Archive | Business Travel

Hotel Fires Reveal Personalities

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On January 1, 2019

Category: Business Frustrations, Business personalities, Business Travel, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Managing Employees, Small Business Success, Travel, Trial Consultants, Trial Consulting

I have been traveling for work, and, therefore, staying in hotels across the USA, for many years. I have lost count of the number of nights I have spent in hotels, however, I know this number must be in the thousands by now. I have a “been there, done that” attitude when it comes to […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On January 1, 2019

Melissa’s travels for work are far greater than mine, yet, on one occasion, she and I were together when the fire alarm sounded. Fortunately, we were in a much warmer climate and our response to the alarm had the benefit of learning from her prior experience. We dressed for the weather, which though warm, was […]

Reflections on Technology Changes

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On December 13, 2018

Category: Business personalities, Business Travel, Careers, Entrepreneurship, Getting the Job Done, Jury Consultants, Jury Research, Litigation Consultants, Litigation Research, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Managing Employees, Small Business Success, Workplace Technology

I was thinking about my iPhone recently in the context of how that small, but complex, device has made changes to my daily routine, to my work pattern. It did not happen over night, nor with the iPhone alone. I have had a car phone since the early 1980s. My first was a radio-phone which […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On December 13, 2018

I am constantly amazed at the numerous ways technology has changed our ability to perform work on behalf of Magnus’ clients. David and I have been in the trial consulting business for a long, long time. I used to marvel at the efficiency of sending a fax to a client instead of mailing them a […]

We can find Another Driver, but we can’t Replace Me

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On December 11, 2018

Category: Business Frustrations, Business Partnerships, Business personalities, Business Travel, Careers, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Jury Consultants, Jury Research, Litigation Consultants, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Small Business Success, Travel

On a recent Sunday morning, David and I, along with a Magnus staff member, were on the way to the Miami airport for a very early flight to the destination where our research project was scheduled the next day. We always try to arrive on site the day before our research projects, due to the […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On December 11, 2018

The adage “the show must go on” is one for which we can prepare, but the reality is that, without the lead singer, it won’t be the same. Clients pay considerable amounts of money for the presence of our “lead singer.” (Well, actually, Melissa is a bass player who is happy to be in the […]

Plan B isn’t All Bad

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On December 6, 2018

Category: Business Frustrations, Business Travel, Careers, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Jury Research, Litigation Research, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Small Business Success, Travel, Trial Consultants, Trial Consulting

Plan B carries a connotation that it is second best and, therefore, less desirable than Plan A. I guess it is, by definition, but that’s a bad rap as sometimes Plan B turns out just fine. Sometimes, it’s probably better. A few weeks ago while in a somewhat unfamiliar small town for a trial, Melissa […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On December 6, 2018

I have a luggage tag that says, “I live my life according to Plan B.” I have found that life isn’t always as neat and tidy as I would prefer. Because of the nature of my job and its ever changing priorities due to fluctuating trial dates of multiple attorneys, I have learned to go […]

Tallahassee Old Friends

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On November 20, 2018

Category: Business Travel, Getting Through Life and Work, Jury Research, Life Outside of Work, Litigation Consultants, Litigation Research, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Trial Consultants, Work-Life, Workplace Technology

I have always been fortunate to be the kind of person who makes friends easily. Regardless of the situation in which I find myself, I always find one or more kindred spirits with whom I can socialize. Some of my friends, in fact, refer to me as a “social butterfly,” whatever that means! On a […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On November 20, 2018

I am fortunate to have met these Tallahassee people and get to know them to varying degrees. (And, I’ve met many of Melissa’s friends in, or from, Fort Myers in various other places as well.) I’ll say Melissa is fortunate to know them, and they, her. Good friendships are like that – two way streets. […]

Better Safe than Sorry

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On August 16, 2018

Category: Business Travel, Getting the Job Done, Jury Behavior, Jury Deliberations, Litigation Consultants, Litigation Research, Litigation Tips, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Psychology, Trial Consultants, Uncategorized

A client of ours recently told me his motto was better safe than sorry. This was in the context of setting a meeting and allowing adequate time for Miami traffic – which can be a real challenge. But, his motto is something I’ve often thought about and attempted to use, tactfully, with potential clients who […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On August 16, 2018

I am a firm believer in the motto, “better safe than sorry.” I am a careful, conscientious person who checks, then re-checks, then re-checks my work, in an attempt to prevent errors. Many of Magnus’ potential clients, however, prefer to “fly by the seat of their pants” then hope for the best outcome, sometimes having […]

Life and Work – Have Fun When You Can

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On May 10, 2018

Category: Business personalities, Business Travel, Entrepreneurship, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Growing Old is Not for Sissies, Life Outside of Work, Small Business Success, Travel, Work-Life

This concept presents itself in many ways. The saying “life is short, eat dessert first” is one way. But, aside from that, building fun into “the plan” is one benefit of operating a small business. While we’ve written things along these lines in the past, recent discussions with family and friends are reminders of the […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On May 10, 2018

I can’t begin to count the number of times David’s mother, Carole, said, “Have fun!” when David and I were leaving her house to meet with a prospective client (the opposite of having fun, in my opinion); conducting mock jury research (very stressful and hard work, involving long hours); selecting a jury (the ultimate stressful […]

Chains or Local Restaurants?

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On January 4, 2018

Category: Business Travel, Getting Through Life and Work, Growing Old is Not for Sissies, Jury Consultants, Life Outside of Work, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Managing Employees, Travel, Trial Consultants, Trial Consulting

On this dimension, I have observed that people fall into 1 of 2 categories. There are people who prefer large, national chain restaurants over local restaurants and those, like me, who prefer local restaurants over chains, for the most part. Perhaps I learned this from my Dad, who was always on the road during his […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On January 4, 2018

No offense to the readers of this post who like chain restaurants, however, as a rule, I loathe them. I will go out of my way to avoid eating at a chain restaurant whenever possible. I prefer to patronize local eateries wherever I travel, both for business and pleasure. There are exceptions, of course, including […]

Jet Lag

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On December 21, 2017

Category: Business Travel, Careers, Getting the Job Done, Growing Old is Not for Sissies, Jury Consultants, Jury Research, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Managing Employees, Travel, Trial Consultants, Trial Consulting

Travel for business can be strenuous; so can personal travel, for that matter. And time zone crossing travel just adds to that stress. Having made 3 trips to Australia, I know about time zone crossing. Melissa and I don’t do international trips for work, but crossing even 1 or 2 or 3 time zones across […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On December 21, 2017

Believe me: I know all about jet lag. Early in my career as a trial consultant, I lived in Atlanta, but worked in Boston, for a company based in Los Angeles, where I had to go on a frequent basis. In any given week, I “commuted” from Atlanta to Boston on Monday, then traveled with […]

Frequent Flyer Points

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On November 16, 2017

Category: Business Frustrations, Business Travel, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Life Outside of Work, Litigation Consultants, Litigation Research, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Managing Employees, Travel, Trial Consultants, Trial Consulting, Work-Life

When we started our blogging in mid-2013, Melissa and I started writing down a list of topics. The first 150 or so topics came quickly off the top of our heads; this is my #112. As we’ve written the posts over the past few years, topics which seemed timely were added and we have not […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On November 16, 2017

Coincidentally, David chose to write this post soon after using hundreds of thousands of frequent flyer points to book flights to and from Greece. The process of using frequent flyer points is an arduous and stressful endeavor: one must begin by finding flights (a long time from the booking date, because frequent flyer points typically […]

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Archive | Business Travel

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

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Another View

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