Episodes

  • 29: Having a Firmwide Annual Strategy Meeting
    Feb 19 2025

    🔑 *In this episode, you'll learn:*

    1️⃣ **Ripple Effect of Success**: Discover Melissa's dynamite strategy for mobilizing your team with the 'ripple effect of success' - a way to visualize and actualize the widespread impact of reaching those towering goals.

    2️⃣ **Rocks vs. Goals**: Melissa demystifies the concept of "rocks" as the pivotal levers, laying out a crystal-clear road for you to hit those targets with precision and finesse.

    3️⃣ **Environment Matters**: Ever thought about the setting of your meetings? Melissa will change your game by stressing the 'natural' factor in creating a productive off-site atmosphere.

    4️⃣ **The Huddle Hustle**: Stay in tune with daily huddles and how they can maintain the momentum of your operations. Yes, even at the close of the day!

    5️⃣ **Engage to Win**: We share Melissa's pro tips for keeping both on-site and virtual teams pumped and productive.

    🤓 *Fun Fact*

    Did you know that mixing up the crowd can work magic for team communication? Jay Ruane reveals how switching up colleague groups can be a total camaraderie booster - because who doesn't love a stellar mash-up?

    ✌️ *Outro with a Grateful Shoutout*

    We can't wrap up without a massive thank you to our exceptional guest, Melissa Shanahan, who brought her A-game, leaving us with strategies that are nothing short of transformative.

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    1 hr and 33 mins
  • 28: Using CLE to Drive Referrals
    Feb 12 2025

    This time, Jay dives deep into the world of Continuing Legal Education (CLE) programs and the amazing potential they hold for your legal practice.

    🤓 Here's What You'll Learn:

    Referral Strategies:

    Jay shares his secrets on using CLE programs to build a robust referral network. From creating captivating presentations 🎤 to choosing the right partners 🤝, you'll get actionable tips to enhance your practice.

    Time-Saving Tools:

    Discover how Jay uses cool tools like SlyDial and Handwrytten to streamline his communication 📱✍️, making his follow-ups swift and effective ⏱️.

    Event Planning Tips:

    From picking the perfect timing 🕒 to partnering with local bar associations ⚖️, Jay shares his playbook for hosting successful CLE events that people actually want to attend 🎉.

    Engaging with Communities:

    Learn creative ways to connect with various groups, such as Rotary clubs or local reporters 🗞️, to expand your referral networks beyond the legal world 🌍.

    🎉 Fun Fact from the Episode: Did you know Jay manages a master spreadsheet in his office specifically for rotating referrals? It's an organized and effective system inspired by how local police rotate tow companies. Talk about a well-oiled machine!

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    1 hr and 11 mins
  • 27: Managing Change
    Feb 5 2025

    Change is hard. 😓 Incredibly slow. 🐢 And when your law firm decides to finally apply business strategy and systemize itself, you may run into legacy employees who are resistant to change. Even if you really want to implement new things, if your team isn't on board, you may find yourself frustrated 😤 and even throw your hands up and give up on the change you desperately need.

    But it doesn't have to be this way. 💡 Matt Homann, former attorney, CEO, and founder of The Filament in St. Louis, will be joining us to help our firms address overt (and covert) resistance to change. It could be a long-time employee desperate to hold onto institutional knowledge that makes them indispensable, or just old habits that are hard to break across the firm, but change is required to take your firm to the next level. 🚀 There are proven ways to address change and Matt will help us find ways to make change easier and (maybe, just maybe) welcome in our firms! This session is PACKED with nuggets that will transform your firm. 💼✨

    Join Matt Homann and Jay Ruane as they dive into strategies for managing change in your office. Gain actionable insights for improving team dynamics, communication, and decision-making in your law firm.

    • Emphasizing the importance of in-person retreats for collaboration and culture-building. 🤝🏽
    • Utilizing frameworks like "easy, hard, safe, crazy" and "I wish, I wonder, I worry" to generate and refine ideas. 💭🛠️
    • Addressing the impact of AI on employee roles and task prioritization. 🤖📋
    • Implementing a daily check-in system to monitor team engagement and well-being. ✅😊
    • Establishing principles, promises, and priorities to rebuild and maintain firm culture. 🏛️🔄
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    1 hr and 20 mins
  • 26: Anatomy of a Successful Website
    Jan 29 2025

    In this episode of The Criminal Mastermind 🕵️‍♂️🔍, Jay and Brendan Ruane explore the essential elements that make up a successful website 🌐, particularly for law firms. From site security 🔒 to content management 🗂️, they break down everything you need to know to boost your online presence 📈.

