Spill The Ink

"We didn't want to be somebody that just came in and it was about the bottom line and the revenue. It was about being a part of the community."  In this episode, Michelle Calcote King sits down with Optima Engineering Director of Marketing & Growth Suzanne Epps to discuss why it is a mistake for AEC marketers to blindly transplant their existing strategies when entering new markets.  Through Optim...

In this episode of "Spill the Ink," Michelle Calcote King speaks with Amanda Waesch, who chairs marketing and business development at Brennan, Manna & Diamond (BMD), about navigating work-life balance in the demanding legal profession. Amanda shares her experiences developing her firm's inaugural maternity policy, advocating for flexible work arrangements and building authentic relationships with...

Most AEC firms recognize research's potential and understand they can't rely on assumptions or gut feelings to stay ahead of the curve. Still, many firms struggle to implement effective research programs that inform their strategic decisions. In this episode of "Spill the Ink," Michelle speaks with Julie Witecki, Senior Consultant at FMI Consulting, about how research can shape market strategies a...

Law firms are often seen as slow to change, but diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) can be powerful drivers of innovation. In this episode, Michelle Calcote King speaks with Terra Davis, Chief Diversity and Talent Development Officer at Knobbe Martens, about the business benefits of embracing DEI in law firms. She discusses how effective DEI work goes beyond the surface to create more welcoming...

Professional learning and growth can bloom from unexpected relationships — and these opportunities are abundant in technical industries like architecture, engineering and construction. In this episode of "Spill the Ink," Michelle Calcote King sits down with Reagan Branham, Chief Marketing Officer at HERA laboratory planners, to discuss the benefits of embracing mentorship opportunities outside the...

In this episode, John Byrne, the Chief Marketing Officer at Gould & Ratner and the 2025 President of the Legal Marketing Association, disputes the idea that legal marketing is behind other professional services industries. He and Michelle Calcote King discuss how forward-thinking law firms are harnessing the power of content marketing and leveraging data analysis to bolster client retention. John...

Emily McKeown and Lindsay Tiffany have a standing meeting to collaborate and advise each other on legal marketing and business development issues. The twist? They work for separate law firms. Their firms serve different geographic markets, so they aren't in direct competition, but Emily and Lindsay say their peer relationship is invaluable. In this episode, they share the benefits this type of rel...

With a tight labor market casting a dark shadow over our heads, architecture, engineering and construction firm marketers are increasingly stepping in to support talent recruiting, engagement and retention. Bryce Batts, the Co-Founder of AEC staffing firm Career Collective, sits down with us to talk about how marketing and HR departments are teaming up to attract top talent. Bryce gives us a glimp...

Firm-sponsored events strengthen community ties and create opportunities for attorneys to network with potential clients. But the traditional "lunch and learn" format simply doesn't spark joy with everyone. In this episode, Gail Lamarche, Director of Marketing and Business Development at Henderson Franklin, teaches us valuable lessons about creating unique and memorable law firm events. Gail share...

To excel in an industry that never stops innovating, you have to be willing to grow and evolve with it. Architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) marketers often have to walk the delicate line between honoring their firms' rich history and showcasing how they're embracing innovation. Founded in 1915, Gannett Fleming has experienced its fair share of changes over the years. Marketing and Com...

It's easy to get lost in the complexities of a legal issue and the nuances of an industry, but effective marketing should always center around one thing: how does it make people feel about your firm? This is one of many insights that Strauss Troy's director of marketing Jennifer Gault has acquired in her more than 12-year career spanning the retail, nonprofit and construction sectors.  In this epi...

With endless amounts of stimuli constantly grabbing for our attention, convincing audiences to read complex technical information can be a hard sell. As Kleinschmidt's marketing and communications director, GinaRenee Autrey pursues opportunities where her engineers can blend creativity and technical expertise. Their goal isn't to merely distribute information, but rather to inspire audiences to wa...

