Velocity Work

Is your firm lacking structure and organization when it comes to how work gets done? Are tasks falling through the cracks or are team members working in silos? How do you know that both your team and yourself are following through on the things you said you would do?   Join Melissa in this episode as she shares the two key elements that can help bring more visibility, accountability, and progress to your firm’s workflow. You’ll hear the importance of having a centralized task management system and holding regular progress meetings with your team, and how these strategies can create a culture of high performance and results in your law firm.   Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://www.velocitywork.com/277

Do you ever feel like you're carrying the weight of your law firm's growth on your shoulders alone? As overachievers, it's easy to fall into the trap of trying to make things happen by sheer force of will. But the truth is, to achieve your ambitious goals, you need a team that can rise to the challenge.    Tune in this week as Melissa shares why law firm owners end up with mismatched teams, and what you can do to course-correct. You’ll learn the importance of articulating your vision, setting clear standards, and gaining team buy-in so you can build a team that matches where you’re taking your law firm.    Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.velocitywork.com/276

Do you feel like you should be generating more revenue from the leads your marketing efforts are currently bringing in? If you're pouring money into marketing but seeing minimal results, this episode is for you. As a law firm owner, conversion rates are a critical metric to track and understand if you want to get the most out of your marketing spend.    In this episode, Melissa digs into what a conversion rate is and how improving it can massively increase your firm's revenue without needing to spend more on marketing. Tune in to understand how to calculate your firm's conversion rate, identify the common barriers to tracking and improving conversion, and implement practical strategies to optimize your intake process.   Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.velocitywork.com/275

While finance management can feel intimidating, the great news is that consistent financial reporting isn’t rocket science. There’s just a little organization to get squared away upfront, which will make you the most empowered, responsible business owner you can be. If you need a clear plan for creating a consistent financial reporting system, this episode is for you.   Listen in as Melissa shares the four key numbers every law firm owner needs to know, the cadence at which you should be reviewing these numbers, and why having a blueprint for your firm’s financial reports is critical for long-term success.    Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.velocitywork.com/274

Are you pedaling furiously on the bike of your law firm, working harder and harder but not getting very far? Making the transition from "bike" to "car" means leveraging the tools, systems, and people around you to accelerate your progress and create momentum, rather than grinding away and doing everything yourself. While it can feel scary to let go of control, the payoffs in terms of growth, sustainability, and quality of life are immense.   Join Melissa on this episode as she explores the powerful analogy of getting off the bike and into the car when it comes to running your law firm. She shares concrete strategies for delegation, constraining your focus, and stepping into a leadership role, and how this allows you to set yourself up for sustained growth, rather than short bursts of progress that end up being followed by burnout.   Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.velocitywork.com/273

As a law firm owner, you have the opportunity to be a mentor for the people on your team. But what does effective mentoring actually look like in practice? This week, Melissa outlines the best kind of mentoring you can offer your team, what it means to get them on the same page and take on what matters most to you, and how this can drastically shape the culture of your company.   Join Melissa as she explores the concept of “capital M mentoring” and “little m mentoring” and their differences. You’ll learn how “little m mentoring” gets your whole firm working in a way that has your stamp of approval, examples of how you can incorporate more of it into your firm’s culture, and the long-term impact of up-leveling your mentoring game.    Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.velocitywork.com/272

When you are mentally, physically, and emotionally strong, it lends itself to success in all areas of your life. Setting personal goals alongside your business goals is a powerful way to show up as your best self. But too often, Melissa sees law firm owners and their teams neglecting their personal development in the pursuit of professional achievement.   In this episode, Melissa shares an inspiring team initiative you can borrow to create or strengthen the culture of making progress, and the remarkable impact this has had on Velocity Work’s team in just one month. Tune in to discover the simple yet intentional process Melissa uses to help every team member set a meaningful personal goal and stay accountable to it.    Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.velocitywork.com/271

What does it take to cultivate the mindset of a champion who realizes their biggest dreams? As a law firm owner, it's easy to get caught up in the day-to-day grind and lose sight of the bigger vision. If you feel disconnected from your purpose, you’re in luck because on this episode, Melissa shares key takeaways from an inspiring talk by Bob Bowman, the longtime coach of Michael Phelps, on the characteristics of champions.   Tune in to hear an overview of the six characteristics of champions and how these principles can be applied to you as a law firm owner. You’ll learn why having a compelling dream is critical, how to create a plan to achieve it, and the importance of focusing on the process over outcomes.   Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.velocitywork.com/270