    • The importance of knowing where your domain is registered and hosted 🌍💻.
    • Utilizing tools like Wordfence and Cloudflare to secure your website from attacks 🛡️🔧.
    • The significance of XML sitemaps in search engine optimization and technical site management 🗺️📊.
    • Effective content management systems (CMS) and the role of custom post types in organizing site content 📝🏷️.
    • Website design strategies, including the use of personalized images 🖼️, sans serif fonts 🔤, and mobile-friendly layouts 📱.

    To contact Brendan visit www.lightswitchadvisors.com

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    1 hr and 9 mins
  • Come to our In Person Event in April!
    Jan 24 2025

    Join us in Philly for our first IN PERSON event! If you are attending the DUIDLA Spring seminar, or you need a reason to attend, you can add on our In Person event and get the benefit of a full day of mastermind style roundtable discussions about the issues in your firm and then get 3 insightful seminar sessions on Business Principles, Local SEO, and AI Tools!

    Sign up here: www.thecriminalmastermind.com/seminar

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    2 mins
  • 25: Local SEO for Criminal Defense Lawyers
    Jan 22 2025

    In this episode, we uncovered some golden nuggets of information to help you boost your online presence and conquer the digital world. Here are 🔑 5 keys that you can unlock from the episode:

    1. 🏢 Discover the importance of selecting the right location for your business when opening new offices.
    2. 🔍 Unravel the mysteries behind Google's powerful new feature, Search Generative Experience (SGE).
    3. 📈 Learn how to optimize your Google Business profile for better rankings and visibility.
    4. 🤖 Dive into the world of AI content creation and understand why human-written content reigns supreme.
    5. 🌍 Master the art of leveraging location-specific content to enhance your search results.

    📌 Fun Fact: Did you know that Google has a hidden keyword called "near me" to provide location-specific search results?

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    1 hr and 14 mins
  • 24: Getting the Most from Your Assistant
    Jan 15 2025

    Hope you've been doing well! We're thrilled to bring you another jam-packed episode on The Criminal Mastermind Podcast. This time, we’re featuring Jordan Ostroff, who shares his secrets on maximizing efficiency and productivity, especially when it comes to the daunting world of email management. 📧✨

    Here's What You'll Learn:

    1. Masterful Email Management: Jordan breaks down his systematic approach to managing emails. Learn how to filter, archive, and delegate emails efficiently to never feel swamped again! 📁🔍
    2. The Art of Delegation: Discover the six levels of delegation that Jordan uses to empower his team. From simple tasks to critical decisions, find out how to apply these levels in your own workspace. 👥🚀
    3. Prioritizing with Precision: Prioritize tasks like a pro! Jordan emphasizes the importance of distinguishing between what’s urgent and what’s important, boosting productivity. ⏳🎯
    4. Scheduling Strategies: Get insights into Jordan’s scheduling tactics, including using booking links and block scheduling, to manage his professional commitments seamlessly. 📅🔗
    5. Tools and Tips for Automation: From automated reminders to setting up effective filters in Gmail, Jordan delves into the tools that save him hours each week. Perfect for anyone looking to increase their time efficiency! ⚙️🕒
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    1 hr and 38 mins
  • 23: Google Business Profile Mastery with Ben Fisher
    Jan 8 2025

    🔑 In this brain-tingling episode, we spill the tea on not just surviving, but thriving in the labyrinth of online presence for law firms. Here are 5 crucial takeaways you'll gobble up:

    1. **Suspicious Suspensions**: Discover why innocent law firms get booted off Google Business profiles – sometimes it's your competitors playing dirty. 😈🚫

    2. **Verification Vortex**: Uncover the mysteries of the new video verification process and why those postcard verifications are as outdated as floppy disks. 🎥✉️

    3. **Appealing Appeals**: Learn the art of the one-shot appeal for suspended profiles and how to present your evidence like you're in court. ⚖️📝

    4. **Categorically Speaking**: Find out how to pick the perfect categories for your practice to cut through the filter fat and get seen by the right eyes. 👁️💼

    5. **Review Revelations**: Discover the do's and don'ts of soliciting those all-important reviews without triggering the dreaded Google ghost. 👻⭐

    🤓 Fun Fact Alert! Did you know that changing your Google Business profile's budget by more than 10% can trip up the algorithms, causing a potential lead lull? Keep that dial steady, folks! 🔧💸

    In all seriousness, it was an info-packed session that's going to turn you into the Houdini of Google Business profiles! 🎩🐇

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    1 hr and 13 mins