Recently on So Much To Say
Lawyers Don’t Need More Business Development: They Need a Plan That Fits (Minis with Megan)
“Do more business development” sounds like advice. But what does more actually mean?
In this mini episode of So Much To Say: A Legal Podcast For People, Megan Senese, business development coach and co-founder of stage, looks beyond the usual business development advice for lawyers to post more, network more, and schedule more coffee meetings. She explains why effective business development has to account for your billable requirements, compensation structure, capacity, internal relationships at law firms, career stage, and actual life. Because the best business development plan isn't the one with the most tactics, it’s the one you can realistically execute and that helps you get where you want to go.
Who this episode is for:
Lawyers who know they “should” be doing business development but don’t know where to start
Attorneys struggling to balance billable work with building a book of business
Lawyers whose current business development plan feels overwhelming or unrealistic
Firm leaders and legal marketers supporting lawyers at different stages of their careers
Episode takeaways:
“Do more business development” isn’t useful advice without defining what “more” actually means.
Your billable requirements, compensation structure, seniority, and capacity should influence your business development strategy.
Sometimes the right strategy is bringing in new clients; other times it’s building your internal network and getting more of the right work.
Time management, delegation, systems, and efficiency are part of business development too.
A sustainable strategy should evolve as your career, workload, and priorities change.
How to build a business development plan you can actually use:
Start with where you are right now: Your workload, billable hours, compensation, career stage, and financial goals should shape the plan.
Understand how you get paid: Know how origination credit and compensation work before deciding where to invest your time.
Don't overlook your internal network: If your immediate goal is hitting your hours or getting better work, relationships inside your firm may matter more than finding a brand-new client.
Make sure people know what you do: Your bio, LinkedIn profile, and content should reflect the work you actually want people to associate with you.
Create capacity before adding more: Look for administrative work you can delegate, automate, or streamline so business development isn't simply another task piled onto an already-full schedule.
Build for sustainability: Choose activities that fit your life well enough that you can keep doing them instead of constantly pushing business development to the bottom of your list.
Related Minis:
Bring these types of conversations to your law firm.
These podcast conversations are the same ones happening quietly inside law firms.
Through stage, we work with lawyers at every level and with legal marketing teams on client service, business development, and growth built on real relationships. If these themes are coming up inside your firm, let’s chat.
I Was Harassed (Minis with Megan)
LinkedIn doesn’t have to feel like one giant sales pitch and you actually don’t need to be a jerk to have it work for you.
In this mini episode of So Much To Say: A Legal Podcast for People, Megan Senese shares about a particularly bad LinkedIn interaction and how it has become something of a case study in what not to do. It’s also a reminder that the easiest way to stand out online might simply be to act like a human.
Megan shares how LinkedIn became one of stage’s strongest sources of clients, leads, and referrals by focusing on generosity, curiosity, personality, and genuine relationships instead of immediately asking for business.
If you walk away with anything from this episode, let it be to lead with kindness and to stop the pitch slapping.
Who this episode is for:
Lawyers who want to use LinkedIn but don’t know what to post or say
Professionals worried that reaching out will feel too salesy
Anyone who has ever been on the receiving end of a LinkedIn “pitch slap”
Lawyers and legal marketers looking to turn LinkedIn into a relationship-building and business development tool
Episode takeaways:
LinkedIn can become a meaningful business development pipeline without aggressive selling.
Your content should provide value while also showing people what it’s actually like to know and work with you.
Engagement gives you an opportunity to identify people who are already interested in what you have to say.
A thoughtful conversation is more valuable than rushing into a pitch.
The stronger the relationship, the easier it becomes to understand what someone actually needs, and whether you’re right person to help or not.
How to use LinkedIn without pitch slapping people:
Share something useful: Give people ideas, advice, or perspective they can actually use.
Show some personality: Let people see what it might be like to know and work with you instead of making every post perfectly polished.
Pay attention to who engages: Notice the people who consistently like, comment on, or interact with what you share.
Start with gratitude and curiosity: Thank someone for engaging, start a conversation, and get to know them before asking for anything.
Look for ways to help before you pitch: Send the article, make the introduction, recommend the book, or simply listen to what they need.
Respect the silence: Follow-up is okay. Repeatedly demanding someone's attention is not. No one owes you a response.
Bring these types of conversations to your law firm.
These podcast conversations are the same ones happening quietly inside law firms.
Through stage, we work with lawyers at every level and with legal marketing teams on client service, business development, and growth built on real relationships. If these themes are coming up inside your firm, let’s chat.
Even My Kids Know: Business Development is About Trust (Minis with Megan)
Getting clients can be hard, but it’s a lot easier when people trust you.
In this mini episode of So Much To Say: A Legal Podcast For People, Megan Senese pulls from inspiration that has come from a seemingly unlikely (but very cute) source: her kids.
Their observation sparks a conversation about why trust, reliability, and small acts of thoughtfulness matter more than the perfect pitch or another accolade. From following up when you say you will to helping someone even when there’s nothing in it for you, Megan explores how small moments add up to strong relationships, and why that is really good business development.
