Map/Friday Wrap works perfectly alongside it, and how this framework will help you create the velocity you need to get where you want to go in a more streamlined way. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.velocitywork.com/255

There’s a notion in law firm owner communities that owners ought to stay above the fray, and that they don’t need to know how the sausage gets made within certain elements of their businesses. The truth is there’s a fine line between knowing how the sausage gets made and neglecting something important inside your business. Melissa is sharing her thoughts on this today. Tune in as Melissa explains why people who have experienced new success tend to think they no longer need to get in the weeds of their business, what a healthy amount of digging into your business looks like, and the importance of owning your hunches to ensure a healthy firm. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.velocitywork.com/254

Your time is your most precious asset, and the reality is, your calendar probably doesn’t accurately reflect how you’re spending it. When you own a law firm, there is so much invisible work that doesn't get captured anywhere, and the only way to truly know where you can buy back your time is to take stock of where it’s going right now. Join Melissa on this episode as she gives you a time auditing exercise that will make your invisible work visible. You’ll learn why creating space is essential if you want to grow a healthy firm and how you’ll end up throwing money at the problem if you don’t take action to eliminate your time sinks. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.velocitywork.com/253

Rewarding your team with an unexpected bonus when the firm is thriving feels good, not just for them but for you too. However, shelling out cash without evaluating all the variables can end up creating a win-lose situation for your employees and the continued health of your firm. Join Melissa on this episode as she offers you a guide for giving impromptu bonuses. You’ll learn why protecting the health of your firm must be a top priority, an evaluation process that will ground you in facts, not feelings, the four financial metrics you must be addressing, and Melissa’s favorite ideas for rewarding your team in non-monetary ways if you’re not quite ready to give them cash. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.velocitywork.com/252

Periods of high pressure are inevitable as a law firm owner. It is crucial to support yourself to get through these times with as much ease, flow, and productivity as possible, but the reality is that most owners are not planning ahead. Join Melissa this week as she shows you why supporting yourself and your health is of utmost importance during phases of high pressure. You’ll learn how owners tend to sabotage themselves when the stakes are high, why problems occur when you don’t factor stress in ahead of time, and Melissa’s top tips for proactively supporting yourself during these periods in your firm. ‍ Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.velocitywork.com/251

Are you prone to brushing off your contributions or wins in the name of humility? What are the dangers of not taking credit where it’s due as a leader? Tara Gronhovd is the CEO of Align, where she provides team-focused leadership coaching and development, and she's joining Melissa on the podcast this week to talk about why humility is key to the success you’re seeking for your firm. Join Melissa and Tara as they dive into the meaning of true humility and the importance of owning what you do well. They’re exploring why most leaders are uncomfortable owning their strengths, and how you can exponentially grow your strengths by becoming more aware of them. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.velocitywork.com/250

How often do your meetings feel like a drag? A few key things must be in place if you want to avoid unfocused, distracted, and unproductive meetings, and simple tweaks can be the difference between meetings that feel like duds and meetings that have your whole team shining. Melissa is laying out the keys for you this week. Tune in to discover seven strategies for running focused, productive, and highly engaged meetings. You’ll learn what may be contributing to meetings that feel like a drag and Melissa’s top tips for leaning into human psychology to lead effective meetings. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.velocitywork.com/249

What do you do when something that feels like an emergency happens in your firm? Whether it’s a key member of your team resigning, receiving a terrible review, or anything else that catches you off guard, Melissa is offering you a guide this week for what to do when you feel blindsided. In this episode, you’ll learn how handling emotionally charged situations differs from other challenges in your firm, questions to ask yourself to produce the most productive outcomes, and how to embody business-owner maturity in even the toughest situations. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.velocitywork.com/248

While you might believe shooting for high growth rates year after year will help you find the success you’re seeking as a business owner, Melissa is here this week to show you why a constant commitment to growth might actually be creating problems in your business that are hard to recover from. Tune in to hear the four byproducts that come from chasing high growth rates year after year, and how they can become untenable for you, your team, your clients, and your overall business. You’ll learn how to play the long game instead, and Melissa’s tips for handling a high-growth year with grace and intention. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.velocitywork.com/247

