The Law Firm Owner Podcast

People think it's the big swings at something that will knock it out of the park. That's true every once in a while, but what typically contributes to success is showing up consistently in small ways. If you want to get to the next level, you're going to have to evaluate how you're going to operate and the decisions you're going to make, and to do that, you need daily reminders.   As a leader, the...

As you may have heard, Melissa introduced a concept called The Wee Things in a special episode where she was joined by her husband. Of course, we all want to knock it out of the park with our goals and tee ourselves up to win, but The Wee Things are what actually contribute to your success, so this conversation needs to be kept alive. This week, Melissa breaks down the power of focusing on and tak...

Welcome to the third and final installment of our Strategic Planning Retreats Lessons Learned series. This is the mini-series where Melissa extracts the gems her members and clients shared at the end of their June Quarterly Strategic Planning Retreat as they were planning for Q3 and the remainder of the year.   If you're looking to find your footing as you look towards the next quarter and the res...

Strategic planning is all about sitting down and creating space to evaluate your business. As a law firm owner, there are important milestones on your journey that have to be intentionally addressed, especially if creating an unstoppable machine that is your business is something you want to make a reality.   If you're on the brink of growing your team, or you're thinking about incorporating them...

Quarterly strategic planning with accountability and coaching in between is at the core of what we offer every single client, and this week, you get a sneak peek into the transformations happening in our community.   Join Melissa as she offers 7 lessons learned that have come out of Mastery Group. These are gems shared by your peers who are currently doing the work to be the kind of law firm owner...

A new quarter is on the horizon, which signals a great time for making headway on the things you need to think through as you grow. The truth is you're going to have difficult quarters, or hard moments in seemingly easy quarters. When you feel fear and doubt creeping in, what you need is a clear reminder of what drives you.   The Vision Deck is a one-sheeter cheat sheet we offer our clients that s...

Melissa's guest on the show this week is no stranger to the podcast. Chris Nicolaysen is a private client and co-founder of Springs Law Group; a firm that has experienced tremendous growth over the three years they've worked together, and he's back for the third time to have a slightly different type of conversation.   Chris and Melissa are here to discuss a mental and physical challenge they've b...

Setting expectations is the secret to a streamlined experience where everybody- your clients and your team- is positioned to win. Melissa's guest this week, Bill Farias, is here to encourage you to make it a part of your firm's culture. Bill is a family law attorney who has been practicing for 12 years. He got serious about making the transition from solo practitioner to CEO of his own firm four y...

Welcome to the first episode of The Law Firm Owner Podcast! Melissa is giving you strategies to deal with your brain when it inevitably serves up skepticism, fear, and doubt about your ability to achieve the goals you've set. For any of you who haven't yet set specific, measurable, realistic, and timely goals, this is your invitation to do so because, as you'll find out, it's essential for a healt...

Welcome to The Law Firm Owner Podcast, a show for owners who are ready to get clearer on their vision, really know their numbers, and leverage their mindset to build a successful firm. I'm your host, facilitator, coach, and founder of Velocity Work, Melissa Shanahan, and each week I will guide you through different tactics, tools and stories to get you the results you want.   I created this podcas...

What comes to mind when you think of the word "retreat?" You might think fancy spas and curating the perfect vibe for relaxing, and while this is true, it's also the perfect space for evaluating and making smart plans for the future.   This week, Melissa is showing you why she calls her Quarterly and Annual Strategic Planning Retreats exactly that, and sets up her clients to treat these sessions a...

It's the turn of the quarter, which means Melissa is digging in with her clients, reviewing the quarter they've just had, while also planning for the rest of the year. However, you could have the best-laid plans in place, but without this one key component, you'll set yourself up to lose.   Listen in this week as Melissa lets you in on the secret behind being the kind of person who has the results...

