podcast: wonder women in business

Kathleen Hilton joined Susan 🦉🗝⚜️ Freeman on the Freeman Means Business' Wonder Women in Business Podcast. The episode is Amplifying Women's Voices Through Storytelling. They discuss why storytelling is important and the transformative power of perspective.

Curious, resilient, and humor-forward professional services marketing executive and proven revenue generator. Kathleen Hilton is a 30-plus-year Big Law marketing veteran (hence the humor-forward attribute) focused on outcomes driving increased customer loyalty and revenue.

Kathleen guides and coaches lawyers to build and sustain authentic relationships. Internal and external clients value my ability to scope the full customer experience, from the front-end sales process to ongoing service. Her portfolio spans account management, industry sector marketing, sales coaching, DEIB, ESG, designing thinking and brand.

Here are a few favorite resources: You’re Not Listening: What You’re Missing and Why It Matters; Strategy and the Fat Smoker: Doing What’s Obvious But Not Easy; The Go-Giver; Anand Sanwal at CB Insights; anything Axios and Smart Brevity. Certified by IDEO U Insights for Innovation and by Inspiring Comfort as a Trainer.

stage spotlight roundup

every week stage spotlights #lawyers and #legalmarketing professionals as the main characters. in case you missed one of the stars, join us in celebrating the past spotlights.

know someone that deserves a spotlight? let us know, nominate them and reach out!

Roy Sexton
Linda Sanders, JD
Vanessa Vines Petrea
Peyton Tata Tackes
Lynne Kilgore
Sheri Mayerowitz
Wendy Wei Chou
Lee Peretz
Rebecca Edwards Hnatowski
Lisa Olney
Jessica Markowitz
Sheenika Gandhi
Elena Gurevich
Courtney Cook Hudson

podcast Megan Senese: for your listening pleasure. the podcast

Megan Senese joined Mallory Waxman, MBA, on the "For Your Listening Pleasure Podcast" to talk about the art of networking and how to build stronger and more impactful #relationships authentically.

spotlight: Courtney Hudson

today's stage spotlight is on Courtney Cook Hudson (Business Development Manager at Baker Donelson). Courtney brings diligence, tenacity, kindness, and excitement to every project, partner, and colleague she encounters.

join us in shining the light on Courtney!

Women Who Wow: The Team At stage LLC

In Stefanie Marrone's Women Who Wow series, stage was asked how we are breaking barriers in the #legalmarketing field.

Jen: There’s a mantra that has stuck with me since I heard it while going through yoga teacher training, which is “how you do anything is how you do everything.” When we women consistently show up as who we are and what we believe in, we can break down barriers, even if it takes longer than we would like. I am a big believer in the power of numbers, so when we all band together with a sense of belief, empathy, support, opportunity, perseverance and desire to make sh*t happen, the sky’s the limit.

Megan: Launching stage, we joined the ranks of women-owned businesses, women co-founders and entrepreneurs. We are changing the script of business development and marketing through our co-sourced model, filling a gap in the market by providing extra resources, strategy and support where needed. We lead our clients with empathy, guiding them through a relationship-centered approach to developing revenue and maybe even having fun.

Kathleen: Through the founding of stage, we knocked down the barrier of occupational segregation for three women. We are using stage and our relationships to lift up other women facing similar challenges, including lack of access to land, capital, financial resources, technology and gender-based violence. All three of us donate to organizations dedicated to mitigating gun violence. We are conscious that we lack racial diversity and envision the composition of stage evolving as we grow. On a daily basis we amplify other womens’ voices on social media and in our hometowns.

Social Media Marketing Tips for Lawyers

Content creation and curation on social media should be approached strategically and carefully. At Lawrina, we asked Megan Senese, Kathleen Hilton, and Jennifer Ramsey how they ensure alignment with their professional brand and values while resonating with the target audience.

Define goals and target audience. Before creating or curating content, it's essential to set the goals you want to achieve and identify your target audience. This will help you tailor your content to their interests and needs.

