WARNING: this weeks episode contains discussions of sexual violence. I won’t lie to you folks, this week’s episode is a tough one, but I also think it might be the hard conversation someone just might need to hear.This week my guest is Sonny Von Cleveland, Director of The Von Cleveland Foundation, a non-profit organization that uplifts marginalized individuals by providing coaching, resources, and a safe haven for learning, all free of charge.I think Sonny would be the first one to say he’s simply paying it forward, but it is where the currency comes from that makes Sonny’s story so unique.Charged with his first felony at the age of 7, his childhood oscillated between being in trouble with the law and being abused at home.He would end up spending 18 years in prison, but during a long stint in solitary confinement he would meet a mentor and fellow inmate who would change his life.It’s a story he tells beautifully, if not heartbreakingly, in his new memoir, “Hey White Boy: Conversations of Redemption” and continues to explore with others on his podcast, “The Choice Effect.”This episode won’t be for everybody, but for the person that needs to hear it, I think it can be transformational.Enjoy the show.

This week's episode is the third part in our series with Perry S. Kaufman about the Fork in the Road moment for leaders. Perry is the founder of PSK consulting, a firm that specializes in working with founder-led companies.When he last joined us we discussed what it looks like when it comes to transitioning a business to the next level or the next leader; how to navigate the fork in our proverbial road. For this week’s conversation, we dive into some fairly frank discussion on what it looks like when it’s time for a leader to let go. Now, letting go might mean retirement or moving to a new project, but whatever the impetus is, the planning needs happen further out than most owners recognize. Perry and I talk about how to know when the stress feels different, why it’s hard for leader’s to pivot from survival-mode to strategy-mode, as well as red-flags that owner’s can look for when it comes time to enter the marketplace. Enjoy the Show!

It’s so easy in this age of having access to everything – all the time - to get pulled in a million directions without even realizing it. And I’ll be the first person to raise their hand and admit I have fallen trap to it. But as my guest today reminds us, the world gets smaller when you’re doing a million things.  Now, if you’re like me, you can sometimes mistake volume for substance.  The old, “I’m so busy” mentality being worn like a badge of honor.  But what takes more discipline in this age of ‘now’ is to slow down and be intentional.  Chris Earley is an attorney and founder of the Earley Law Group, a personal injury practice based in Boston. And as you’ll hear from our conversation, it is this mindset of intentionality that has informed every decision and success in his practice. We discuss why it’s important to remember we’re in the business of practicing law, why sometimes 10x is actually easier the 2x, and the power of a good-ol’-fashion phone call.  Enjoy the show! SHOWNOTES:The Earley Show PodcastThe Earley Edition Newsletter

This week's episode is the second part in our series with Perry S. Kaufman about the Fork in the Road moment for leaders. Perry is the founder of PSK consulting, a firm that specializes in working with founder-led companies, and when he last joined us we discussed what the 'Fork in the Road' moment looks like for a business and how leaders can learn to prepare for them.   If you want to listen to that episode you can find it here.For this week, we dive into what it looks like when it comes to transitioning a business to the next level or the next leader; how to navigate the fork in our proverbial road. And if you're a leader or someone who is looking to become one, there's still something for you, because as Perry and I discuss, preparing for the future has immediate impacts in the present, from the bottom-line to employee retention. The challenge of passing down leadership skills and institutional knowledge is not one that should be taken lightly - though we do have a laugh or two. Enjoy the Show! _____________________SHOWNOTES:The Five Dysfunctions of a Team

This upcoming weekend is Labor Day, and hopefully you’ve got some fun plans (or no plans!) in your future. I know I always appreciate federal holidays because it’s a lot easier for me to disconnect when everyone else isn’t available either. But for a lot of leaders in my generation, and certainly in the one before mine, these holidays were viewed as ‘optional.’So for  this week’s episode, I wanted to focus on what I think leaders need to consider when it comes to generational shifts in the workforce - specifically, how this younger generation has a much different approach to how they work, and what they’re working towards. It’s a hot sports opinion to match the weather, but I promise there are absolutely zero “get-off-my-lawn” vibes. Have a great Labor Day & enjoy the show!