Who this episode is for:
Lawyers who want to build stronger, longer-lasting client relationships
Professionals who struggle with business development feeling transactional
Anyone focused on attracting new clients while overlooking the relationships they already have
Firm leaders looking to create a more relationship-focused approach to business development for themselves and their firm
Episode takeaways:
Trust can matter more than credentials, awards, or a perfectly polished pitch.
Reliability is one of the simplest ways to build trust with clients and prospects.
Small acts of thoughtfulness are business development, even when they don’t feel like it.
Helping when you have nothing to gain demonstrates that a relationship isn’t merely transactional.
Strong relationships make outreach, referrals, pitching, and staying connected easier.
How to make trust part of your business development strategy:
Do what you say you’ll do: Follow through when you promise to call, email, introduce someone, or provide an answer (especially when you offer a timeline).
Show up: Consistency helps people know they can count on you when they need something.
Pay attention to the small things: Remember the book they mentioned, make the introduction, or send the recommendation that made you think of them.
Help when there’s nothing in it for you: Refer work when you’re not the right fit, answer the question, or check in simply because you care.
Take time to reflect: Think about your strongest client relationships and identify the small moments that built trust before there was ever work to discuss.
Bring these types of conversations to your law firm.
These podcast conversations are the same ones happening quietly inside law firms.
Through stage, we work with lawyers at every level and with legal marketing teams on client service, business development, and growth built on real relationships. If these themes are coming up inside your firm, let’s chat.
Stop Looking at Your Competitors (Minis with Megan)
Your perspective is coming from the clients that only you have served, the problems you have solved, the relationships you have built. That’s what makes you different and interesting.
Yet, everywhere you look, you can see something that makes you feel as if you’re not doing it right or not doing enough.
In this mini episode of So Much To Say: A Legal Podcast For People, Megan Senese gives you permission to stop looking at what your competitors are doing, and instead, evaluate what you are doing and why you started doing it in the first place.
This can be particularly difficult in the legal field. Over the years, Megan has decided not to look at stage’s competitors because she wanted to make sure what she and Jen were building was uniquely theirs.
Despite popular belief, it’s actually not helpful to see every decision your competitor is making, every design they are creating, or every event they are hosting. Instead, focus on your business goals and the clients you are already serving.
Who this episode is for:
Lawyers trying to differentiate themselves in a crowded market
Legal marketers developing brands for law firms
Business owners who find themselves constantly comparing their work to competitors
Anyone struggling to figure out what makes their voice, perspective, or approach different
Episode takeaways:
Competitor research can be useful, but it shouldn’t become your strategy.
Constant comparison can unintentionally make your messaging sound like everyone else’s.
Differentiation comes from your own experiences, clients, relationships, and perspective.
Creativity needs space, and sometimes that means intentionally tuning out what everyone else is doing.
AI makes developing a distinct point of view even more important as content and messaging become increasingly similar.
How to stop building your brand around your competitors:
Keep a pulse without obsessing: Be aware of what others are doing in your industry without letting it dictate every decision you make.
Create space for your own ideas: Give yourself room to think before looking at how everyone else has approached the same problem.
Listen to your clients: Your clients are the greatest source of information for what’s going on in the market.
Use competitors to learn, not imitate: Pay attention to what works, and what doesn’t, without imitating.
Trust your perspective: You probably already have something worth saying. You may just need to stop listening to everyone else long enough to hear it.
Bring these types of conversations to your law firm.
These podcast conversations are the same ones happening quietly inside law firms.
Through stage, we work with lawyers at every level and with legal marketing teams on client service, business development, and growth built on real relationships. If these themes are coming up inside your firm, let’s chat.
Business Development Can’t Happen If You’re Miserable (Minis with Megan)
Business development doesn't happen in a vacuum - it happens inside a culture.
In this mini episode of So Much To Say: A Legal Podcast For People, Megan Senese, shares a deeply personal story about interviewing for a new job just weeks after becoming a first time mother and how this is actually a larger conversation about workplace culture, drive and ambition.
Megan explores why talented people don't stop caring in unhealthy environments - they often care even more. But when people don't feel valued, trusted, or safe to contribute, even the strongest business development strategies begin to break down.
Who this episode is for:
Lawyers working in environments where they don't feel valued
Firm leaders looking to build stronger cultures and stronger business development
Professionals wondering whether their workplace is limiting their growth
Anyone trying to reconcile ambition with well-being
Episode takeaways:
Whether you believe it or not, workplace culture directly impacts business development
Feeling undervalued often causes people to become more guarded NOT less ambitious
Creativity, collaboration, and relationship-building require psychological safety
Sometimes ambition looks like leaving somewhere or something
Sustainable business development begins with environments where people feel seen, trusted, and supported
What to do if your environment is holding you back:
Pay attention to how your workplace makes you feel: Your environment shapes how confidently you show up.
Recognize that culture affects business development: People build relationships more naturally when they feel valued.
Stop mistaking survival for success: Working harder isn't always the answer.
Choose environments where you can contribute fully: Your best work happens where your voice is welcomed.
Remember that leaving isn't giving up: Sometimes it's the first step toward building the career you actually want.
Bring these types of conversations to your law firm.
These podcast conversations are the same ones happening quietly inside law firms.
Through stage, we work with lawyers at every level and with legal marketing teams on client service, business development, and growth built on real relationships. If these themes are coming up inside your firm, let’s chat.