Provide helpful information. Share content that provides value to your audience. This can include legal tips, insights, industry updates, and relevant news. Aim to educate and inform your audience while showcasing your expertise.

Be authentic and genuine. While maintaining professionalism, letting your authentic self shine through is essential. Share personal stories, anecdotes, or experiences related to your legal practice. This helps humanize your brand and build a connection with your audience.

Use visuals effectively. Visual content, such as images, videos, and infographics, can enhance engagement and capture attention on social media. Incorporate visuals that are relevant to your content and reflect your professional brand.

Stay updated with legal ethics. It's crucial to stay informed about the ethical considerations of using social media as a lawyer. Familiarize yourself with the rules and guidelines provided by your jurisdiction's legal ethics authorities and ensure compliance in all social media activities.

Social media is a powerful tool for building relationships and establishing credibility, but it should be used responsibly and ethically. You can effectively showcase your expertise and strengthen client relationships while attracting new business opportunities by providing valuable content, maintaining professionalism, and engaging with your audience.

spotlight: Elena Gurevich

today's stage spotlight is on Elena Gurevich (Director of Development at Center for Art Law). Center for Art Law is a Brooklyn-based nonprofit that offers educational resources and programming for the advancement of a vibrant arts and law community.

As an IP lawyer, Elena frequently writes about the intersection of law and digital art, AI, and #blockchain technology.

we are overjoyed to spotlight Elena! ✨

International Yoga Day

Every week I have the honor of guiding yogis at all levels of experience and skill through their practice. I am lucky enough to witness the beautiful transformation that takes place in their countenance, energy and aura from the time they enter the studio to when they leave.
Here are 5 invaluable perspectives I have gained through my practice and teaching that are transferable from the mat to the office:

💫 Beginner’s Mindset. Embracing a beginner’s mindset can be as simple as making a 1-degree shift in thinking. Be open and curious. The daily grind can be, well, a grind. A beginner’s mindset approaches ordinary tasks, to-do’s and meetings as if they were fresh starts. Subtle mind shifts over time make a big difference.

💫 Witness Consciousness. In the business world, one way to practice witness consciousness is through co-listening. One person is fully attentive and in listening mode while the other speaks. The listening zone is free of problem solving, analyzing, helping, discussing, interpreting…until the person is done speaking. Talk about feeling heard.

💫 Conscious Communication. In yoga teacher training, we learned a simple formula for having a direct conversation with someone, especially a difficult conversation. Check in to find a moment to connect + Express feelings/emotions using “I” statements + Take self-responsibility + Make a request for what would be supportive going forward = Move forward.

💫 Skillfulness in Action. For me, this translated into taking learnings and experiences from inside the studio to the outside world. Moving mindfully and skillfully, to the best of my ability, through the day. Being present. Paying attention. Putting energy into things that matter. Making any aforementioned 1-degree course-corrections along the way.

💫 BREATHE. My favorite breathwork is taking longer exhales than inhales. Any ratio will do - inhale for 2 counts and exhale for 4, or in for 3 counts and out for 5. This signals the brain to turn up the parasympathetic system which slows the heart rate, lowers blood pressure, and guides the body back to a state of calm. Breath is the ultimate power source. I tap into this whenever I have an important meeting or before a major presentation.

Yoga is more than a physical practice. Yoga encourages work-life integration, not to be confused with work-life balance. Yoga is the alignment of the physical with breathwork and mindfulness that can be incorporated into the daily grind, leading to greater presence, awareness and focus.

“If you can breathe, you can do yoga” - Krishnamacharya

podcast: for your listening pleasure. the podcast

Megan Senese was featured in episode 68 of For Your Listening Pleasure with host, Mallory Waxman.

The episode discusses the launch of stage, the art of networking and how to build stronger and more impactful relationships authentically.

stage feature: Women Who WOW

Thank you, Stefanie Marrone, for being among the first group of people to celebrate our launch! We are appreciative of your support and applaud your Women Who WOW series. stage loves to see women supporting each other. Below is a snippet of our feature. The full link is included in the comments.