Right before recording this podcast, I was in the big-fat-middle of preparing for trial.I wasn't in full "Game On" mode, but the possibility of spending my next three weeks in a courtroom wasn't negligible. And even though I've been doing this for nearly 4 decades, every time I sit down to prep for a case there will come a point where I have to come face to face with my limiting beliefs. That "this trail" could be the one I somehow fumble in a way that could be embarrassing at best and dangerous at worst. - and crazy as it may sound, I'm thankful for these moments. As my guest today learned much earlier than I did, putting ourselves in situations that force us to reconcile who we are with who we want to be is the surest way toward growth.Stephenie Zamora is the founder of Stephenie Zamora Media, a business and marketing firm.She and her team specialize in working with people who are struggling to rise up in the aftermath of loss, trauma, depression, and other big life transitions as they begin building a business around their callings. Stephenie is the author of multiple books, including “10 Life Tips for the Dark Night of the Soul”, and the memoir, “Unravel”, which became a #1 new release in multiple categories. Undeniably passionate and radically vulnerable, Stephenie continues to document her journey through her Substack community as well as her YouTube channel and Podcast, “Tales From the Journey”We discuss why the meaning we assign to our suffering matters as much as the lessons we learn from it, how leaders make purpose their purpose, and how community can conquer all that life has to throw at us.Enjoy the Show!

It's fairly obvious why judging someone based on their appearance is a bad idea. After all, the adage, "don't judge a book by its cover," is one that has stuck around since 1860 - no easy feat. As leaders, when we label a person, the first thing we're doing is taking away their agency in our perception of who they are as a person. But perhaps even worse, as my guest today reminds us, we deny ourselves the opportunity to explore experiences and gain insight into what it is that drives those we lead. Jevon Wooden is the founder of Bright Minds Consulting Group,  a firm specializing in organizational development, leadership training, and strategic planning for service-based businesses. A regular contributor to Forbes and sought-after speaker, Jevon  is the author of Own Your Kingdom, How To Increase Your Confidence, Build Your Self-Esteem, And Control Your Destiny and as of May of this year he is also the host of the Podcast, Design your Life and Business. We discuss Jevon's early life and how he went from facing 7 years in prison to serving 12 years in the US Army (earning a Bronze Star), why you can't lead with rank, and how to find the lessons in the losses. Enjoy the Show! SHOWNOTES------------------Jevon - ARTICLES & INTERVIEWS The 5 'Y'sOrganic MarketingPodcast Interview - A Space to BreatheCrucial Conversations (Mike's Book Recommendation)

My late mother taught me that there were three things that you never brought up in polite company:PoliticsReligionMoneyNow, I'd argue that in social situations these are still best-practices. but what's interesting is those first two... well, they're not so 'taboo' any more.  Now, I don't have the numbers to back it up, but I think a huge factor is social media. And PLEASE know I'm not 'blaming' anyone for anything, but I'd be willing to bet a majority of us share their political and religious affiliations and opinions openly. Whether it's Twitter (r.i.p.) or Instagram or TikTok, politics and religion drive a huge part of the conversations and content. But money? Not so much. Sure, there's plenty of stuff about saving and making money, but I don't think I've seen anyone post their savings account balance. But my guest today wants to break that taboo. Darren Wurz is a portfolio manager for Wurz Financial Services, a boutique, family business, specializing in the financial planning needs of law firm owners. A Certified Financial Planner, he holds a Master’s Degree in Financial Planning and is the author of The Lawyer Millionaire, A Financial Guide For Attorneys published by the American Bar Association.  We talk about the financial conversations lawyers need to be having at every stage of their career, why leaders need to promote financial literacy at all levels, and how being better with our own finances actually helps us serve our clients better. Enjoy the show!

Starting a new business is not for the faint of heart. The confidence, courage, and work ethic it takes to get something off the ground is nothing less than herculean. But once a business is off the ground and things are going well, every owner will - hopefully - hit what we’re calling The Fork in the Road. A point where it comes time to grow, sell, or pass off a company. With that in mind, this week’s episode is the first in a four-part series on this topic that will be spread out over the next couple of months.And joining me to discuss how leaders can navigate this Fork in the Road is Perry Kaufman, a Strategic Advisor who has worked for some of the largest firms in the country, including KPMG as well as TravisWolff and Armanino where he was Partner.He now heads his own boutique practice, PSK Consulting, which specializes in advising Founder-Owned companies at every stage and size.For this first episode we talk about how the classic idea of ‘the owner’ no longer applies, why people as driven as entrepreneurs stutter when it comes to innovation, why it’s actually a good thing to run out of answers. Enjoy the show!

