173: Marc Honorof of Costello Insurance Agency discusses Professional Liability Insurance for Lawyers with us.

Marc HonorofMarc Honorof of Costello Insurance Agency has been an entrepreneur for the past 25 years. He works with startups and high growth companies, but has recently put together a National Program to insure Lawyers for their E&O coverage. Marc has been able to enhance coverages and reduce premiums for firms sized from 1 – 100.

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Fail fast to succeed faster

  • Marc tells us that while he was working in a position where he packaged books for publishers he put together a Facebook game.  However, Facebook is such a cluttered environment it is hard to rise above the noise.   Marc realized that he wasn’t fully committed to the process and he learned that without commitment you’re dead in the water.  Committing to something provides total freedom.

Tell us something good

  • Marc shares how he had a client in the technology space ask for E & O insurance in a panic.  Marc translated the contractual requirement for E & O insurance in to language that the underwriters could understand.  Marc was able to help  the client meet the contractual obligation, cover themselves and not spend more money than they needed.

What’s on your desk?

  • Marc saves attorneys thousands of dollars on E & O Insurance each year.
  • Listen as Marc tells us that insurance is best bought early;  Once you have some insurance, it easier to get more.

Favorite Resource

  • Marc tells us that there is nothing like networking and meeting face to face.
    • Marc co-chairs the mobile committee for LAVA
    • Marc is a member of both Provisors and METal
    • Marc sits on the board of a nonprofit to help house the homeless.

Thanks for Listening

This information is coming to you to inspire you and drive you forward. Be bigger than you know yourself to be! If you haven’t already done so, please take a minute to leave a quick 5-star review rating and honest review on iTunes by clicking here.
Miranda McCroskey – host of Lawpreneur Radio

172: David Sparks of Sparks Law / MacSparky discusses being a lawyer and a bit of a geek with us.

David Sparks Head ShotIn 1986 David Sparks of Sparks Law and MacSparky was an engineering student that joined his collegiate debate team. David had tremendous success as a debater and before long he was hooked. David attended Pepperdine Law School as a Dean’s Merit Scholar; he made the Dean’s List and, after an externship with a Federal District Judge, graduated in 1993 with the sole purpose of getting in a courtroom just like Atticus Finch. David joined a law firm full of remarkable lawyers where he was promised me he’d get time in a courtroom. They made good on that promise, letting David go to trial (and win) his first case just a few months after swearing into the bar.

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Fail fast to succeed faster

  • David tells us that having recently gone solo he didn’t realize how much time the administrative parts would take.  He’s actively looking for ways to streamline those processes.

Tell us something good

  • Listen as David explains how he knows that this was the right time in his life to leave a big firm and go on his own.

What’s on your desk?

  • David works with clients of all sizes from Multi-Million Dollar businesses to two guys with a lap top doing primarily transactional work.
  • He acts as in house counsel for clients that are too small to hire an attorney full time.
  • David says he also acts a “traffic cop” by bringing in other attorneys to assist when needed

Favorite Resource

  • David highly recommends using SaneBox manage your inbox.

Favorite Books:

  • David has written several books including the MacSparky Field Guides which can be found here.
  • iPad at Work Great ideas and advice on using your iPad as a business tool! More and more iPad users discover every day that the versatile, portable iPad has countless business uses. From small businesses to high-profile corporations, companies are integrating iPads into their systems and workplaces at a phenomenal rate. Written by the acclaimed co-host of the Mac Power Users podcast, iPad at Work explores the best practices and software recommendations forincorporating the iPad into a work environment
  • Mac at Work Bridge the gap between using a Mac at home and at the office Now that you love your Mac at home, you want to use one at the office without missing a beat of productivity or professionalism. This unique guide shows you how. You’ll find best Mac business practices for handling word processing, spreadsheet and presentation creation, task and project management, and graphics. The book also explores topics such as hardware maintenance, how to synchronize with multiple computers, data backup, and communication with Windows networks.

