🛡️ Law firms are increasingly under siege — and most don’t even realize how exposed they are. In this episode, Danny Decker sits down with Steven Kennen of Proactive IT to unpack the real threats facing small and solo law firms today — from AI-powered phishing scams to shockingly common missteps in two-factor authentication. You’ll learn why DIY tech setups are a ticking time bomb, how cybersecurity impacts your firm’s bottom line, and what steps you can take right now to protect your clients, your data, and your reputation.

📌 Key Takeaways:

• Cyberattacks are evolving — and 2FA is no longer the safety net you think it is.
• Hiring real IT pros isn’t just protection — it’s a productivity multiplier.
• Most law firms are unknowingly making themselves easy targets for hackers.

👉 Visit Steven here

🚨 More Clients. Better Clients.

🧠 Ever feel like your law firm is running you instead of the other way around? In this episode, Danny talks with EOS Implementer Jackie Kibler, whose no-BS, people-first approach has helped law firms go from disorganized and reactive to structured, scalable, and sane. Jackie shares how EOS (the Entrepreneurial Operating System) gives law firm owners the tools to clarify vision, align their team, and finally gain traction—without working 80-hour weeks.

📌 Key Takeaways

• Why most law firms stall out—and how to spot it early.
• The EOS tools that bring order to operational chaos.
• What visionary lawyers need most to unlock real growth.

👉 Visit Jackie here

🚨 More Clients. Better Clients.

Get ready to be inspired as we discuss the power of understanding others, building credibility, and how having diverse passions paired with self-belief can lead to you chasing your dreams (even if that means no longer being a lawyer).

This week we're joined by career coach Nicole Andrews and explore how disrupting the status quo can create unforeseen opportunities. Nicole emphasizes the necessity of a versatile skill set and the courage to advocate for yourself, especially when self-doubt creeps in.

Lastly, Nicole imparts wisdom on finding purpose amidst career disruption and setting work-life boundaries to circumvent burnout. Gain insight into how disrupting your career, whether by choice or force, can act as a positive force of change. Discover strategies to define your career roles, break free from the 'status trap', and take significant steps towards your career progression.

Learn more about Nicole and the work she does by visiting www.thenicoleandrews.com

Michael Gerber, author of The E-Myth series of books joins us this week to take a deep dive into the entrepreneurial mindset. Regardless of where you are in your business development, Michael's insight and inspiration is a great reminder of the incredible growth potential your firm possesses. 

If you'd like to learn more about Michael's company and how they can help your firm, go to www.thenewdreamingroom.com

We've said it before and we'll say it again: Automations are one of the biggest key to driving your firm's growth! This week, we're joined by Attorney Devin Miller who has become REALLY passionate about automating all of the processes that humans just simply don't need to be performing. Check out his great insight, and if you need help setting up automations for your firm, check out www.diywhitelabel.com.

If you'd like to reach out to Devin directly, visit www.meetdevin.com

A lot of business owners have no clue what it means when they have their website hosted, and a lot of times, what they think they're getting isn't actually the truth. This week, we chat with Lance Dockins from Wordkeeper, a website hosting company, to talk about what you should be looking for in a website host and what those Google PageSpeed tests really mean.

Sure, everyone has opinions on the best way to grow a law practice, but this week's guest has actually done it. Attorney Jeremy Danilson from Iowa has doubled his firm over the last four years and, judging by how he talks about it, has done so by avoiding a lot of the big headaches that plague most business owners. Catch his insight on this week's episode!

Happy 2022! If your goal for the year was to grow your firm, this episode is a great place to start. Our guest this week, Steve Fretzin, is a lawyer coach who helps firms hone in their business development skills and teaches them the art of sales-free selling.

Check out Steve's "Be That Lawyer" podcast and learn more about his program at www.fretzin.com

EOS is a fantastic tool that can help businesses of any size align themselves to achieve their goals (it can also help you figure out what those goals are!). Our gest this week, Cesar Quintero, is an EOS implementor and even helped us get EOS up and running here at Spotlight Branding. He joins us to talk about what EOS and how you can get started.

To get Cesar's help with implementing EOS in your firm, visit theprofitrecipe.com

There's no such thing as too narrow of a niche when it comes to how you market your practice. Criminal defense attorneys, regardless of their niche, face unique challenges when it comes to marketing their firm. This week's guest, Attorney Barry Wax, practices criminal defense in Miami, Florida, and has developed a solid and consistent marketing ecosystem that has helped him find a ton of success. Learn about his story on this week's episode!