We talk a lot on this podcast about what it takes to be a lawyer of impact; a rainmaker intent on helping others thrive. But here’s the deal… Not everyone wants to be a partner. Not everyone wants the corner office. Some people want practicing law to be a job not their entire life. And guess what? THAT’S OK. As my guest today points out, the legal profession currently finds itself  in a generational rift. What was once the expected track is not what interests young lawyers anymore; not because they’re lazy, but because they are allowing themselves the time to figure out what they want to do!Wendy Merrill joins me in the studio this week to discuss this and so, SO much more. With nearly two decades of experience in the insurance industry, for the past 10 years Wendy has held the reins as the CEO of StrategyHorse.Committed to helping lawyers and law firms, she seeks to enhance their profitability and impact, working with thousands of professionals and firms around the world providing practical guidance We talk about the power of anti-mentors, why it’s ok to be a grinder-and-minder, and what we as leaders need to do to adjust to this new reality. Enjoy the show!

If it feels like we touch a lot on the myths surrounding the legal profession it is because there are many, and because they often contain at least some elements of truth. Just think of the stereotypes of The Ambulance Chaser with a desk full of papers in an office that’s too small. Or the Righteous D.A. who always knows the right thing to say. A lot of these myths are harmless, comical, or FAR too flattering, but there is one myth - or perhaps trope would be the better word - that follows legal professionals around like the Charlie Brown cloud. The Hard Drinking Lawyer. When I was cutting my teeth in the late 80’s, liquid lunch was not uncommon. Or at least it wasn’t frowned upon. But as more and more awareness has been raised (and more data gathered), the “glamor” that surrounded this lifestyle is fading. But just because irish coffee isn’t office appropriate doesn’t mean the problem has gone away. And as my guest today will tell you, people can get pretty good at hiding it - especially from themselves. Gary Miles has been a high-level trial attorney for over 40 years in a variety of areas including transportation law, serious personal injury, and family law.He has been the managing partner of Huesman, Jones, and Miles for over three decades and an active member of many professional associations, but he will be the first to tell you he’s learned as much from his failures as he has from his success. I know few lawyers – though the numbers are growing – who will openly admit the parts of THEIR lives they regret, and I know even fewer who will share their struggles when it comes to one of the few taboos we still have in our profession and our culture at large: addiction.  But that struggle is not Gary’s entire story, and in fact it is the story of those lessons learned that have made him into a more effective attorney and mentor. It’s a shorter episode this week, but don’t confuse brevity with lack of depth, because Gary has it in spades.Enjoy the Show! __________The Free Lawyer Podcast

Over the past three years we’ve talked a lot about the growing-pains the legal profession has endured as it experienced a seismic shift in technology. This shared experience of fumbling our way in the dark (see: Lawyer Cat) was humanizing, but even once we all got the hang of it, my guest today was already wondering if we could stick with it. As Matt Cianflone asked in a September 2021 article, “Will we turn back into pumpkins when the clock strikes midnight, or will we, as a legal community, actually apply some of the cost savings and risk management techniques that we were forced to put in place over the past 18 months and counting?”That’s only one of the questions Matt and I tackle in this week’s episode. Before becoming General Counsel for Gold Medal Bakery, Matt spent his time in private practice where he first cut his teeth as a criminal defense attorney - an experience that would help solidify his passion for helping people. This episode is a little on the longer side, but I promise there’s not a minute of wasted time. Enjoy the show. ________________Articles by Matt:Rethinking Our Approach 7/13/2021Seasons of Change 9/7/2021An Existential Crisis? 11/2/2021The Sunk-Costs Trap in Claims 6/6/2022Avoiding the Pitfalls of the Litigation Business 11/14/2022The OODA Loop Trumps the ‘Seinfeld’ Model 2/21/2023Building Resilience 5/1/2023

There are some leadership experiences that most of us will never find ourselves in. And often, it’s those experiences that can provide the most valuable lessons a leader could ask for…and never wanted to learn. In 1968, at the age of 22, Robin Bartlett  assumed the leadership of the 1st Platoon, A Company, 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile) during the height of the Vietnam War.A distinguished military graduate, Robin turned down an opportunity to attend West Point, opting to go to Ranger school, which he calls the best insurance policy he ever took out on himself. For 50 years, Robin rarely shared his experiences, until, in his words, things started to leak out. What would result is one of the best pieces of non-fiction I've read in years: Vietnam Combat: Firefights & Writing History.As fate would have it, his mother had saved every single one of the 100+ letters he’d sent home, and thanks to an enduring friendship with his Medic, he also had pictures with which to retrace his steps during the most pivotal time of his life. Robin and I discuss what it means to grow up in an environment that places a premium on leadership, what it’s like to lead and lose a team, and we even manage to squeeze in a couple laughs. I couldn’t have asked for a better conversation to come back from our break. Enjoy the show!

