The Law Firm Owner Podcast

Billing monthly is the norm for most law firm owners, and it's probably working just fine for you and your clients, so why would you do it differently? This is what Eileen Kendall from Kendall Law believed… until she realized that a simple billing switch could change the game for her firm's cash flow.   Eileen Kendall is back this week to share how billing twice a month has helped stabilize her fi...

By the end of May, Eileen Kendall was essentially running her firm alone. With her associate out sick and no paralegal support, this was her breaking point. She was close to shutting the doors to her firm when she decided it was time to make some big changes to get her house in order.   Eileen has been a private client of Melissa's for a couple of years, and on this episode, Eileen and Melissa are...

Welcome to a special episode as Melissa celebrates five years of The Law Firm Owner Podcast! There are a handful of other things Melissa is celebrating right alongside the fifth anniversary of the podcast, and she's using this opportunity to introduce you to Velocity Work's COO, Giselle Urbina, and highlight everything that's been going on behind the scenes.   Join Melissa and Giselle on this epis...

There are two approaches to running a law firm and the first one is structured. Discipline and focus are highly valued with this style, and there's often intensity present too. The second approach is one that's softer, more flexible and adaptive. Both sound great, but is there a time and place for one over the other? Which foot are you leading with? And why does understanding your stance even matt...

As a law firm owner, you've taken huge risks and put in blood, sweat, and tears to lift your firm off the ground. You've considered how to run your firm in a way that feels healthy and aligned, and you're ensuring your clients and team are served at the highest level possible. But have you ever stopped to put a number on what success means to you? Have you figured out how all this work you've put...

What is your people cost? Do you know what should be included in and excluded from your people cost? And how can getting into the nitty-gritty from a numbers perspective help you run your firm more smoothly and even create happier employees and clients?   If you feel like you're just surviving as a law firm owner right now and want to understand the levers you can pull to truly thrive, listen in....

Are you aware of the return on investment you're getting from your hires? Does it feel like you have to watch your pennies when it comes to taking an owner's draw or rewarding your team? How might you be hiring blindly, and how is it affecting the health of both your business and your team?   If you're embarking on your team-building journey with hunches or an unwillingness to look at the math, li...

There's a recurring theme Melissa has noticed in her consult calls with law firm owners. They're willing to pay thousands on coaching programs without understanding the health of their business, and if this is you, Melissa is here this week to show you why you have no business paying that much when you don't know what's going on under the hood of your firm. You'll learn what happens when you can't...

It's human nature to fixate on day-to-day tasks—whether that's in your firm, your personal life, or elsewhere. Maybe you're overwhelmed by the prospect of achieving something greater for your practice or you think that anything outside of those menial tasks requires too much time and energy. Well, consider this your wake up call.    If you're ready to lock in (and do so relentlessly), Melissa has...

Melissa's guest this week is someone who has won over not only the Velocity Work community, but the law firm owner sphere as a whole. If your firm's digital marketing process is something that leaves you overwhelmed and confused, you have no idea what your marketing company is doing for you, or you want to better understand how to get higher-quality leads, you're in the right place.   Matt Burke i...

If you're like most law firm owners, you run hot all the time. Your calendar is full of obligations, weekends are far from relaxing, and it's causing you pain. The reality is, as important as all these things feel, not everything can be a top priority. So where do you draw the line?   It can be incredibly defeating to feel like you can't get your head above water no matter how hard you try. In thi...

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 Me...

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...

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...

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 lear...

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 explain...

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 auditin...

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...

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 t...

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...

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...

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 you...

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...

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, an...

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 you...