Most of the time, you're only focused on what services a specific vendor provides. This week, we're talking about things you can do to get the most ROI out of your vendor relationships. Join John Hinson and guest Nicole Bernard as they discuss the best ways to work with outside vendors.

No, we're not changing our stance about SEO! We are, however, committed to helping you grow your firm in the best ways, which is why we're joined by Google ads expert Brent Baltzer to discuss how to run a successful Google ads campaign and how it can fit into an overall content marketing strategy.

Learn more at www.baltzermarketing.com

As employees all over the country leave their jobs in search of better opportunities, you want to make sure you're doing everything you can to keep your most valuable team members on your payroll. This week, we're joined by Molly McGrath from Hiring & Empowering Solutions to discuss ways you can be a more effective leader at your firm to keep your team engaged and enthusiastic about their jobs.

This week we sit down with Julie Perez from Leap Legal, who guides us through the unique productivity hurdles that different types of lawyers encounter, the role of continuing education, and the cruciality of compliance in legal practice.

We then dive into the complex, yet critical aspects of trust account money, compliance, record keeping, and assembling a dream team. We discuss the lack of business management taught in law school and why having robust software in place to catch mistakes is crucial. We're also putting a spotlight on the layers of encryption and compliance with IT, offering a well-rounded view of law firm management.

Lastly, we're turning the lens onto one of the most important facets of any business - the client experience. We cover the essentials of clear communication, setting expectations, and avoiding those jarring invoice surprises.

To learn more, visit leap.us

Does your firm place an emphasis on educating your audience before all else? Attorney John Koenig has done this at his law firm and it has done wonders for their growth and reputation in their community. This week, John joins us to talk about his firm's workshop strategy and how putting information first has made all the difference in their firm's growth.

This episode is somewhat of a part 2 to episode #41 with Brett Trembly. Attorney Scott Weavile has employed virtual assistants at his firm, and joins us to talk about his experience and the benefits of having virtual assistants working for him. 

How have we not covered branding on this show yet? It was long overdue, but our friends from BrandFace, Tonya Eberhart and Michael Carr, join us to discuss why a small business owner should focus on their personal brand before any other marketing and why having just a logo and a picture isn't enough.

Learn more at www.discussyourbrand.com

 LinkedIn might be the most underrated social media platform out there. For business owners who deal with in B2B, have professional clients, or have a variety of referral sources in other industries, LinkedIn can be a great tool for relationship and authority building. This week's guest, Attorney Frank Ramos, literally wrote the book on how a lawyer can be successful on LinkedIn, and he joins us to share his expertise.

For smaller firms, having enough revenue to justify a full or part-time position in house can be difficult. Not only can virtual assistants bridge that gap, they can become valuable assets to your business by allowing you to delegate a lot of work that takes up precious billable hours. This week, Marc sits down with Attorney Brett Trembly, founder of Get Staffed Up, to talk about the ins and outs of hiring a virtual assistant for your firm.

Learn more at www.getstaffedup.com

When it comes to hiring, many business owners waste hours sifting through hundreds of resumes hoping to find the best fit. This week, Attorney Allison Williams from Law Firm Mentor joins us to discuss how you can improve your hiring process so that you can be sure you find the right fit for your business.

Check out Law Firm Mentor's upcoming Master Class here - lawfirmmentor.net/masterclass

Holding an event, whether virtually or in person is a great way to build relationships, generate leads, and elevate your expertise. Our guest this week, Dan Brian, is the founder of Marketing for Justice, which puts on monthly workshops to help legal markets grow their knowledge and improve their marketing skills. He provides a ton of great insight into how to run your events and mistakes to avoid along the way.

Learn more about Marketing for Justice and register for their next workshop at www.marketingforjustice.com/

Your firm's receptionist can be so much more than someone who greets visitors and answers phones. They can be an integral part of your marketing, a gatekeeper, and more! This week, Emily LaRusch from Back Office Betties joins us to discuss all of the ways to get the most out of your front desk staff!

Do you have a PR strategy for your firm? Sending out press releases for noteworthy accomplishments can be a great way to gain exposure for your firm and elevate your credibility as the best lawyer in your community. This week, we're joined by PR expert Mickie Kennedy who gives us some great insight into building a PR strategy, along with some mistakes to avoid.