Billing monthly is the norm for most law firm owners, and it's probably working just fine for you and your clients, so why would you do it differently? This is what Eileen Kendall from Kendall Law believed… until she realized that a simple billing switch could change the game for her firm’s cash flow.   Eileen Kendall is back this week to share how billing twice a month has helped stabilize her firm’s cash flow, especially as she’s gone through a period of rapid growth from $300K to $900K per year. Listen in to discover how you can improve your firm's financial health and create more breathing room in your schedule with a simple billing tweak.   Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.velocitywork.com/269

By the end of May, Eileen Kendall was essentially running her firm alone. With her associate out sick and no paralegal support, this was her breaking point. She was close to shutting the doors to her firm when she decided it was time to make some big changes to get her house in order.   Eileen has been a private client of Melissa’s for a couple of years, and on this episode, Eileen and Melissa are discussing how Eileen's tenacity has helped her weather some significant storms in her business. Join them to hear what it takes to build a get-it-done mentality, why Eileen believes failure isn’t an option, and how her mindset has kept her afloat when she thought the worst might happen.    Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.velocitywork.com/267

Welcome to a special episode as Melissa celebrates five years of The Law Firm Owner Podcast! There are a handful of other things Melissa is celebrating right alongside the fifth anniversary of the podcast, and she’s using this opportunity to introduce you to Velocity Work’s COO, Giselle Urbina, and highlight everything that’s been going on behind the scenes.   Join Melissa and Giselle on this episode as they dig into the work Giselle has been doing inside the company as COO and facilitator, and how she came into this role. They’re also exploring some of the major client wins that have been happening in Melissa’s groups, the role Giselle has played in ensuring client success, and the updates and improvements you can expect to see soon.   Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.velocitywork.com/267

There are two approaches to running a law firm and the first one is structured. Discipline and focus are highly valued with this style, and there’s often intensity present too. The second approach is one that’s softer, more flexible and adaptive. Both sound great, but is there a time and place for one over the other? Which foot are you leading with? And why does understanding your stance even matter?   Listen in this week as Melissa walks you through what it takes to create radical shifts inside your firm, and why your approach matters when it comes to achieving whatever it is you have your sights set on right now. You’ll hear when the combination of structure and flexibility is truly powerful, how to exercise your individual strengths, and how to walk the line of focus and adaptability at the same time.    Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.velocitywork.com/266

As a law firm owner, you’ve taken huge risks and put in blood, sweat, and tears to lift your firm off the ground. You’ve considered how to run your firm in a way that feels healthy and aligned, and you’re ensuring your clients and team are served at the highest level possible. But have you ever stopped to put a number on what success means to you? Have you figured out how all this work you’ve put in can lead to more time and money freedom for you?   Join Melissa on this episode as she offers her guide for calculating how your business can fund your dreams. You’ll hear how you can make jumps in profit without putting in extra work, what playing around with your future numbers looks like, and a mental exercise to get you in the practice of mapping out your dreams.    Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.velocitywork.com/265

What is your people cost? Do you know what should be included in and excluded from your people cost? And how can getting into the nitty-gritty from a numbers perspective help you run your firm more smoothly and even create happier employees and clients?   If you feel like you’re just surviving as a law firm owner right now and want to understand the levers you can pull to truly thrive, listen in. Melissa is showing you how to calculate your people cost, what you might need to do if your people cost is higher or lower than it should be, and she’s also giving you prompts that will allow you to run the checks and balances necessary for a healthy firm.   Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.velocitywork.com/264

Are you aware of the return on investment you’re getting from your hires? Does it feel like you have to watch your pennies when it comes to taking an owner’s draw or rewarding your team? How might you be hiring blindly, and how is it affecting the health of both your business and your team?   If you’re embarking on your team-building journey with hunches or an unwillingness to look at the math, listen in today to hear how you’re setting your business up for failure. Melissa is showing you the order in which you should be hiring, why you must raise your standards when it comes to the ROI from your team, and how to avoid bloating your people cost.    Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.velocitywork.com/263

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 among owners, and why getting back to the fundamentals doesn’t have to cost thousands.   Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.velocitywork.com/262

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 in which you can achieve more in an efficient manner. It’s all about finding “flow”. Tune in as she breaks down how to become more focused and turn off the voice in your head telling you that you can’t do it.   Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.velocitywork.com/261

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, but better leads. His philosophy and expertise on digital marketing specific to law firms has been game-changing for many of Melissa’s clients, and he’s here to share his insights on how ZillaMetrics uniquely serves law firms.    Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.velocitywork.com/260

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 unsustainable pace, the downsides of doing so, and how the Monday Map process helps you pull the plug on this way of being so you can play the long game.   Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.velocitywork.com/259

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, and the key pieces you must address during these periods for the long-term success of your company. You’ll learn why plateaus are a sign of a healthy business, the importance of being both honest and curious as an owner, and how to avoid getting distracted by shiny object syndrome.    Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.velocitywork.com/258