Thanks for Listening

This information is coming to you to inspire you and drive you forward. Be bigger than you know yourself to be! If you haven’t already done so, please take a minute to leave a quick 5-star review rating and honest review on iTunes by clicking here.
Miranda McCroskey – host of Lawpreneur Radio

171: Bow Uriyapongson of Servcorp Executive Suites & Virtual Offices discusses ‘how Lawpreneurs can compete with the big guys.’

Bow UriyapongsonBow has a global background, having started her career with Servcorp Virtual Offices five years ago in Bangkok, Thailand and transferred to her current location in Irvine, CA two years ago. She has helped her clients face the challenges of emerging businesses in different markets and her passion is helping her clients work smarter, not harder and direct them to the path of success, in a shorter time.

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How do you Support a Lawpreneur:

  • A Virtual Office and/or Executive Suite helps your business compete with the industry leaders with the support of a Fortune 500 company, at a fraction of the cost.
  • Servcorp offers a total business solution including IT support, a 5 star business image, professional team support and receptionist handling services.
  • Servcorp supports business of all sizes from solo Lawpreneurs to multinational businesses.
  • A Virtual Office and/or Executive Suite ensures all the additional costs and time associated with running a business are included in the membership and taken care of.
  • Servcorp offers on-demand administrative services such as appointment scheduling, social media management, client retention management, etc.

Thanks for Listening

This information is coming to you to inspire you and drive you forward. Be bigger than you know yourself to be! If you haven’t already done so, please take a minute to leave a quick 5-star review rating and honest review on iTunes by clicking here.
Miranda McCroskey – host of Lawpreneur Radio

169: David Yudis of Potential Selves discusses discussing Emotional Intelligence, Johari’s Window and Box Theory with us.

David Yudis Head Shot“Knowledge” sets us free. David Yudis of Potential Selves helps others to acquire knowledge. His consulting services have provided links between personal growth, employee engagement and business performance. Potential Selves, a leadership development consulting boutique delivers professional services to entrepreneurial through large organizations. The focus areas for these services include: C-suite and Senior Leader advising and executive coaching, organization effectiveness and leadership program design, development and delivery. David Yudis is a licensed clinical psychologist and MBA who spent 12 years with The Walt Disney Company leading their executive growth and development efforts.

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Fail fast to succeed faster

  • David discusses a project that he thought had been executed perfectly and when the end user started using the program they completely took it in their own direction.  At first, David felt that it was a total failure.  Ultimately he saw that he hadn’t let the client put their thumbprint on it and that was why they took it their own way.

Tell us something good

  • David tells us how he was working with a client who had an opportunity to take over the business he was working for.  The client was a driver and because of that he would often run people over emotionally and didn’t think anything of it.  By using Johari’s window with the client he was able to get the client to see that his actions weren’t always in alignment with the best interest of the company and ultimately to make the changes needed.

How do you support a Lawpreneur?

  • Executive Coaching and advising – helping move that person forward.
  • Organizational Transformation – Moving a business in to a new product or market space/play.
  • Leadership Development – Training for forward thinking and action from the bottom of an organization up.
  • Johari’s Window

Favorite Books:

  • What Got You Here Won’t Get You There: How Successful People Become Even More Successful America’s most sought-after executive coach shows how to climb the last few rungs of the ladder. The corporate world is filled with executives, men and women who have worked hard for years to reach the upper levels of management. They’re intelligent, skilled, and even charismatic. But only a handful of them will ever reach the pinnacle — and as executive coach Marshall Goldsmith shows in this book, subtle nuances make all the difference.
  • Buy-In: Saving Your Good Idea from Getting Shot DownYou’ve got a good idea. You know it could make a crucial difference for you, your organization, your community. You present it to the group, but get confounding questions, inane comments, and verbal bullets in return. Before you know what’s happened, your idea is dead, shot down. You’re furious. Everyone has lost: Those who would have benefited from your proposal. You. Your company. Perhaps even the country. It doesn’t have to be this way, maintain John Kotter and Lorne Whitehead. In Buy-In, they reveal how to win the support your idea needs to deliver valuable results. The key? Understand the generic attack strategies that naysayers and obfuscators deploy time and time again. Then engage these adversaries with tactics tailored to each strategy. By “inviting in the lions” to critique your idea–and being prepared for them–you’ll capture busy people’s attention, help them grasp your proposal’s value, and secure their commitment to implementing the solution.