Yesterday marked the 79th anniversary of the Allied landings on the beaches of Normandy. D-DayI was fortunate enough to visit those beaches on the 70th anniversary of the landings. And while everyone who knows a little history can tell you how just how deep the beaches were, there is another topographical feature that I wasn't prepared for:The craters. They are tightly packed, small areas that look like someone clipped out small sections of the moon and covered it in grass. Several days after the landing, my father would enter Europe through those beaches 79 years ago, leading his artillery crew into what I can only imagine felt (and looked) like the jaws of hell. And so in remembrance of this day I want to look back on one of our first episodes with Major General (Ret.) John Gronski, who served as the Commanding General of the 28th Infantry Division, Pennsylvania Army National Guard, where from 2005-06 he was stationed in Ramadi, Iraq – known at the time as ‘The Deadliest Place on Earth’.It was and still is a master-course, covering topics like the importance of learning how to pivot in a given situation, the need for more intermediate goals, and the blessing of a shared experience for creating community.Enjoy the show.

This past Monday was Memorial Day, a day for remembering those who have given their lives in the service of this country. Many of us, especially those privileged enough to have a 3-day weekend, used the time to gather with friends and family. It is a solemn Holiday that has also somehow become the unofficial beginning of Summer, and while I am not here to be the grumpy old man, I think we can all admit it’s a little weird to use it to sell mattresses. But again, I don’t want to be “that guy,” and so I set about trying to see if I could find a reason for this strange combination of reverence and relaxation that wasn’t based on anecdotal evidence. And while I suspected it to simply be a number’s game, I stumbled across something interesting that clicked a lot of pieces into place for me. Hopefully it can do the same for you. Enjoy the show

When I first started this podcast I never thought I would have the range of guests I’ve been lucky enough to talk to over the past couple of years. Getting to learn what leadership looks like in fields outside my own has taught me that, while leadership is going to look different in every setting, good leadership has qualities that are universal, and therefore transferable.Now, talking to someone who has changed professions is par for the course on this show, but I don’t think we’ve ever caught a guest who was literally in the process of shifting between two wildly different careers. But, if you think about it, it makes sense; starting a business leaves little time for much else. That’s why I was so thankful that Clive Savacool took the time to sit down and unpack that transition in real-time. A  veteran firefighter with 25 years of experience, Clive would end up captaining multiple departments in his home state of California. During that time he responded to thousands of calls and became very familiar with administering and tracking narcotics to on-scene accident victims. He was also smart enough to notice there was a huge problem - all these records were being kept by hand.These real-world experiences led him to develop LogRX, a medication tracking and management system that keeps patients safe and medical professionals accountable by tracing narcotics from their origin all the way to their administration. Clive and I discuss what skills are always transferable as a leader, what it takes to become comfortable leading in a space where you don’t know it all, and why the “move fast and break things” mentality doesn’t always work. Enjoy the show!

If you’ve ever watched a professional football game then you know that about 70% of the time when they cut to a  shot of a coach there’s a clipboard or tablet in front of their face. And if you’re in anyway familiar with the game, you know it’s not because they’re all nearsighted but because they are THAT concerned with keeping their strategy a secret.So with that in mind, I want you to picture what would happen if it came out the the head-coach of ‘Team A’ was going to training-camps for ‘Team B’ and saying, “Here’s how we play. Here’s the new plays we’re trying. And here’s how we’ve improved.”Not only would that coach quickly be out of a job, fans and players alike would cry foul (pun intended) because after all, this is a competition! Well, that’s what a lot of lawyers might think my guest this week is doing and it’s not their fault — they’ve been trained to think that way.I first met Joe Fried at a DRI conference in Chicago when he was giving a talk very similar to our hypothetical head-coach. For three decades, Joe has practiced as a plaintiff’s attorney at both the State and Federal levels, and like you’s truly, he specializes in trucking accident litigation.  In 2007 he founded his own firm, Fried Goldberg, but not content with simply trying cases, Joe is also a prolific speaker at both Plaintiffs and Defense Conferences, as well as CLE Courses.His passion for teaching led him to found the Academy of Trucking Accident Attorneys which is committed to providing cutting edge resources, education and support to its members and to encouraging the sharing of information between members. If his name sounds familiar that’s because Joe was guest number EIGHT on this podcast; to say the legal landscape has changed since then would be an understatement. Joe and I discuss the rise of run-away verdicts and (ironically) the danger they pose to future plaintiffs,  why living a life outside of law is necessary to being an attorney of impact, and why the defense bar needs to stop with the hoarding strategy and start sharing skills unless we want to be left in the legal-dust.So listen up fellow Defense Attorneys and  the rest of you….Enjoy the show.

