January 2009.
Stomach in knots, I worried my firm would fire me if I didn’t find a way to turn things around before the year was up.
I had been promoted to partner just one year prior (touted as one of a few associates who had a small but real book of business of her own). But the financial crisis had wiped it all out. And it wouldn’t be coming back (I had to pivot).
I knew all the things I could do to build my business but not what I should actually do.
Who should I target? Where would they be? What could I even talk about (given my lack of experience in my new practice area)?
I also needed billables.
Thanks to the pressure I felt to justify my existence and the lack of associate support, I was busy with other people's work but not on things that would give me long-term success and viability as a partner.
Which - of course - had me thinking:
You don’t know what you’re doing.
You’re going to make a total fool out of yourself.
You should give up and just be a service partner (it’s easier).
That voice paralyzed me for months. Until the day a senior partner blurted out “Heather, you’re a partner now. Figure it out.”
Harsh.
Yet true.
That was my starting point for cutting back on billables, devoting proper time to business development and saying “no” to peers who didn’t respect my time.
I’m hearing some similarities from attorneys right now…
✓ Busy yet not on things they need or want to be doing.
✓ Lacking support (an ever-present issue that seems to be getting worse).
✓ Worried about the long-term viability of their practice.
After growing my own book of business from nothing into a multi-million dollar practice (while navigating through my 2nd pregnancy and a breast cancer battle), I realized I had a simple framework to get me there.
The same framework that’s proven to work for my clients, too.
Which is what ELEVATE is built upon. And why - if any of the above resonates with you - I recommend you apply.
But don’t just take it from me. Here’s what past mastermind members have to say about their experience:
“Before joining, I didn’t have the confidence to make the ask (for a meeting or introduction). Thanks to this experience, not only do I regularly reach out to prospective clients but I have learned how to make my networking communications more effective.”
“Through the mastermind, I expanded my referral network, built a bench of attorneys to support overflow work and built up my confidence as a business owner and marketer. I now actively market on LinkedIn and took the plunge to hire support staff for my growing practice.”
“The best thing about this experience was my group. Presenting my ideas to the group - and the feedback I received - helped sharpen my ideas and gave me insight into how my clients see me so that I could be a more valuable asset to them.”
“The Mastermind helped me get over my hesitation to reach out to people. I’ve had so many 1:1 meetings and follow up conversations thanks to nudges from Heather. The Mastermind has been one of the most impactful experiences of my career to date.”
“What I was able to accomplish through the Mastermind far exceeded my expectations. The trust that developed among my group was a critical element of the program. I was surprised by the level of candor and honest reflection.”
The doors to ELEVATE will be closing soon (and will remain that way for an entire year). Don’t keep waiting for the right time (hint: the “right” time is the moment you choose).
Are you in?
Apply for ELEVATE >>>here.
Heather