How are you breaking barriers faced by women in your field?

Megan Senese: Launching stage, we joined the ranks of women-owned businesses, women co-founders, and entrepreneurs. We are changing the script of business development and marketing through our co-sourced model, filling a gap in the market by providing extra resources, strategy, and support where needed. We lead our clients with #empathy, guiding them through a relationship-centered approach to developing revenue and maybe even having fun.

Jennifer Ramsey: There’s a mantra that has stuck with me since I heard it while going through #yoga teacher training, which is “How you do anything is how you do everything.” When we women consistently show up as who we are and what we believe in, we can break down barriers, even if it takes longer than we would like. I am a big believer in the power of numbers, so when we all band together with a sense of belief, empathy, support, opportunity, perseverance, and desire to make sh*t happen, the sky’s the limit.

Kathleen Hilton: Through the founding of stage, we knocked down the barrier of occupational segregation for three women. We are using stage and our relationships to lift up other women facing similar challenges, including lack of access to land, capital, financial resources, technology, and gender-based violence. All three of us donate to organizations dedicated to mitigating gun violence. We are conscious that we lack racial diversity and envision the composition of stage evolving as we grow. On a daily basis, we amplify other women’s voices on social media and in our hometowns.

spotlight: Sheenika Gandhi

stage supports #businessdevelopment from behind the scenes to guide #lawyers to help their clients shine.

today's stage spotlight is on Sheenika Gandhi (Chief Marketing Officer at Greenberg Glusker LLP). Sheenika is a seasoned and strategic legal marketing and business development leader and an active volunteer with the Legal Marketing Association, the leading association for #legalmarketing.

And if that is not enough, Sheenika is also a licensed California attorney with deep expertise in attorney coaching, pitches & proposals, events and sponsorships, digital marketing strategy, and public relations (whew!).

we are pleased to spotlight Sheenika!

"summertime, and the livin' is easy..."

"summertime, and the livin' is easy..." or so the song goes.

summer is a tempting season to let business development blocking and tackling fade to the bottom of your list.

stage loves summer as the perfect time for out-of-the-box entertainment. ideas, or as Jennifer Ramsey would say starter dough:

-walk and talk -- public trail, beach, lake, whatever
-rooftop mocktails / cocktails
-attend an outdoor concert
-send a summer-themed gift. stage loves mouth for gifting
-visit a farmers market and shop local
-use the classic tactic "oh...my family will be in the Outer Banks the same week, let's try to meet for a quick coffee if that does not intrude unduly on your family time" -- obviously harder to pull off if the person is going someplace off the beaten path

Passle and Litera recently hosted a beautiful exemplar of volunteering outdoors and bringing like-minded people together -- a fundraiser with the Annapolis Dragon Boat Club benefiting breast cancer. the Club provides outreach and support to people in the community both during and post breast cancer treatment. a wonderful day on the water.

spotlight: Jessica Markowitz

stage supports #businessdevelopment from behind the scenes to coach #lawyers and help their clients shine.

today's stage spotlight is on Jessica Markowitz (President + COO at Paragon Legal (website link here), a women-founded and women-led legal services business). Paragon is focused on empowering forward-thinking companies with flexible and interim in-house legal solutions. Jessica is excited by data, a good challenge, and creating change through growth.

we are shouting from the rooftops in excitement to share Jessica's spotlight.

Change the script with us.

We are changing the script on marketing and business development. For stage to be able to say “we are changing the script” means we have actually to do things differently.

Different means that we post about feelings. We post about losing. We post about winning. We post about being business owners. We post about being a working parent. We post about being a women-owned business. We post about our experiences.

We write about these topics to show lawyers, BD + marketing teams that they are not alone; everyone wants connection.

We post about winning and losing to show our lawyers that we know the sales cycle, how to handle the wins, the losses and everything in between.

We describe our experiences to demonstrate that we practice what we teach. We get it, because we are living it everyday.

