The Law Firm Owner Podcast

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 taking care of The Wee Things, and why, without them, even with the most perfect plan, you will be left in the dust. You’ll discover the three R’s of The Wee Things you need to consider, and how going into execution mode without this piece will leave you falling short.

Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.velocitywork.com/168

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 rest of the year, tune in. Melissa is sharing the growth her members and clients have experienced through the process of making powerful decisions and executing on them, and you’ll find some universal truths here that will turn your attention to what’s working and what isn’t so you can foster growth where you want to see it.

Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.velocitywork.com/167

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 into your planning sessions and meetings, tune in. Melissa is sharing lessons learned about why your employees need to be considered in your vision, the importance of creating space and support in your business, and an exercise in belief.

Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.velocitywork.com/166

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 they need to be to grow their firms, and next week, you’ll hear more lessons learned from Melissa’s private clients.

Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.velocitywork.com/165

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 summarizes the key elements that they need to keep top of mind, and Melissa is sharing the nuts and bolts of it with you in this episode. Discover how you can create your own customizable Vision Deck cheat sheet for your quarter to help you stay above the fray, even when things get crazy as you try to execute your plans.

Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.velocitywork.com/164

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 both gone through: 75 Hard. They’re diving into the benefits they’ve found on the other side of having completed it, the struggles, what they found surprising, and to share their honest experiences. And as a bonus, Chris is also sharing a concept that will benefit you hugely in business.

Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.velocitywork.com/163

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 years ago, and setting expectations has been a huge part of the success he’s seen since making the leap.

This week, tune in for a masterclass on setting expectations. Bill is offering his take on the power of setting expectations upfront with your clients and team, why everybody wins when expectations are set properly, and how to start implementing expectations within the different facets of your business.

Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.velocitywork.com/162

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 healthy, thriving, and successful business.

Join Melissa today to discover how to get your brain onboard with seeing your goals all the way through. She’s offering her favorite tools and strategies for overriding the part of your brain that wants to stay safe and small, and instead, how to cultivate the confidence and commitment you need to experience ease on your way to new levels of success.

Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.velocitywork.com/161

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 podcast to help owners take their firms from unorganized and unsustainable to truly intentional, so you can experience growth with greater ease. If you are ready to be a strong business owner, increase your revenue, take real time off, and build the law firm that gives you the life you want, this podcast is for you. 

I’ll be bringing a range of topics from the power of quarterly planning to accountability, business strategy and mental health. My approach will help you create sustainable success, not just in your firm, but in your personal life too.

If you like what you’re hearing and are ready to shift how you operate to make much-needed changes in your business, make sure you subscribe to the podcast and join me here each week!

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 as such. The turn of the quarter is your time to withdraw from the craziness that’s part of owning a business and all the other obligations that make up your busy, full life. Hear why you’ll do yourself a huge favor by carving out time to retreat.

Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.velocitywork.com/160

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 you want and are working towards right now. You’ll learn why you don’t have to wait to feel peace, calm, or confidence until after you reach those goals, and in fact, why it’s your job to identify what those emotions might be and to feel them right now.

Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.velocitywork.com/159

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, and where those words aren’t in alignment with where you’re trying to go. You’ll learn why examining what you say is so important, and how to start making small, nuanced shifts to transform the trajectory of your success.

Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.velocitywork.com/158

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 task at hand, your day, week, or month, honoring your plan matters. You’ll discover why not ending something with intention is an inefficient use of your time, and how to implement a practice of evaluation and optimization for how you operate.

Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.velocitywork.com/157

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 to stop writing off all the possibilities available to you. Jeanette is giving you the 30,000-foot view of what it means to make the call to switch up your life or career, guiding you through the process of intentionally choosing your path forward, and offering her top tips for anyone who wants to explore their options. 

Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.velocitywork.com/156

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 maintain employee retention. Molly is sharing the three keys to having a team-centric approach in your business, how to have a team that has your back and vice versa, and the importance of being willing to have courageous conversations with your employees.

Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.velocitywork.com/155

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 Melissa had to implement recently in her own life. On this episode, she’s diving into how we create the feeling of overwhelm, and her step-by-step process for breaking the habit of living in a state of overwhelm so you can purposefully show up as the CEO and law firm owner you want to be.

Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.velocitywork.com/154

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 both sides, and to show all law firm owners what it takes to cultivate the kind of employer/employee relationship that has your staff connected to your vision and invested in the firm.

Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.velocitywork.com/153

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 sharing the challenges she’s had to overcome, what helped her own her role as COO, and how having a leadership team has allowed her to do more in life and business.

Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.velocitywork.com/152

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 to start doing the work of becoming excuse-less.

Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.velocitywork.com/151

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 got time for that. So on this episode, Melissa is showing you how to take the reins of your fuel wherever you can. 

Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.velocitywork.com/150