Thanks for Listening

This information is coming to you to inspire you and drive you forward. Be bigger than you know yourself to be! If you haven’t already done so, please take a minute to leave a quick 5-star review rating and honest review on iTunes by clicking here. Miranda McCroskey – host of Lawpreneur Radio

168: Aaron Feldman of Feldman Law Group discusses Work/Life Balance as a Solo Attorney.

Aaron Feldman Head ShotAaron Feldman of Feldman Law Group is a graduate of Southwestern Law School in Los Angeles. Aaron spent 5 years as a Deputy City Attorney and Associate before moving to Northern California. After working as an associate for 2 law firms that went under, he went into business for himself and has been on his own for the last 20 years.

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Fail fast to succeed faster

  • Aaron tells us about having a single account with an insurance company that made up 90% of their business.  When the adjuster that was their primary contact moved from the company they lost the account which caused hardship.  Diversify, diversify, diversify.

Tell us something good

  • Aaron represented a family where they weren’t quite ready for a conservatorship when he first met them.  He ultimately was able to help them when the elderly mother was the victim of multiple fraud charges.  He was able to show that it was elder abuse and helped the family get things taken care of for their future.

What’s on your desk?

  • Aaron focuses on special needs law, which includes estate planning and elder law.

Favorite Resource

  • My Case is a web-based legal practice management software built for the modern law firm. Start your free 30 days with My Case today. Tell them Lawpreneur Radio sent you!

Thanks for Listening

This information is coming to you to inspire you and drive you forward. Be bigger than you know yourself to be! If you haven’t already done so, please take a minute to leave a quick 5-star review rating and honest review on iTunes by clicking here.
Miranda McCroskey – host of Lawpreneur Radio

167: Michael Santos of PrisonProfessor discusses strategies to triumph over adversity.

Michael Santos HeadshotMichael Santos of PrisonProfessor made bad decisions as a young man. In 1987, authorities arrested him for trafficking in cocaine and he served the next 26 years in federal prison. While incarcerated, Michael vowed to work toward reconciling with society. He adhered to a three-pronged plan that required him to educate himself, contribute to society, and build a strong support network. That values-based, goal-oriented approach empowered him. He earned university degrees, became a published author, and married the love of his life while serving multiple decades in prison. He now builds a career teaching others how they can achieve their highest potential, regardless of external forces or current circumstances.

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Show Highlights

  • Michael tells us that as he was completing his sentence he had three expectations for himself:
    1. Educate himself
    2. Contribute to society
    3. Build a support network for after release
  • Michael created a plan to be a “Straight A” citizen that included the following steps
    1. Articulate your values and have clear goals
    2. Attitude – 100% counts
    3. Aspiration
    4. Action Steps
    5. Accountability
    6. Awareness
    7. Achievement – Celebrate everything even the little things.
    8. Appreciation – Express gratitude

Favorite Books:

