Richard Claywell is the Owner of J. Richard Claywell, CPA. He has been in business since 1985, and he has a wide depth of experience and knowledge to share. He sits down with host Tom Dufton to share some tips on how to run a successful solo practice. 

Takeaways 

• Don’t be afraid to consult experts. It’s ok to not know everything, and sometimes you might need advice from an expert to help you out.
• Not all CPAs are created equal. You want to make sure that you are getting the best of the best. 
• Immerse yourself in your work. Running a practice can be difficult and demanding, but if you put the time and effort into it you will be successful.
• Help your clients by educating attorneys through nuances. 
• When handling a case, think about how many years of experience you have in that case and consider if you are the right person for it. 
• Attorneys often think that because they handle a couple of cases they are experts in the field, but every case is unique and should be treated as such.​
• Outliers can have a major impact on your business. 

Links

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-claywell-0467767/
• Website: https://www.biz-valuation.com/

Ways to Tune in:

• Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/923f06e0-f8e6-4cb3-9472-5b4f460c496b/solo-de-facto
• Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/solo-de-facto/id1586010951
• Spotify - ​​https://open.spotify.com/show/6uooFxN96HtKCoFuI3LJ3w?si=ImsDozpARi2_7J4_oWLqDg&dl_branch=1
• Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/show/solo-de-facto
• YouTube - https://youtu.be/GZqulYfrd1I

Allison Williams is the Business Coach for Solo Law Firm Owners at Law Firm Mentor, LLC. She’s seen firsthand what working too many hours can do a person, and she wants to get the word out about it. She joins host Tom Dufton to talk about how to avoid burnout and gives her tips on how to run a successful law firm. 

Takeaways 

• Systematize everything. The more organized you are, the easier your work life will be as everything's in its proper place. 
• Outsourcing helps if you want to have more time. Having more time on your plate allows you to focus on the areas you are strong in.
• Always look to hire someone who can bring in more money. They might cost more in the short run, but at the end of the day the money they are bringing to your firm is greater than that of someone you would spend less on.
• Invest in your people. Taking the time to train your employees and making sure they are a good fit will provide a great benefit in the long run.
• Set your mindset so that you are focusing on things you can accomplish. It’s easy to get weighed down by the negative. Believe in your goals. 
• Even when you work from home, act and dress as if you are at work because you are still on the clock.
• Don’t be a victim of burnout. Make sure to stay sharp and set boundaries in your work life so you don’t spend all your energy and time working. 

Quote of the show

13:24 “We tell people, do a rinse and repeat on your mindset. Let's figure out what is working. And let's figure out what's not working. Leave the things that are not working. You have to be more aggressively in pursuit of what you are seeking, but when you do that, the right person sees the right message in the right time for them.”

Links

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/law_firm_mentor
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allisoncwilliams/
• Website: https://www.lawfirmmentor.net/

Ways to Tune in:

• Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/923f06e0-f8e6-4cb3-9472-5b4f460c496b/solo-de-facto
• Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/solo-de-facto/id1586010951
• Spotify - ​​https://open.spotify.com/show/6uooFxN96HtKCoFuI3LJ3w?si=ImsDozpARi2_7J4_oWLqDg&dl_branch=1
• Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/show/solo-de-facto
• YouTube - https://youtu.be/6rMmtgX2KBI

Russell Farbiarz is a Partner at Antanavage Farbiarz PLLC. Being yourself in a law practice can be a positive experience, and it can help your clients connect with you on a better level. Russell sees this and encourages everyone not just “think like a lawyer” as he was taught in law school. He joins host Tom Dufton to share some of his other tips on how to successfully run a law practice. 

Takeaways 

• Running a law firm is like running a business. You can’t practice what you love if you aren’t able to pay the rent. 
• In law school, students are often taught to “think like a lawyer”, but you have to be willing to step outside the box.
• You need to have empathy for your clients. They can tell when you are being sincere or not and it makes a difference. 
• Don’t be afraid to be yourself. You want clients who feel comfortable with you and will keep coming back to you, they won’t do that if they know you aren’t being your true self.
• Have a plan. You can’t run a successful business or law practice without a solid plan in place. 
• You can’t be everything to everyone. It’s ok to admit that you don’t know something, and take the time to learn more and be more well rounded.
• Set quarterly goals. This will help you to stay on task and will help you to determine if your business is working or not. 

Quote of the show

3:08 “Law school is all about teaching and learning a particular way of thinking. And that would be, you know, a very analytical thought process. But if they took some of the time that they spent in law school, teaching us how to use citations and use what's called the blue book, and took some of that time and actually taught us,  how do you talk to clients?  How do you create a business plan?  How do you manage a staff?  How do you market?  Those would all be helpful tools as well, and probably more practical than blue book citation.”

Links

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/russell-e-farbiarz-esq-a131274/
• Website: https://www.antanavagefarbiarz.com

Ways to Tune in:

• Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/923f06e0-f8e6-4cb3-9472-5b4f460c496b/solo-de-facto
• Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/solo-de-facto/id1586010951
• Spotify - ​​https://open.spotify.com/show/6uooFxN96HtKCoFuI3LJ3w?si=ImsDozpARi2_7J4_oWLqDg&dl_branch=1
• Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/show/solo-de-facto
• YouTube - https://youtu.be/wBVCiAc9_-U