Powerhouse Lawyers

Welcome back to Powerhouse Lawyers with Erin Gerner! Intro [00:00] Introducing Molly Hough, Esq [00:30] Molly Hough is a practicing lawyer out of Minnesota. She also founded the JurisConsult Institute, where she trains other lawyers on how to do their best work practicing law in their communities. With a background in nonprofit management and no family associated with legal work, Molly shares how she made the pivot to life as an attorney. The difference between practicing law and getting law business [09:00] Practicing law and securing business as a lawyer are both problem solving skills. The skill of producing business for your firm is what creates sustainability for your career. So many women are well equipped to practice law, but struggle with booking business. Why do lawyers struggle with getting business? [11:09] As law students we aren’t taught how to book business. The expectation for building business for ourselves wasn’t set. We aren’t told we can exceed the financial ceiling that our employer sets for us. What we fail to realize as lawyers, booking business is what gets us to the coveted partnership positions with bigger checks. We have to learn to bring new clientele to the table, not just be a good lawyer.  Tips for building business [16:01] Decide what actually matters. What’s the purpose of everything you are doing? What’s the ROI from everything you’re doing professionally? Know who your ideal clients are. What problem do you solve for your client? What is your unique solution for your ideal client? What problems are my ideal clients having? Determine your strengths based networking style [19:21] Figure out the networking model that works within your strengths. Do you like speaking? Are you better in one on one? Are you better in groups? What does it look like to network online? Write down 8 - 12 referrals [20:49] Who do you already know that are referrals? What other practice areas serve your ideal clients? Make relationships with other people doing similar work – they may have too much on their plate and vice versa. We do not need to do it all [22:01] The big goal is to empower you to work smart and take items off of your plate that are not serving you or getting you towards your goal. We do not need to be the gold star winner of business building. Success comes when you lean into doing business and life YOUR way. Building community within your business [24:50] We’ve been given the narrative that lawyers are competing for business against one another. There is so much power in creating connection and community, than feeding into competition. There is enough for everyone. You do not have community just because you hangout with your coworkers. Community is the way you can build relationships outside of your firm.  How to work with Molly [30:57] Molly offers one on one coaching, an 8 week mastermind for women looking to take business development seriously, and The Coaching Kitchen– a done for you dinner party experience hosted in Minnesota. Guest Questions [34:02] Molly answers 2 questions:  If there is one thing she could go back and tell her younger lawyer self, what would it be? What is your unique superpower?  Closing [35:52] Join the Powerhouse Lawyers community now!  https://www.eringerner.com/powerhouselawyers-podcast  Connect with Molly Hough: Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mollybhough/?hl=en  LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/molly-hough-esq/?trk=public_post-text  Website https://linktr.ee/jurisconsult  Stay connected with Erin Gerner Website eringerner.com    LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/erin-gerner/  Facebook https://www.facebook.com/erin.w.gerner  Instagram https://www.instagram.com/eringerner/?hl=en     

Show Notes

Welcome back to Powerhouse Lawyers with Erin Gerner!

Intro [00:00]

Introducing Molly Hough, Esq [00:30]

Molly Hough is a practicing lawyer out of Minnesota. She also founded the JurisConsult Institute, where she trains other lawyers on how to do their best work practicing law in their communities. With a background in nonprofit management and no family associated with legal work, Molly shares how she made the pivot to life as an attorney.

The difference between practicing law and getting law business [09:00]

Practicing law and securing business as a lawyer are both problem solving skills. The skill of producing business for your firm is what creates sustainability for your career. So many women are well equipped to practice law, but struggle with booking business.

Why do lawyers struggle with getting business? [11:09]

As law students we aren’t taught how to book business. The expectation for building business for ourselves wasn’t set. We aren’t told we can exceed the financial ceiling that our employer sets for us. What we fail to realize as lawyers, booking business is what gets us to the coveted partnership positions with bigger checks. We have to learn to bring new clientele to the table, not just be a good lawyer. 

Tips for building business [16:01]

  1. Decide what actually matters. What’s the purpose of everything you are doing? What’s the ROI from everything you’re doing professionally?

  2. Know who your ideal clients are.

  3. What problem do you solve for your client?

  4. What is your unique solution for your ideal client?

  5. What problems are my ideal clients having?

Determine your strengths based networking style [19:21]

Figure out the networking model that works within your strengths. Do you like speaking? Are you better in one on one? Are you better in groups? What does it look like to network online?

Write down 8 - 12 referrals [20:49]

Who do you already know that are referrals? What other practice areas serve your ideal clients? Make relationships with other people doing similar work – they may have too much on their plate and vice versa.

We do not need to do it all [22:01]

The big goal is to empower you to work smart and take items off of your plate that are not serving you or getting you towards your goal. We do not need to be the gold star winner of business building. Success comes when you lean into doing business and life YOUR way.

Building community within your business [24:50]

We’ve been given the narrative that lawyers are competing for business against one another. There is so much power in creating connection and community, than feeding into competition. There is enough for everyone. You do not have community just because you hangout with your coworkers. Community is the way you can build relationships outside of your firm. 

How to work with Molly [30:57]

Molly offers one on one coaching, an 8 week mastermind for women looking to take business development seriously, and The Coaching Kitchen– a done for you dinner party experience hosted in Minnesota.

Guest Questions [34:02]

Molly answers 2 questions: 

  1. If there is one thing she could go back and tell her younger lawyer self, what would it be?

  2. What is your unique superpower? 

Closing [35:52]

Join the Powerhouse Lawyers community now! 

https://www.eringerner.com/powerhouselawyers-podcast 

Connect with Molly Hough:

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mollybhough/?hl=en 

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/molly-hough-esq/?trk=public_post-text 

Website https://linktr.ee/jurisconsult 

Stay connected with Erin Gerner

Website eringerner.com   

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/erin-gerner/ 

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/erin.w.gerner 

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/eringerner/?hl=en 

 

 

What is Powerhouse Lawyers?

Are you an ambitious attorney who wants to build a life and career that you cannot wait to wake up for? Then you're in the right place.
Welcome to Powerhouse Lawyers, a podcast for the Powerhouse in each of us.

I am your host, Erin Gerner. A former lawyer, wife, mom, and life coach, and I am on a mission to empower women in the law to define success on their terms, by leveraging their unique superpowers to help them win in both law and life. Join me each week to hear inspiring stories, real talk, and practical tips.

You need to redefine the toxic narratives that are keeping women overwhelmed, trying to do it all. You are worthy and capable of building a life and career that you have always wanted, and I'm here to empower you along the way. So if you are ready to practice law differently, let's go.