  • What Got You Here Won’t Get You There: How Successful People Become Even More Successful America’s most sought-after executive coach shows how to climb the last few rungs of the ladder.
    The corporate world is filled with executives, men and women who have worked hard for years to reach the upper levels of management. They’re intelligent, skilled, and even charismatic. But only a handful of them will ever reach the pinnacle — and as executive coach Marshall Goldsmith shows in this book, subtle nuances make all the difference.
  • Earning FreedomDuring the 26 years that Michael G. Santos served as a federal prisoner, he worked consistently to prepare for a law-abiding, contributing life upon release. His disciplined and deliberate adjustment strategy led Michael to earn both a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree while he served decades in prisons of every security level. Prior to the completion of his sentence Michael secured a position as a lecturer at San Francisco State University; he teaches a course titled The Architecture of Imprisonment, CJ 451 and readers may link to the syllabus from Michael’s website. He uses his books as teaching resources for the course at San Francisco State University and to work toward helping others understand the complexities of American’s prison system. Besides teaching, Michael works a speaker and consultant, helping others embrace strategies to conquer adversity.
  • The RepublicThe Republic is a Socratic dialogue, written by Plato around 380 BC, concerning the definition of justice, the order and character of the just city-state and the just man—for this reason, ancient readers used the name On Justice as an alternative title. It is Plato’s best-known work and has proven to be one of the most intellectually and historically influential works of philosophy and political theory. In it, Socrates along with various Athenians and foreigners discuss the meaning of justice and examine whether or not the just man is happier than the unjust man by considering a series of different cities coming into existence “in speech”, culminating in a city called Kallipolis, which is ruled by philosopher-kings; and by examining the nature of existing regimes. The participants also discuss the theory of forms, the immortality of the soul, and the roles of the philosopher and of poetry in society.
  • Four Texts on Socrates: Plato’s “Euthyphro,” “Apology of Socrates,” “Crito,” and Aristophanes’ “Clouds” Crito is a dialogue by the ancient Greek philosopher Plato. It is a conversation between Socrates and his wealthy friend Crito regarding justice, injustice, and the appropriate response to injustice. Socrates thinks that injustice may not be answered with injustice, and refuses Crito’s offer to finance his escape from prison. This dialogue contains an ancient statement of the social contract theory of government. The dialogue takes place in Socrates’ prison cell, where he awaits execution. He is visited before dawn by his old friend Crito, who has made arrangements to smuggle Socrates out of prison to the safety of exile. Socrates seems quite willing to await his imminent execution, and so Crito presents as many arguments as he can to persuade Socrates to escape. Socrates introduces the voice of the Laws of Athens, which speaks to him and proceeds to explain why it would be unjust for him to leave his cell. Since the Laws exist as one entity, to break one would be to break them all, and in doing so, Socrates would cause them great harm. The citizen is bound to the Laws like a child is bound to a parent, and so to go against the Laws would be like striking a parent. Rather than simply break the Laws and escape, Socrates should try to persuade the Laws to let him go. These Laws present the citizen’s duty to them in the form of a kind of social contract. By choosing to live in Athens, a citizen is implicitly endorsing the Laws, and is willing to abide by them. Socrates, more than most, should be in accord with this contract, as he has lived a happy seventy years fully content with the Athenian way of life. If Socrates were to break from prison now, having so consistently validated the social contract, he would be making himself an outlaw who would not be welcome in any other civilized state for the rest of his life. And when he dies, he will be harshly judged in the underworld for behaving unjustly toward his city’s laws. Thus, Socrates convinces Crito that it would be better not to attempt an escape.

Thanks for Listening

This information is coming to you to inspire you and drive you forward. Be bigger than you know yourself to be! If you haven’t already done so, please take a minute to leave a quick 5-star review rating and honest review on iTunes by clicking here.
Miranda McCroskey – host of Lawpreneur Radio

166: Richard M. Green of Carothers DiSante & Freudenberger LLP discusses becoming a Lawpreneur with us.

Rick GreenImmigration Lawyer Richard M. Green of Carothers DiSante & Freudenberger LLP understands the importance of work and family, and places special emphasis on helping employers obtain immigration status and employment authorization in the United States for their employees and their family members. A highly experienced and skilled immigration lawyer, Green has been certified as a specialist in Immigration and Nationality Law by the State Bar of California’s Board of Legal Specialization. Green is a proud member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association and has been helping clients with their immigration issues for close to 15 years. Whether you are an employer or employee seeking an employment based visa for a highly skilled employee, need to establish citizenship, want to bring a family member to the States under a family based visa, or need information regarding immigration opportunities for religious workers, Green puts his years of experience into play to assist his clients in an efficient and timely manner so they get what they need, when they need it.

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Fail fast to succeed faster

  • Rick tells us that he is now a certified specialist in Immigration and Naturalization Law.  He took the written exam in 2007 with the approach that he knew “the stuff” because he had been practicing every day for years.  He failed the exam.  With that failure he realized that were many aspects of immigration law that he didn’t know and needed to learn for the certification.  When he retook the exam he passed handily.

