Archive | Small Business Success

Dodged Bullets

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On March 28, 2019

Category: Business Frustrations, Business Partnerships, Business personalities, Careers, Entrepreneurship, Getting Through Life and Work, Growing Old is Not for Sissies, Jury Consultants, Life Outside of Work, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Mental Health, Small Business Success

We’ve all heard the expression, “I dodged that bullet” to indicate that one missed something that, in hindsight, would have been bad, or at least, less than positive. I was recently reflecting of at least 3 bullets that I have, or Melissa and I have, dodged. Two of these involved the beginnings of Magnus, way […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On March 28, 2019

As John Lennon famously wrote in the lyrics of his song, “Beautiful Boy,” “Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans.” It is interesting to see where our lives take us, including when it takes us in directions different from those we had planned. David and I founded Magnus in 1993 with big […]

Tell no one what we do

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On March 5, 2019

Category: Business Frustrations, Business Relationships, Careers, Getting the Job Done, Jury Behavior, Jury Consultants, Jury Deliberations, Jury Research, Litigation Consultants, Litigation Research, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Marketing your Business, Small Business Success, Trial Consultants, Trial Consulting

An oddity of my job as a jury/trial consultant is not being able to share the details of my work with family, friends, or anyone, ever. All of the cases in which Magnus consults are high stakes matters, regardless of whether they are civil or criminal trials. Everyone who is employed by Magnus, including David […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On March 5, 2019

In the past two weeks, news about several cases on which we have worked have appeared prominently in the news. The cases, and the results of their trials, were newsworthy. This is, no doubt, common for trial consultants and it is, admittedly, exciting to be involved in high profile or noteworthy cases. Yet, from the […]

Be ready/stay packed

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On February 26, 2019

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

I have traveled far and wide for most of my life. When I was a child, my parents and I went on numerous cross country vacations, with the 2 to 3 week road trip we took every summer being the highlight of my year. In between, we regularly traveled in Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina, […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On February 26, 2019

Ready, set go. A great motto for road warriors or even beginning ones. Travel, for business or pleasure, is stressful enough even when using tried and true techniques to reduce the stress, such as being ready to go at all times. I’m not talking about those who have a bag with them in a car […]

Cindy’s Question

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On January 31, 2019

Category: Business Frustrations, Business personalities, Careers, Entrepreneurship, Jury Consultants, Jury Research, Litigation Consultants, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Marketing your Business, Small Business Success, Trial Consulting

We recently experienced one of our worst nightmares in our trial consulting business. A case on which we had been working for many months, and for which we had been planning a large scale mock trial, settled a few weeks before the mock trial was scheduled. I’m sure it was a good result for the […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On January 31, 2019

The expression, “easy come, easy go” has no applicability to the situation David just described when we have been preliminary retained for a case that will bring in sizable revenue, only to have it cancel due to the settlement of the case. Although we always charge a sizable portion of our fees as a retainer, […]

Crazy Courthouse Story #3 Bombscare

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On January 29, 2019

Category: Business personalities, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Jury Consultants, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Managing Employees, Small Business Success

My first crazy courthouse story happened in the Lee County Courthouse in my hometown, Fort Myers, Florida and this post, the third in the series, is also about an event that happened in the Lee County Courthouse. As with rental cars, airplanes, hotels, and other places and things I frequent, I spend a lot of […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On January 29, 2019

Category: Business personalities, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Jury Consultants, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Managing Employees, Small Business Success

Melissa’s courthouse experiences have run quite the gamut. I’m sure our clients have many crazy stories to tell as well. As for me, all I can add is that I’m glad in instances like the bombscare, or the 9-11 attacks, that those who work in the courthouses are well trained. I’m sure that, in today’s […]

Crazy Courthouse Story #2 calendars idea

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On January 22, 2019

Category: Business Partnerships, Careers, Jury Behavior, Jury Consultants, Jury Deliberations, Jury Research, Magnus, Magnus Research, Marketing your Business, Small Business Success, Trial Consultants, Trial Consulting

Second in the series on crazy courthouse stories is the Courthouses of Florida™ idea I had while working in courthouses all over my home state of Florida. Over the years when I have worked for attorneys during the jury selection process, I have observed their fondness for courthouses. They often regale me with stories about […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On January 22, 2019

The crazy idea wasn’t that crazy and it turned into a challenging and mostly fun adventure. The phenomenon of associations, mostly positive, made by our clients with a particular courthouse has been interesting to observe. There are probably negative associations with some courthouses, but what we hear are, “That’s where I won my first big […]

Good Cuban Sandwich

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On January 3, 2019

Category: Business personalities, Careers, Entrepreneurship, Getting the Job Done, Jury Consultants, Litigation Research, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Marketing your Business, Small Business Success, Trial Consultants, Trial Consulting

Recently, a small Cuban cafe opened near our office. While full service Cuban restaurants have never been far away, this one is really close, so I wanted to check it out (even though it is housed in a corner of a gas station). What I found was a guy with a plan. The owner proudly […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On January 3, 2019

I agree with David; just as with many things in life, there are good Cuban sandwiches, great Cuban sandwiches, and then there are truly divine Cuban sandwiches. The differences among them are due to: (1) the quality of the ingredients; and (2) the training, expertise, and care of the person making the sandwich. One can […]

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 […]

Why We Control The Video Recordings

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On December 20, 2018

Category: Careers, Getting the Job Done, Litigation Consultants, Litigation Research, Magnus, Magnus Research, Small Business Success, Trial Consultants, Trial Consulting, Workplace Technology

I recently had the unique opportunity to gather some “competitive intelligence” in the form of reviewing a competitor’s proposal. Hey, it fell into my lap; what was I supposed to do? Anyway, a small part of the proposal touted the idea of using a marketing research facility; in fact, this proposal was somewhat reliant on […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On December 20, 2018

Category: Careers, Getting the Job Done, Litigation Consultants, Litigation Research, Magnus, Magnus Research, Small Business Success, Trial Consultants, Trial Consulting, Workplace Technology

Call me a “control freak” all you want; I prefer not to take any chances when I am conducting research for Magnus’ clients. We are not in the video recording or production business, however, part of the services we offer to our clients includes video recording our proceedings, including the presentations made by the attorneys […]

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 […]

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Archive | Small Business Success

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