#333: Strengthen Leadership and Relationships through Own Your Zone with Jeff Salzenstein
Release Date: 10/28/2025
#342: Reflection for the New Year: 4 Anchors for Clarity and Growth
The Law Firm Owner Podcast
What if you could start the new year with clarity instead of just jumping into motion? As we approach 2026, it’s easy to get swept up in the rush, but the transition between years offers a rare gift of space that many law firm owners overlook. In this episode, Melissa shares a framework to help you enter the new year with intention, not just resolutions, so you can focus on what truly matters for your firm. Melissa walks through four key anchors for reflection that will guide your thinking as you gain clarity before the year turns over. These anchors aren’t about...
info_outline
#341: Impact Audit: Measuring the Ripple Effect of Your Law Firm
The Law Firm Owner Podcast
What impact is your law firm really having? While you’re focused on the day-to-day, your firm is creating a ripple effect that stretches far beyond your clients and team. In this episode, Melissa invites you to reflect on the true reach of your business. She explains why understanding this ripple is essential to assessing the health of your firm and how it informs your leadership. As the year comes to a close, this episode offers a grounded approach to assess your firm’s impact. Melissa explains why a thriving firm creates balanced, far-reaching ripples, while a...
info_outline
#340: Breaking Down Your Law Firm’s Revenue Goal: A Clear Path to Success
The Law Firm Owner Podcast
How clear is your path to hitting your revenue goal? Can you connect your top-line number to actionable steps? In this episode, Melissa shares a simple, 3-step process to break down your revenue goal into manageable, actionable sub-goals that will make your target inevitable. No more guessing, just smart, data-driven planning. You’ll learn how to get visibility into your practice areas, calculate the revenue needed from each, and set quarterly and monthly goals. Using a practical example, you’ll have a roadmap to hit your firm’s revenue goal, with a clear strategy to match. ...
info_outline
#339: Hiring from Desperation: What You Should Do before You Hire
The Law Firm Owner Podcast
What happens when a law firm owner hires not from strategy but from exhaustion? In this episode, Melissa explains why hiring from desperation is one of the most expensive mistakes a firm can make and how it leads to long-term overwhelm instead of relief. When owners are buried in work, the urge to solve the pain quickly overrides the clarity needed to make the right capacity decisions. Melissa shares how slowing down to identify everything that is actually on your plate creates the visibility required before any hiring decision. By using a simple framework to separate tasks...
info_outline
#338: Tax Strategy: Proactive Planning with Tax Attorney Megan Robin
The Law Firm Owner Podcast
How often do you think about taxes as part of your long-term wealth strategy rather than something you deal with once a year? In this episode, Melissa talks with tax attorney Megan Robin about why proactive tax planning matters for law firm owners who want to build and protect wealth. They explore how treating taxes as a strategic lever, rather than a deadline, opens opportunities to improve your financial position throughout the year. This conversation highlights patterns Megan sees repeatedly, from overpaying taxes due to missed opportunities to relying on broad advice that does not...
info_outline
#337: Learning and Implementing AI: Practical Steps for Law Firms with Ernie Svenson
The Law Firm Owner Podcast
What does it actually look like to start using AI in a meaningful way inside your law firm? That is the question Melissa explores with legal technology consultant Ernie Svenson in this follow-up conversation on the future of AI and its impact on lawyers. Instead of trying to learn every tool or waiting for the perfect moment to start, Ernie explains why consistent use is the real driver of progress and why treating AI like learning a new language helps you build confidence over time. Melissa and Ernie discuss why many lawyers approach AI implementation with hesitation and how simple,...
info_outline
#336: The Future of Law: AI, Innovation, and What It Means for Your Firm with Ernie Svenson
The Law Firm Owner Podcast
What happens to the legal profession when technology stops being a tool and becomes a true collaborator? Artificial intelligence is advancing faster than most expected, and its impact on how lawyers think, work, and serve clients is already underway. The next decade may redefine what it means to practice law and who will be doing it. In this episode, Melissa is joined by Ernie Svenson, a senior lawyer turned legal technology consultant who helps solo and small firm owners modernize their practices. They discuss how new roles like legal knowledge engineers and no-coders are...
info_outline
#335: When to Hire and Who: A Data-Driven Approach for Law Firms
The Law Firm Owner Podcast
Hiring decisions are some of the trickiest choices law firm owners make. Wait too long, and you end up buried under the work, scrambling to keep up. Hire too early, and you’re sweating payroll and questioning whether the work will sustain the role. The constant back-and-forth of when to hire and who to hire can leave even the most disciplined owner feeling stuck. In this episode, Melissa shares a practical, data-backed approach that replaces guesswork with clarity. She walks you through how to calculate your buy-back rate, understand producer multiples, track net cases, and build...
info_outline
#334: What Strategic Planning Really Is for Law Firm Owners
The Law Firm Owner Podcast
Most law firm owners think they understand strategic planning. They’ve read about goal setting, they know they should do it, and they tell themselves they already are. But true strategic planning is much deeper. It’s the difference between reacting to daily fires and leading with clarity, direction, and momentum. Without a real plan, even the most dedicated owner can feel stuck, weighed down by confusion and uncertainty. In this episode, Melissa breaks down what strategic planning really is and why it changes everything. With the right structure and facilitation, strategic...
info_outline
#333: Strengthen Leadership and Relationships through Own Your Zone with Jeff Salzenstein
The Law Firm Owner Podcast
What if the biggest barrier to connection is not effort or intention, but capacity? Most leaders know what it takes to build strong relationships, be present, communicate clearly, and show appreciation, yet those principles only work when your own foundation is solid. When energy, sleep, or focus are depleted, even small gestures toward connection feel out of reach. In this personal conversation concluding the series with Jeff Salzenstein, Melissa shares how strengthening her body, mind, and heart created ripple effects in both her marriage and her relationship with her son. Jeff...
info_outline
Let's talk!
If you are a law firm owner looking to talk with us about partnering on your personal and professional growth, book a short, free, no-pressure call with Melissa here: https://velocitywork.com/calendar
Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://www.velocitywork.com/333
Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@velocitywork