Tell us something good

  • Rick represented an undocumented spouse of a service-man.  The spouse had a traffic infraction which lead to removal proceedings.  Rick took the case to the court of public opinion and three days later his client was released from custody.

What’s on your desk?

  • Rick is currently working on a number of H1B applications for temporary worker visas.
  • Rick works on employment based green card cases.

Favorite Resource

Favorite Books:

  • Kurzban’s Immigration Law Sourcebook 14th Ed. Kurzban’s Immigration Law Sourcebook incorporates U.S. Supreme Court, federal court, Board of Immigration Appeals decisions, and agency regulations and memoranda. Everything is meticulously indexed, making this quick-reference publication your guide to all federal and administrative cases, regulations and statutes, and DHS, DOS, and DOL rulings on significant issues related to immigration law. Author Ira J. Kurzban intelligently guides you through the labyrinth of immigration law with accurate and concise explanations. This synopsis of immigration law includes an extensive and thorough subject-matter index, an indispensable table of cases, and multiple tables of authorities to help you find answers quickly and easily.

Thanks for Listening

This information is coming to you to inspire you and drive you forward. Be bigger than you know yourself to be! If you haven’t already done so, please take a minute to leave a quick 5-star review rating and honest review on iTunes by clicking here.
Miranda McCroskey – host of Lawpreneur Radio

165: Chris King discusses Issue Resolution and Authentic Presentation with us.

DSC_1776Non-profit volunteering, courier, theater stagecraft, flow meter sales, hotel concierge, restoration and maintenance of natural stone, marketing (for consumer electronics, health care, social media, IT services), digital audio production, musician management and booking, radio and television broadcasting, event emcee, personal and professional coach and completion of a master’s program in spiritual psychology… Yes, this is all part of Chris M. King’s resumé. But he will be the first to tell you that what he has done; is not who he is.
With a gently irreverent style, Chris has an uplifting way of re-framing the conventional and inspiring clients and audiences to consider ideas, both new and old, in unconventional ways. Chris draws forward from his clients their own inner wisdom, inspires them to take action and guides them through implementation. With a fresh perspective and an affinity for improvisation, don’t expect Chris to ever provide a canned experience. As an inspirational speaker, Chris speaks on a wide variety of topics. He’s not shy about talking to teenage boys about what it means to be a man, he’s happy to discuss online dating for singles groups, guide and inspire business owners and their staffs in team building, conflict/issue resolution and communication, and, as a panelist for Allison Armstrong’s Understanding Men seminars, Chris answers the questions women have hesitated to ask of men.
Chris is an avid hiker and outdoor enthusiast. He enjoys participating in extreme obstacle courses like the Spartan Race and the Tough Mudder, supporting the Wounded Warrior Project. He is also a supporter of the Special Olympics and the American Red Cross.
Chris’ intention is to empower clients to achieve their next level of success. He guides and assists them in discovering their own inner wisdom and helps them to remove the barriers that have held them back, allowing them to move forward in the way that is right for them. Chris doesn’t show them THE way; he helps them find THEIR way.

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Highlights from the show

  • Success is all about people and authenticity.
  • Presenting from your authentic self gives you the reward of you being received for who you are.
  • The one thing that you can bring to any activity that no one else can bring, is you.
  • The more one brings relationships, and family to their world; the more successful they will be.

Thanks for Listening

This information is coming to you to inspire you and drive you forward. Be bigger than you know yourself to be! If you haven’t already done so, please take a minute to leave a quick 5-star review rating and honest review on iTunes by clicking here.
Miranda McCroskey – host of Lawpreneur Radio

164: Steve Sponseller of Innovation Strategies discusses Business Innovation with us.

Steve SponsellerSteve Sponseller of Innovation Strategies is an intellectual property attorney and innovation strategist who has helped more than 1,000 innovators and business leaders develop and protect innovative ideas.