As a law firm owner, it's easy to fall into the trap of complaining in times of frustration, but expending energy wallowing in problems can have direct, long-lasting negative impacts on your firm. If you’re focused on complaining, you aren’t focused on effective problem-solving. Tune in this week as Melissa outlines exactly how complaining is negatively impacting your firm's culture, morale, and productivity, and a couple of exercises to snap yourself out of the negativity cycle the next time you catch yourself in it. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.velocitywork.com/246

Do you take time to investigate the problems that crop up in your law firm? To dig under the surface-level symptoms? Or do you do what's necessary to keep moving forward and stick a pin in them for a later date? Unlike surface-level problem-solving, root cause analysis aims to uncover the root cause of a problem and prevent it from recurring, and it’s the secret to saving you, your team, and your clients a ton of heartache and pain. Listen in this week to hear why root cause analysis is the most responsible way of dealing with problems in your firm, and Melissa’s favorite tool for uncovering the deeper reasons something isn’t working. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.velocitywork.com/245

When owners find Melissa, they're often struggling to find enough time for the things that are most important to them. Close relationships, health and wellbeing, the growth of the firm — it's a lot to juggle. How can you begin to use Monday Map/Friday Wrap if you don’t know how to prioritize what’s most important? In this episode, Melissa exposes a common pain point for law firm owners who want to take control of their time. She shares how to create Zones in your calendar to dedicate to your priorities, how to uncover what your top priorities are, and how she helps the firm owners inside Mastery do this progressively better each week. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.velocitywork.com/244

Any time you set out to achieve a goal, it requires deliberate focus. Unfortunately, it is human nature to get distracted, which is where frequent, regular course correction comes in. If you want to make real progress, you need to course correct often, and Melissa is sharing the best ways to do it this week. Listen in to learn how to course correct so effectively that each time you fall off track (and you will), the time it takes to regain focus becomes even faster and smoother. Melissa shares why having a regular cadence to your course corrections matters, two tools to make them more effective, and why getting more specific about what you want to accomplish makes course correcting along the way easier. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.velocitywork.com/243

The practice of honoring your calendar, which Melissa teaches in her Monday Map/Friday Wrap process, is what will make you a better business owner, lawyer, and leader. It's all about showing up for what truly matters, but you’re not alone if a sense of perfectionism and overwhelm are keeping you from making progress. This week, you’ll hear an excerpt from one of Melissa's recent Mastery Group client calls that led to some big breakthroughs. It’ll change the game if you currently feel like you’re not performing at your best. Tune in to hear why intentionality is the secret to making progress in ways that will blow your mind, and the only things you should be spending your time and energy on. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.velocitywork.com/242

If, like many of Melissa’s clients, you’ve been tolerating or living with team issues in your firm for a while, the hard truth is that these perceived problems may not be a team problem. They might actually be a you problem. On this episode, you’ll learn the opportunities you have as an owner, leader, and CEO to shift the culture within your firm towards greatness. Listen in to discover why you don’t need a blueprint for perfection in navigating team issues, and how just a little bit of initiative and curiosity can make all the difference. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.velocitywork.com/241

Planning is your key to freedom as a law firm owner. It's what allows you to take the reins in your practice and line yourself up with the growth you say you want. So why aren't most owners doing it? This week, you’re hearing from the founder of Revermann Law, Claudia Revermann, who was introduced to Melissa's Monday Map/Friday Wrap framework in 2020. She committed to the work for three years, and she’s here to share how it transformed her business. You’ll hear the importance of being honest about your time, some of the mistakes Claudia has made with the process, and how Claudia and Melissa have worked together to create ease, flow, and progress. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.velocitywork.com/240

As a law firm owner, you can’t and shouldn’t be personally handling every task that needs attending to in your firm. You want to focus your time on bringing in new clients and doing the work you truly love, but where do you start? This week, Melissa is joined by Southern California appellate and anti-SLAPP lawyer, Jeff Lewis of Jeff Lewis Law. They just did a strategic planning session together where they planned for the year ahead, and as one of her clients who has mastered the art of delegation, Melissa invited Jeff on to discuss exactly how he’s created an abundance of time and mental freedom for himself as a law firm owner. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.velocitywork.com/239