20 Business Lessons from 20 Years to Apply Today

Having worked with countless legal marketing professionals, more than 100 law firms, thousands of lawyers, and many legal tech companies, the lessons come from years of listening, emulating, taking risks, and learning from failures and successes alike.

Lessons On Marketing and Business Development

1. Accept That All Lawyers Do Marketing. Seth Godin, one of the world's most respected authorities on marketing, spoke with Clio's CEO, Jack Newton, on his podcast, Daily Matters. Godin said: "Marketing is what we make, how we make it and who we make it for. Marketing is what we hope our customers will tell their friends. Marketing is the change we make in the world. And if you think about it that way, you realize that everything we do, sooner or later, is marketing. And if you do marketing, everyone in the company works for you because … the way you answer the phone, your billing cycle, your pricing, the quality of your work, are all marketing decisions. It's called marketing because that's what it does when it touches the market." Before you say something silly like "lawyers don't marketing themselves," think again.
2. Talk to Strangers. LinkedIn is thriving as a networking platform for a reason; it allows us to talk to strangers easily. Talking to people you don't know is a large part of growing a book of business. It means networking in person and virtually, interviewing guests on podcasts or webinars, seeking new opinions for articles and blogs, speaking at industry conferences and presenting CLEs, and capitalizing on introductions to people you don't otherwise know.
3. End Unhealthy Relationships. Throughout my career, I have learned to end unhealthy relationships with clients, prospective clients, business associates and others. This doesn't mean those relationships are bad, it simply means that we're not the right fit. The analogy I use is that of dating. Sometimes, it takes a few encounters to determine if the relationship is or is not a good fit. Once you figure that out, learn healthy and ethical ways to move on without burning bridges.
4. Accept That Value Is Determined By the Recipient of Your Services. I recently participated in a training program on pricing one's services with Blair Enns. His Win Without Pitching program is one of the best I've taken in my corporate career. While his programs are more geared towards creative agencies, his advice applies to the legal industry as well. Simply put, he explains how to adopt a value-based mindset instead of a mindset based on the billable hour.
5. Turn Down the Wrong Business. Turning down the wrong business is as valuable as accepting the right business. Learn when to say no. If it doesn't feel right, then it probably isn't. Too often, lawyers take on work that they should refer to others – it's much more effective and efficient to do what you do best and let others do the same. Instead, focus your time on attracting all the right business.

Lessons On Innovation

6. Consume Information, Pursue Knowledge. To innovate, we must consume as much information and data as possible. Conduct surveys, ask questions, do research, test, test, and test again, listen to leading industry podcasts, and collaborate with your internal teams and clients. No matter how much you think you know, there's always more to learn.
7. Expand the definition of innovation. Don't just think of innovation as the new technologies you plan to adopt. While that is a significant component of innovation, innovation is also a mindset. It's how you approach the way you work with others, how you delegate, how you lead. It's your corporate culture. If we've learned anything from the pandemic, it's that empathetic and authentic human resource management are required to innovate.
8. Embrace that it will be different tomorrow. Times are changing and believing that what we do today will be the same tomorrow is unwise. Public relations for lawyers was a different practice 20 years ago. We didn't have SEO, social media, website user interfaces, content marketing, digital remarketing, text messaging, or anything digital for that matter. Three years ago, we didn't conduct trials virtually or host Zoom happy hours. Get accustomed to the exponential speed of change. It's only going to happen faster.
9. Nurture a culture of experimentation: Early in my career, I wrote an article about Opportunities in Crisis. It was about learning from challenges and mistakes. Nurturing a culture of experimentation is no different. Foster a culture where there are no wrong ideas when brainstorming, where there is time to allow for trial and error so that you can course-correct and stop resisting change.

Lessons On Leadership

10. Lead By Example and with Integrity. We must lead by example. For me, that means hiring freelancers and having them do work for the agency before they ever do work for a client. It means doing all the things we recommend to a client if they are the right things to do for corporate communications. It means taking time off from work and maintaining boundaries as a business leader (I'm still working on this one). It means always answering "why" before it is asked.
11. Listen Actively and Have Empathy. One of the most challenging lessons has been to learn how to listen actively. This remains a work in progress. I get excited about the work we do, and there is a constant flow of ideas in my head. I need to control that flow so as not to interrupt. As for having empathy, if you don't understand what that means, ask the people around you or take a course in emotional intelligence.
12. Take Risks. If I had a dime for every time I said, "I'm risk-averse," I'd be rich. Yet, I've taken a ton of risks leading Furia Rubel. I launched the business. I hired employees. I spoke to journalists. I launched a sub-brand, Media Source Guide, which failed miserably. However, to lead, one must be willing to be vulnerable, take constructive criticism, think creatively, innovate, and know that whatever the outcome, it will lead to deeper wisdom.
13. Take Responsibility for Mistakes Even When They're Not Yours. As the leader of a law firm, legal tech company, practice or industry group, blame is something that cannot be placed on others. Always take responsibility for mistakes.

Lessons On Inclusivity and Belonging

14. Foster a diversity mindset. A diversity mindset means listening to and learning from people with different backgrounds, experiences, ages, and other factors. It means to live diversely and to listen to and benefit from various points of view. Fostering a diverse mindset is a way of life, not just hiring more diverse attorneys and professionals without giving them the resources to succeed and an actual seat at the table.
15. Meet Others Where They Are. Every colleague and client comes to the table with their own habits, experiences and beliefs. There are many ways to meet others where they are. Ask the most effective way to communicate with them. Ask them how they prefer to receive documents – don't just assume they want them as PDFs. Perhaps they prefer cloud-based collaboration tools for ease of use, efficiency and version control. On the other hand, perhaps they don't have a computer or internet access. You won't know until you ask.
16. Remember That Words Matter. Take time to learn how to communicate with others in inclusive ways. This means learning about racist language and its origins (see, https://bit.ly/3yN7xdz). It means understanding how properly to use pronouns in gender communications. It means being mindful of microaggressions, ageism, sexism and asserting stereotypes. One's perception or interpretation of your words is about them, not you. Don't take it personally. Rather, respect how others feel. You have not walked a day in their shoes.
17. Seek diverse points of view. Your life experience is yours alone, and the information you consume likely corresponds with your points of view. This is precisely why some people watch the BBC while others watch Fox News. In fact, social media platforms are programmed to feed you more of what you already consume. As a result, it is your job to seek diverse points of view. Read opposing articles. Ask people about their views and why. Learn why some have strong feelings about the social issues that affect them while others do not. As you listen, you will learn and foster a more inclusive environment that creates a sense of belonging for others.

Lessons On Effective Communication

18. Accept That Your Law Firm Is Not Immune to Crisis. Plan for a crisis and don't say "never." Every law firm (and every business for that matter) will face a crisis in its corporate lifetime. Some are less impactful than others. The COVID-19 pandemic and exponential increase in natural disasters in recent years have confirmed that it's imperative to be prepared with a crisis communications plan.
19. Draft Internal Messages for External Audiences. When you plan to send a message internally at your law firm or legal organization, know there are myriad ways to share that same message with external audiences, including the media. Just because you say it's "confidential" doesn't mean your employees will comply. Write every statement as if it's going to be plastered all over Times Square.
20. Learn to Manage Up. Managing up refers to working with your supervisors and others to whom you report, to enhance the relationship and improve workflow and productivity. As a valued member of your firm's team, you must proactively address needs, provide friendly reminders, and offer suggestions. If you cannot move forward with a project because it needs your direct report's feedback and items are piling up, empower yourself to speak up.

Finally, and most importantly, enjoy the ride!