29 Dec 2021
Whether you know it or not, you are a creative.
It’s unfortunate that most lawyers and service professionals don’t see themselves as one. They are missing out on one of the most helpful mental constructs to help them in their career.
Being a creative is about filling an empty canvas or an empty page with something. This can be terrifying for many.
Lately, we have had many of you reach out to us feeling stuck in their career. For the first time (or perhaps for yet another time), you are being asked to put a paintbrush on an empty canvas.
You come to us unsure of that first stroke. Will it be the right move in the coming year or not?
You might not know what to fill the canvas with, but it certainly helps to have the right paintbrushes, the right colors by your stand. It also helps to have many blank canvases to fill it with something. Just in case the first one is a bit of a mess.
What does it mean to have that in your career? As the year comes to a close, you have time to reflect. So reflect first on what gives your career creative freedom. What lets you mix paints, try out different paint styles and brushstrokes on a canvas.
For many of you, that will mean having a growing book of business (of the right kind of course!). This gives you career freedom, portability, independence and so much more.
Whatever that is, figure it out and invest in it for the coming year.
May this new year bring you tremendous vibrant colors that astonish you!
The Authentic Business Builder is not just a business development workshop. It starts with the word Authentic. So we also spend time getting in touch with your inner voice to figure out what you want to put on the canvas, as well as arming you with all the paint and brushes you need to get going with your journey.
Consider applying and joining the January cohort to start off the year right and start the year strong. And if that’s too much of a commitment, there’s always the 12 in 12 Challenge.
27 Dec 2021
Which word do you use to describe your dream practice?
Someday is the most vague and ambiguous. It implies no timeline, no plan, and little confidence.
“Someday, I should sit down and figure out how to do this branding thing right.”
Someday is something you use for the undefined. It is followed by “should”, which implies a rule you’re forcing yourself to follow.
Oneday is a bit better.
“One day, I will figure out how to write better.”
At least with something like that, you are no longer should-ing on yourself. There is less pressure, and more purpose.
Unfortunately, there is no day called Someday or Oneday in any calendar known to man.
You have today. This month. This year.
Decide to do something today (or a specific day). Don’t delegate it to someday or oneday.
Your work is too important to leave to an unknown future.
Perhaps today is the day you decide to make a decision on joining the Authentic Business Builder.
It’s a great way to start the new year.
You will have no excuses to hide behind anymore.
Including the “I have too much going on already” (of unsatisfying work–something you’re leaving out if you’re behind honest with yourself).
No more excuses. Get a real in-depth look at what you want to create, and start building the skills to brand and develop your practice to make it happen. It’s our flagship course and it makes a real difference. In fact, most people recoup their investment during the 8 weeks itself.
Learn more and apply here before prices go up and spots get taken in the new year.
22 Dec 2021
Less than a year ago, we started Build Your Book with a humble vision: to train people how to do business development more effectively.
The more success you can have with business development, the greater freedom, flexibility, options, control, and compensation you can have in your career.
After having spoken to hundreds of people since then, we learned that it has been about so much more!
It has become this profoundly inner process of changing how people see things.
How you see yourselves, your value, and how you see the world.
The change you’ve seen from going from scarcity to abundance.
From feeling rushed all the time to feeling open with time.
Feeling a real sense of security.
Feeling confident and an equal with clients.
More than anything, it’s been about your courage to be authentic, more human everyday. The joy that’s come from it, and the satisfaction in your life.
Thank you for giving us the privilege to see that.
We can’t wait to do more in the coming year to help with your success, happiness, and peace.
Happy Holidays! To you and your family.
Aaron & Dhawal
15 Dec 2021
Your brand is not your LinkedIn profile. It isn’t your law firm profile.
Most of that is corporate jargon.
Law firms pay upwards of $1 million a year to Chief Marketing Officers to produce mostly jargon.
In a publication aimed at CEOs, 4 top tier NY law firm CMOs were asked what sets their law firm apart. Here were their answers:
FIRM 1: “Our people, expertise and the cross border global nature of the firm are what set us apart. We are a global elite law firm, advising on some of the most significant marquee disputes and transactions that shape our clients’ businesses and the industries in which they operate. Our successes point towards excellence and our robust global platform. Our lawyers and staff operate with a mindset of distinction and dedication throughout everything they do.”
FIRM 2: “Our difference starts with our attorneys and their commitment to our clients. Our priority is understanding the businesses of our clients and letting that dictate our legal strategy. We also value retention and relationship-service as a key to success – we have some clients who have been with the firm since its inception, and many who have worked with us for decades over hundreds of matters. These institutional relationships continue to grow not just because we provide clients with excellent legal advice, but because we care about their growth and success.”