I often joke on the show that a lot of people my age have the "these kids today..." mentality.  But like a lot of humor there is a strong undercurrent of truth, and so my hope has always been that leaders will eventually see that this mentality is not just foolish, but also pretty dang silly.  And to further complicate things, as my guest today points out, adults aren't totally wrong that this generation seems to be less motivated and less resilient than those that came before them.  The problem: it's our fault.Too often as leaders and, for lack of a better term, "grown-up’s,” we are very good at pointing out the problems and very bad at remedying them. Sarah Hernholm  is a former elementary school teacher turned entrepreneur. In 2009, she left the classroom to create WIT - Whatever It Takes - an organization that works with teens and tweens around the world who are interested in using their voice and ideas to launch businesses, non-profits, and/or social movements, all while helping them to develop emotional intelligence, soft skills, and an entrepreneurial mindsetA three-time TEDx Speaker (1) (2) (3), Sarah also writes for FORBES and TODAY Show Parent, hosts the DO WIT podcast, and is currently writing her book “11 Tips for Doing WIT.”We discuss why kids actually DO love working, why adults too often play the victim in situations they create, and the power of commas over periods.  Oh, and Will Ferrell... Enjoy the show!

If I asked you how many of today's Fortune 500 companies have maintained the status quo over the past 60 years, you're probably going to get the number wrong. Or, at least I did. When we think of the Titans of Industry - your IBM's, your G.E.'s, your AT&T's - it's easy to see why we'd assume that Fortune 500 companies have been around forever OR have consistent staying power. But once you start to look past the old-guard, you quickly realize that a lot of the companies that once shared a spot on that coveted list are gone. A.O.L. anyone? But even with all of that in mind, the number was still shocking: 89%. And while a lot of factors can be pointed to, my guest today points to one factor that unites them all - a failure to reinvent. Nadya Zhexembayeva is an entrepreneur and has founded multiple companies, most notably the Reinvention Academy and the WE EXIST Reinvention Agency whose clients have included Coca-Cola, IBM, and Cisco Systems. She has taught courses on business and management at multiple institutions including IEDC-Bled School of Management in Slovenia, Case Western Reserve in the United States, and IPADE Business School in Mexico.Nadya has given multiple TEDTalks (1) (2) (3) and is the author of multiple best-selling books, with several focusing on the environmental impacts of business including, “Overfished Ocean Strategy: Powering Up Innovation For A Resource-Deprived World” and “Embedded Sustainability: The Next Big Competitive Advantage.”We discuss why so many companies don’t survive disruption, how the more you know about what you do the easier it is to let things go, and why admitting you don't have the answer can actually generate more solutions. It's a fantastic conversation, and if you're a statistics nerd then this is the episode for you. Enjoy the show!

Every time I get to sit down and record an episode of this podcast I remind myself that what I want is a conversation, not an interview. Now, a big part of that is because when asking questions I know I have the tendency to default to "lawyer-mode,” which I would technically describe as listening, but the only purpose of the answer is to inform your next question. A conversation, however, requires active listening. It requires letting topics and thought-processes intertwine in ways both strange and wonderful, and when it can be sustained the conversation morphs into something like jazz.A mood contained. My conversation this week with Garner Berry happens to be one of them. He is a dear friend and a damn good attorney, recently being named partner at Chartwell Law. But for the purpose of our conversation today, Garner is the father of a 13 year old son with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a degenerative disease with no known cure. From refocusing during times of crisis to laughing in the face of tragedy, trying to encapsulate everything discussed would take as long to read as it would for you to listen to the podcast, so I'll simply say two things: 1) The best leaders are the ones who keep going when hope is all that's left. 2) Get your tissues. Enjoy the Show.Check out the links below for more information about DMD and  ways to help.The Parent Project - a DMD Specific OrganizationMuscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) RAD (Radically Against Dystrophy)