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Fail fast to succeed faster

  • Steve tells us that in the early stages of building Innovation Strategies he shared his idea with the “wrong” people who asked, “why would you do that?”  Ultimately he found the “right” people who asked the right questions and drew him and the business forward.

Tell us something good

  • Steve tells us how he helps business by empowering people to see that they are creative and that they do have great ideas.
  • Steve helps the business owner build culture of innovation.
  • Steve tells us that through his process, he has found ideas and inventions that can be patented.
  • The best part for Steve is that he has found that the environment in the business has changed for the better in the businesses he has worked with.

What’s on your desk?

  • When Steve starts working with a new business, he makes sure that the top executives are on board.  He does this by explaining what is an innovation and giving them examples both big and small.  Ultimately they work with all levels of the business to brainstorm and capture the ideas for further evaluation.

Favorite Resource

  • AWeber.com for email distribution
  • An old school management system of writing down his top three “to-do’s” on a pad of paper with the intention of having them done by lunch time.

Favorite Books:

  • Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less The Way of the Essentialist isn’t about getting more done in less time. It’s about getting only the right things done. It is not a time management strategy, or a productivity technique. It is a systematic discipline for discerning what is absolutely essential, then eliminating everything that is not, so we can make the highest possible contribution towards the things that really matter. By forcing us to apply a more selective criteria for what is Essential, the disciplined pursuit of less empowers us to reclaim control of our own choices about where to spend our precious time and energy – instead of giving others the implicit permission to choose for us.

Thanks for Listening

This information is coming to you to inspire you and drive you forward. Be bigger than you know yourself to be! If you haven’t already done so, please take a minute to leave a quick 5-star review rating and honest review on iTunes by clicking here.
Miranda McCroskey – host of Lawpreneur Radio

163: Isaiah Leslie of Regal Court Reporting discusses how to sell the benefits of being a small company to big clients with us.

Isaiah Leslie HeadshotIsaiah Leslie of Regal Court Reporting is an entrepreneur with eight years of experience leading and managing a legal services company, from start-up to established legal industry brand. He’s learned both the hard and the easy lessons of how to grow a business in a competitive legal market. He’s adapted a mixture of online marketing and old fashioned face-to-face networking along with the right technologies to provide the products, services and bandwidth needed to support solo-practitioners up to national AM Law 200 firms. Locally Isaiah is involved in the Irvine Chamber of Commerce and is the incoming chairman of the board. Isaiah is a graduate from and rabid fan of the University of Southern California.

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Fail fast to succeed faster

  • Isaiah learned the value of managing cash flow early.  They had started the business just before the market peaked in 2007 and then crashed.  They had customers going out of business right and left and had problems with cash flow that they had to work around.

Tell us something good

  • Hear Isaiah tells us how he learned to put the right people in the right place.
  • Isaiah explains that hiring a business consultant who was known as a connector lead to great success for the business.

How do you support a Lawpreneur?

  • Regal Court Reporting is a full service court reporting service.  They provide interpreters, videographers, video conferencing, remote depositions.  Isaiah tells us that they look for what other value Regal Court Reporting can offer their clients.

Favorite Resource

  • Dropbox.com
  • Nimble.com
  • WeDoist.com
  • Gmail
  • ProVisors is a community of over 4,000 senior-level trusted advisors, including attorneys, accountants, and financial services professionals, from international, regional and boutique firms. All have the common goal of sharing knowledge and  resources to help each other provide exceptional service to their clients.

Favorite Books:

  • Outliers: The Story of Success Malcolm Gladwell takes us on an intellectual journey through the world of “outliers”–the best and the brightest, the most famous and the most successful. He asks the question: what makes high-achievers different? His answer is that we pay too much attention to what successful people are like, and too little attention to where they are from: that is, their culture, their family, their generation, and the idiosyncratic experiences of their upbringing.

Thanks for Listening

This information is coming to you to inspire you and drive you forward. Be bigger than you know yourself to be! If you haven’t already done so, please take a minute to leave a quick 5-star review rating and honest review on iTunes by clicking here.
Miranda McCroskey – host of Lawpreneur Radio