FIRM 3: “Our core strength is our consistent, intense focus on teamwork. It sets us apart in the industry. We delivered exceptional client outcomes last year against the backdrop of a tremendously uncertain environment and a scary time for us all personally, and this is a testament to our guiding values. This level of teamwork is only possible because we have exceptional people. The spirit of our people, who are skilled, creative and innovative, and our dedication to our clients, no matter the circumstance, is what made the year we just had happen. We operate in a way that makes our institution unique.”
FIRM 4: “We are a purpose-driven firm with an unparalleled reputation for excellence and professionalism. Our commitment to improving our communities and to fighting for social and racial justice dates back to our earliest days, long before such efforts were popular. We don’t try to be all things to all clients; we focus on five areas where we lead the market. Our firm’s entrepreneurial spirit and adaptability enable us to not just survive challenges and uncertainty, but to thrive.”
Any idea what sets one apart from the other? I know I can’t figure it out either.
Now look at your own profile. If we remove your name and photo, can your clients understand when they look at your profile from another?
Rather, a real brand is built up of 3 things: sharing your knowledge, sharing your networks, and sharing your humanity. More on that in the coming posts.
Thanks to Patrick J. McKenna for the above insights.
Talking about building an authentic brand, we’re now almost sold out on the Sunday morning cohorts for the 8 week Authentic Business Builder workshop. One attendee said, “people now come to ME as if they’ve known me for years. They bring me ideas, business, opportunities I could never have imagined. I knew about many of these ideas before, but you guys brought them to life for me. The short investment has more than paid up for it in money, but also a better work life.” The link to apply is right here. Probably the best investment you can make for the coming year to build your practice.
13 Dec 2021
I was recently featured in a Toronto Life story. I’ve reproduced the story below because you might find it edifying.
Photo by Vanessa Heins
I joined a big Bay Street law firm in 2015. My day-to-day activities were simple: bill hours and bring in work. Over time, I was able to carve out a niche doing the work I enjoyed—like advising tech companies on mergers and acquisitions—and within six years, I made partner at the firm. Working with clients in the tech industry, I realized that the legal world is about 20 to 30 years behind everyone else. Some lawyers didn’t have a clue what a mail merge was, and they were still discovering electronic signatures—despite the fact that they’ve existed for years. I found that there wasn’t enough innovation when it came to adopting new technologies to make our jobs easier or improving client services. And the emphasis on billable hours meant you were incentivized to overwork.
When the pandemic hit, I wanted to run training sessions for young lawyers and our articling students, but the firm wanted me to prioritize billing hours. Soon, my desire to be entrepreneurial and make changes in the industry outgrew my desire to be just a Bay Street lawyer. The legal world is so broken, and I wanted to do my part to try to make things better. I wasn’t sleeping well, either. I had cancer in my first year as a lawyer—I’m in remission now—so I knew that if I didn’t prioritize my mental health, there was a good chance it would also affect my physical health.
I needed to shift my priorities and make time to do the kind of work that gives me a sense of purpose. In May of 2021, I decided to leave the firm and pursue work that made me happier, even if it meant taking a financial hit. In the worst-case scenario, I figured I could always go back.
I immediately joined a boutique firm called Renno and Co, which primarily serves the tech industry. Renno operates like a start-up. It supports its lawyers’ side ventures and is constantly looking for ways to embrace new technology and improve processes. My new firm is happy for a person to work less and have a better work-life balance. Before, I was probably working 60 hours a week. Now it’s more like 40.
I’ve used my extra time to start two side hustles. The first is 4L Academy, a training business that doubles as a mental health company. We teach lawyers the practical skills they need to be successful, and we help them realize that they’re not the only ones who feel like they don’t know what they’re doing. So far, it’s been incredibly rewarding. Since last summer, we’ve trained about 150 lawyers and law students in subjects like due diligence and closing mergers and acquisitions. Normally, this is really dry stuff, but we make it fun and interactive.
My second venture is called Build Your Book, which I started with a friend from business school. The goal is to help lawyers understand the science of business development and help them build authentic relationships. We run an eight-week program for small groups of about five to seven lawyers, and it’s going great so far. Our participants are already reporting they’re getting more clients and building careers that better serve their personal needs.
I’m working more hours than before, but the difference is that I’m doing the kind of work that makes me feel fulfilled. There’s a chance I’ll become exhausted running these two new ventures, but there’s no chance I’ll get burned out. My goal is to continue to dial back the hours I’m working, but right now, I’m enjoying every minute.
When I quit, I took a big risk, but even if it didn’t work out, I knew I would learn a lot. I’ve already grown so much in just a few months.
We keep filling up spots and are 50% sold out for the Authentic Business Builder course, which is a great way to start off 2022. Small groups, real results. We just finished another batch of them last night and the testimonials coming in so far have been incredible. Will share more on that soon! But if you’re on the fence, now is the time to apply.