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 answer basic questions about gross revenue or net profit, how this is a super common experience...

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 the insights to help you manage your priorities so you not only get more done but enter a state...

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 is the CEO of ZillaMetrics: a digital marketing company that helps law firms get not just more,...

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 this episode, Melissa is highlighting the ways law firm owners expect themselves to operate at an...

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,...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...