On paper, Julia Thomas is a one-woman band as Dean Mead's marketing director. But in reality, she works in tandem with more than 100 unofficial marketers. Yep — attorneys and staff have a crucial supporting role to play as advocates for their firm and its brand, and Julia has made it her mission to empower them. In this episode of Spill the Ink, Julia discusses how her approach to legal marketing...

Reaching 100 years is a commendable accomplishment for any business and should be celebrated to the fullest extent. As Dana Galvin Lancour leads Barton Malow's centennial marketing campaign, she joins us to discuss the challenges and opportunities in marketing a legacy construction firm with deep community roots.  In this episode of Spill the Ink, Michelle interviews Dana, Barton Malow's VP of bra...

It's as untraditional as it gets, but having a non-attorney in the driving seat of your law firm can do wonders for streamlining operations, enhancing the client experience and strengthening team culture. But it's not without its challenges — as our guest discovered when he built a law firm from the ground up (with the help of a team of attorneys) in just two weeks.  Before Jonathan Delk was CEO o...

Michael Mantese brought a fresh perspective to Eskew Dumez Ripple, a nationally recognized architecture firm, when he joined in 2017. Coming from a New York City digital marketing and advertising agency, he brought a data-driven, people-centric approach to the firm's marketing and content creation strategies. As marketing director, he leads the firm with the same values and elevates its brand stor...

Reports of attorneys grappling with issues like anxiety, depression and substance abuse remain alarmingly high as the legal industry continues fighting for ground in the battle against mental health and well-being issues.  This Mental Health Awareness Month and Well-Being in Law Week , we've invited well-being consultant Tara Antonipillai to discuss the state of the legal industry and actionable s...

Soon after starting as an intern architect, Heather Blazi realized the job didn't spark joy quite the way she imagined while watching HGTV as a kid. So she adjusted her path. Today, she's the marketing director at Pfluger Architects, a design firm specializing in the education market. Heather joins us to discuss owning your niche, market expansion and building an effective team with diverse skills...

Law firms are relationship-driven businesses — and not only in terms of attorney-client relationships. Aricia Gallaher's recipe for success is to approach marketing with an understanding that nurturing connections is kingpin, both internally and externally.  Aricia is the marketing director at Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel, a full-service law firm in Chattanooga. In this episode, Aricia reflects on...

Professional services buyers want to see more than simple boilerplate to inform their decision about why they should hire you. Marketing needs to be tailored as much as possible to address their specific needs and concerns. Derek Goodroe, marketing director at Ashley McGraw Architects, talks about why he invests time and resources into carefully tailoring each request for proposal (RFP) — even if...

The legal industry isn't known for its trailblazing progress on the diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) front — but it is improving. Many law firms are integrating DEI strategy into their core business model, and the benefits of this shift are touching nearly every area, from prospecting and marketing to recruitment and talent development. In this episode, Lee Watts joins us to talk about her ne...

Jill Davis leads the marketing department at Cline Design, an interdisciplinary architecture, planning and interior design firm in North Carolina. She recently guided the 35-year-old firm through a successful rebrand and website redesign and is constantly re-examining Cline's marketing strategy to meet evolving client needs. In this episode, Jill and host Michelle Calcote King discuss Cline's mark...

You don't need to work in an extremely visual industry to create video content that drives revenue and brings in new business. You don't even need to hire a fancy, high-tech production team. Philip Fairley helps law firms and attorneys craft and execute video marketing strategies that resonate with target audiences and yield ROI. He and host Michelle Calcote King discuss how to get started, includ...

The architecture, engineering and construction industry is severely lagging behind in diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). Black workers represent 13% of the industry's workforce but only hold 7% of its jobs. Meanwhile, white workers comprise 77% of the workforce and hold over 80% of all AEC jobs. AEC Unites, a nonprofit membership organization, was founded in 2023 to advance DEI in the industry...

Running a business is hard. Now try being a lawyer on top of it all. Having spent 20 years helping law firm owners and senior partners implement strategies that turn their firms into thriving businesses, Gary Mitchell has a treasure trove of knowledge and advice to share about the subject. He and host Michelle Calcote King discuss the many facets of running an effective law firm business, includin...