We talk about these topics because we are human. And the clients that are drawn to this approach? Those are the clients we want to work with and those are the clients that want to work with us.

spotlight: Lisa Olney

stage supports business development and #legalmarketing teams from behind the scenes to coach #lawyers and help their clients shine.

today's stage spotlight is on Lisa Olney (Chief Brand Officer at Validity Finance, LLC). Lisa is a legal marketing veteran with a quick mind and a keen eye for detail and the client experience. Lisa is responsible for creating brand unity and driving effective brand communication to support business growth. (She also beautifully articulated our ethos and brand in 2 seconds flat... we should have recorded it).
we are lucky that Lisa allowed us to spotlight her today.

spotlight: Rebecca Edwards

today's stage spotlight is on Rebecca Edwards Hnatowski (Senior Marketing + Business Development Manager at Williams Mullen). Over her 15 years of experience, Rebecca covered multiple practice groups, connecting dots, bringing people together, and helping lawyers build strong and lasting relationships.

we are delighted to share Rebecca's spotlight today.

spotlight: Sheri Mayerowitz

stage supports business development and #marketing teams from behind the scenes to help #lawyers and their clients shine.

today's stage spotlight is on Sheri Mayerowitz (Director of Alumni Relations + Client Engagement at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP). Sheri has overseen successful alumni programs for almost her entire career, but more importantly, Sheri is focused on creating positive and thoughtful alumni experiences across the entire client journey.

we are fortunate to be able to share Sheri's spotlight today.

differentiated by empathy

stage is about #pursuit, #growth, and #connection.

Pursuit co-designed with your client to achieve their goals.
Growth of your relationships [and revenue].
Connection with a myriad of permutations, including connecting clients to one another.

stage was conceived to be "differentiated by empathy" marketing and business development shop, changing the script on how to approach #legalmarketing and business development. While our emphasis is on humanity, we retain the sharpened tools and skills gained during our Big Law tenure.

As a women-owned shop, we help set the stage (get it?) for growing client relationships and growing revenue while concurrently being human -- gloriously and individually human. 💜

coaching + curiosity

stage's core coaching skills include a module on curiosity + active listening for #lawyers and #legalmarketing teams. Understanding a client's communication and listening style is imperative for the client to feel understood and, more importantly, heard. But what if you think you are showing enthusiasm and excitement, but in reality, you are interrupting?

Enter the work of linguist Deborah Tannen. She discusses listening approaches in her book, "Conversational Style."

This topic also resurfaced after a TikTok video discussed the conversational differences between regions (New Yorkers versus everywhere else). Inc. Magazine published a piece on this topic, stating, "Your professional conversations will go better if you understand different people view interruptions differently."

Even at stage, we are regrounding ourselves in our conversation approaches. We have three different principals in three different cities, and we are applying our learnings and realizations internally and passing along those learnings to others.

"Interrupters" can fall into the conversational style category of "cooperative overlapping" the intent of "cooperative overlap" isn't to silence or disrespect your conversation partner. It signals enthusiasm and interest in what the person is saying, which works amazingly when you're talking to someone who shares this conversational style. But when an overlapper meets a person more accustomed to viewing any interruption as rude? Misunderstandings and even conflict can occur. Not a great look for understanding the client.

So, if you are a cooperative overlapper, how can you better communicate with others?

Be present and observe. If you notice that your conversation partner isn't responding well to your chiming in (e.g., they stop talking or seem uncomfortable), try expressing your engagement in non-verbal cues instead, like nodding. If you do overlap (aka interrupt), acknowledge it, then encourage the other person to continue talking.

What is your conversational style?

beyond business cards - authentic networking within the legal world

What does networking mean? What is networking? What is networking even mean today? What is authentic networking mean? In this episode of This Legal Life, host Ben Chiriboga is joined by Principal and Co-Founder of stage, Megan Senese. Megan and Ben are diving into what it really means to network and how can we network authentically to build stronger and more impactful relationships.

listen here