Check out Mickie's PR Masterclass at www.ereleases.com/plan

 Don't be a door lawyer! In other words, don't take every case that walks through the door. We've talked before about how attracting the right client and taking only the cases you want to take will lead to better success for you in the future. Martha and Levi Norton from Norton Pelt, PLC are great examples of this philosophy in practice and join us on this week's episode to share their perspective.

Get ready to transform your law firm's intake procedures with actionable insights from Chris Mullins, the Phone Sales Doctor. This episode promises to deliver crucial tips on building an effective intake team in your firm, putting the spotlight on both inbound and outbound sales. Chris guides us through the necessity of a well-devised system to convert digital leads aggressively and the importance of chasing leads promptly to ensure they don't slip away.

Moving forward, we uncover the vital role of an intake sales manager and how they drive your law firm's success. Tune in as we reveal strategies for monitoring and auditing calls, providing constructive feedback, and employing technology to enhance call handling. Chris lends her expertise in explaining the significance of presence, body language, and the nuances of tone and voice during calls.

Learn more about Chris and get her book by visiting intakeacademy.com

The goal for almost every business owner is to one day sell for top dollar and get the most out of their lifelong investment. Whether you're approaching retirement age, a serial entrepreneur or you're planning your eventual exit, our guest this week, Ashley Tison, is here to help. We also discuss Opportunity Zones and the potential benefits they can provide your business.

Learn more at www.ozpros.com/save50 and get 50% off your initial consultation!

Only about 25% of law firms have video as part of their marketing strategy, which means there's a HUGE opportunity at your fingertips to really enhance and expand your marketing. This week, Attorney Peter Tragos from the Attorney You Know podcast and YouTube channel joins us to discuss his decision to focus on video and how he's able to create so many great videos.

Check out Lawyer You Know on YouTube and subscribe to the podcast wherever you consume podcasts!

 Have you considered starting a podcast? It's easier than you think! In this meta-episode of Center Stage, we're joined by Robert Ingalls from LawPods to talk about the whys and how-tos of creating a podcast for your law firm!

Learn more about LawPods at www.lawpods.com

Having your own book is a huge boost to your credibility and one of the best business development tools you can have. This week, Paula Black returns to talk about the whys and hows of writing and publishing your own book.

If you'd like help with this process, contact Paula at paula@paulablack.com for a free guide on the book publishing process, as well as to see how she can personally help you out!

The world of cryptocurrency is an exciting new prospect for humanity that opens the door for so many possibilities. One of those is that it can create a new set of legal issues that will require lawyers to step up. This week, we're joined by legal crypto expert, Attorney Yev Muchnik. She tells us all about what cryptocurrency is, outlines ways it can be incorporated as a new practice area, and covers a few potential ethical issues lawyers need to watch out for

If you have any questions for Yev (and we're sure you will), you can reach her at Yev@launch-legal.com

**Explicit Content Warning** Despite what you may think, niching down in your law practice does NOT limit your opportunities as an attorney to make more money and achieve that elevated expert status. This week's guest on Center Stage, Attorney Marc Wasserman (better known as one of the Pot Brothers at Law), is a great example of how hyper-focusing on a niche can open up a huge number of doors and opportunities for you as an attorney.

Check out the work Marc and his firm does at www.potbrothersatlaw.com

This week, we unravel the unseen challenges young lawyers encounter as they're just starting out and underscore the necessity of grasping the business side of law, regardless of where your legal career takes you - be it in the corporate realm, a law firm, or government service.

We also uncover the integral elements for crafting a successful legal career. We touch on critical aspects such as identifying your inherent abilities, proactive planning for your future, and the influential role of mentorship. We further share insights on discovering contentment in your legal career, comparing the lives of public defenders and corporate lawyers, the wisdom of living below your income, and setting realistic monthly income goals. This enlightening conversation promises to guide you in carving your own path in the legal field, leading to a fulfilling and successful career.

Connect with Kelly on Instagram @KellyesqU or visiting her website at kellysturmthal.com

Having informative, educational content is the true foundation for any law firm marketing strategy. This week, we're joined by Laura Briggs from Lawyerist to discuss what kind of content lawyers should be creating, where they should be promoting it, and more!

Visit www.lawyerist.com to learn more and subscribe today!

Referrals are a huge part of a lawyer's business, but many struggle with generating a good amount to help them grow. Stacey Brown Randall learned about the power of referrals the hard way and has now built her life around helping business owners generate more referrals, and do so without even having to ask!