Did you know that what comes out of your mouth is one of the best indicators of what's really going on in your brain? If you're a regular listener here, you're far from average. You have a deep interest in understanding yourself better to achieve the things that matter most to you. And becoming conscious of the words you say is key.   This week to discover how to be awake to the words you speak, a...

Over here at Velocity Work, we spend a lot of time talking about dropping in, getting focused, and exploring ways to set ourselves up to win. But have you ever considered how you close out a period of time on your calendar and whether you honor the next block on your to-do list?   Listen in this week as Melissa offers her top tips for starting a practice of ending with intention. Whether it's a ta...

So often, we have this black-and-white view of what's possible for us in terms of our careers. We think we have to either go and work for someone else or start our own firms. But the truth is there's some middle ground to be explored here that can pay off for you in a big way, and Melissa's guest on the show this week did exactly that.    Tune in this week as Jeanette Mora and Melissa invite you t...

Do you know why you're experiencing high turnover rates in your law firm? Are you ready to figure out what it takes to retain your employees so you can finally stop running around in circles and get back your precious time and money?   Molly McGrath of Hiring & Empowering Solutions is back, and this week, Melissa quizzes her on what it takes to be a great leader and invest in your people to mainta...

How often do you find yourself in the mental pickle of overwhelm? Are you filled with dread on Sundays thinking about the week ahead? Does it simply feel impossible to stay on track and get everything on your to-do list or calendar checked off?   There are basic, fundamental principles that will not only prevent overwhelm but allow the experience to be a valuable teacher, and that's exactly what M...

Are you a law firm owner who is frustrated with hiring and training staff, or a lack of skill among your team to take your business to the next level? Are you an employee who wants to do a great job in your position but feels unclear, overworked, or ill-equipped to make it happen?   Molly McGrath of Hiring & Empowering Solutions is on the show this week to address the pain points experienced on bo...

What are the goals you're working towards in your firm? Do you know how to put systems and metrics in place to meet them?   If you too are in the thick of making difficult changes in your business, trying to figure out the hiring and firing process, or wanting to empower yourself and your team into higher titles within your company, listen in. Giselle Urbina of Urbina Law Firm is generously sharin...

There will always be slippage as we work on our goals, and we all have that voice in our head that tries to justify quitting. But when you're excuse-less, you don't have time for any of this.   Listen in this week to discover how to be onto yourself when you're making excuses. Melissa is highlighting the difference between people who regularly make excuses and people who don't, and showing you how...

What is fueling your action? Do you know how to generate the right fuel for high-quality actions on purpose?  You always have the opportunity to intentionally choose the fuel you're going to use to produce the results you want. Why does this matter? If you're running on default, it's likely you're taking low-quality actions, you might feel unclear or disenchanted, and let's be honest, ain't nobody...

There are some simple but often overlooked things we need to discuss that everyone should be doing when it comes to hiring, as well as some things Melissa has come across that we should probably be avoiding. Tune in this week to discover how to stand out from the crowd when you're advertising for a position in your firm. Melissa shares how to appeal to your ideal candidates and draw in the high-qu...

The procedure you have for closing cases really does matter. It's impossible to get reliable data if one huge metric like closed cases isn't adding up. So, in this episode, Melissa shows you how to come up with a company-wide procedure for closing files, so you can stay on top of your data and manage your cases efficiently. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.velocitywork.co...

Discover some of the most unhelpful thoughts we have about our role as a steward of our firm. Melissa shares how we make decisions about our firm through a lens of being the life support our firm needs to survive, and instead how you can flip the script and see how looking towards delegation is not a symbol of failure, but a foundation for future success. Get full show notes and more information h...

Springs Law Group is a firm reaching new heights all the time. We had the founders on a few weeks ago, Chris and Jake. And in this episode, my guest is the person pulling the strings: Gretchen Nicolaysen.  Gretchen does a ton of work and she has all kinds of responsibilities throughout different areas of the business, and she's here to share how she juggles all of it. We're talking conflict, manag...