Learn more about Stacey and her program at www.growthbyreferrals.com and www.staceybrownrandall.com

Stress and other negative health complications have plagued the legal industry for years, and much of it stems of lawyers refusing to delegate many of their tasks. This week, we're joined by Garrick Pursley of De Novo Review to talk about the benefits of delegating the legal and non-legal work that takes up a ton of your time as you try to run your business.

Learn more about De Novo Review at www.denovoreview.com and you can email Garrick personally at garrick@denovoreview.com

Is your firm automated? If not, you could be losing a lot of precious time doing things that a simple automation can do in just a few seconds. This week's guest, attorney Justie Nicol, has built several automations for her firm and joins us to talk about the ways it has improved the way she works.

At some point in your law firm's life, you'll likely need to change names. Most attorneys do this when they add a partner. However, if your law firm isn't named after you and your partners, it allows you to create a consistent brand that can outlive any attorney on staff. This week's guest, attorney Antonio Jimenez, recently went through a rebranding of his firm and talks about the decision to NOT name his firm after himself. 

This week, we're joined by Attorney Neil Tyra to discuss how you can be a more productive solo when it comes to the computer you use, the apps you employ, and the workflows you create. As an attorney who spent time working in the tech industry, he knows all the tricks to becoming as productive as possible.

Check out Neil's podcast, The Law Entrepreneur, as well. He has over 275 episodes all about the business of running a law firm. https://thelawentrepreneur.com/

You can't do the legal work you love doing if you can't close consultations. Your marketing can only take you so far, so when it comes down to you and a prospect at a consultation, it all depends on how well you can sell your services. Steve Cashdollar has built his business on helping professionals sell their services and become trusted advisors in a working relationship, and he joins us this week to talk about what you can do to improve how you sell.

TikTok has exploded as a social media platform over the last year, which means it's another opportunity for people and businesses to gain exposure. Does it fit within a law firm's marketing strategy? It's worked for some, including this week's guest, Brandon Pettijohn AKA @PortCityAttorney. He has already amassed nearly 400,000 followers and has over 7 million likes on his posts, and he joins us this week to discuss what it takes to find TikTok success.

For most attorneys, bar membership is required, so why not make the best of it? Being active in your bar association(s) can lead to a lot of great opportunities and even make your job easier. Attorney Dennis Kainen has spent many years actively working in bar associations and joins us to talk about what he's learned.

Learn more about Dennis and his firm at https://wkm-law.com/

Happy employees are more productive and help you reach your growth goals. That's why this week's episode is focusing on how to create a great work environment. Attorney Lewis Landerholm has mastered this and it has contributed to his firm's growth from a single office to multiple locations in Oregon and Washington. Check out what he has to say about his hiring and office management practices and see if there's something you can put into practice today!

Learn more about Lewis and his firm at https://www.landerholmlaw.com/

Are you ready to tap into your genius zone? Our guest, Emily LaRusch, founder of Back Office Betties, shares her insights on how to discover the activities that leads to effective delegation for tasks outside our genius zone.

We also talk about team building and the vital role it plays in business growth. Emily brings her expertise to the table, providing tips on being a leader who nurtures and develops a team to fill the gaps in your business. We delve into the concept of fractional help, discussing virtual reception and fractional administrative services. We also put a spotlight on the critical factor that is often overlooked - mental health.

Want more from Emily? Go to www.backofficebetties.com/freegift to receive a free resource that can help your firm double its income!

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Visit www.spotlightinsider.com for additional content to help your firm grow!

Attorney Chris Clark has built his law firm around being "data-driven." What does that mean, how does it impact your firm, and how does it potentially put BigLaw out of business? Chris explains it all in this week's episode!

Technology makes our lives easier! The same is true for your law firm. This week we're joined by attorney Lindsey Sharp as she talks about how the tech she's implemented in her firm has saved her time and money, and how she has passed those savings on to her clients. 

Are you thinking about taking the leap and opening your own firm? Attorney Jeremy Baker was in your shoes at one point, and he decided to take the leap. Now, he's running a successful solo practice and joins us to talk about his experience and provide some insight on his journey.

Learn more about Jeremy at www.buildchicagolaw.com, as well as his other venture, Operation Palmtree, which aims to provide guidance to attorneys looking to go out on their own. Visit www.operationpalmtree.com to learn more.