Archive | Small Business Success

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 […]

Priorities as Hot Potatoes

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On November 29, 2018

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

I was recently thinking about how our report production process resembles the childhood game of Hot Potato. That’s the game where a group of children passes a hot potato, or some other object, with music playing. When the music stops, someone is left holding the hot potato. Kind of like musical chairs, without walking around […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On November 29, 2018

I must admit that I enjoy playing “hot potato” as it relates to the process of preparing a report on behalf of a client far more than I enjoyed playing the game as a child (for that matter, the game of musical chairs was not for me, either). The concept of hot potato or passing […]

If things can go well, they will

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On November 27, 2018

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

I have a button pinned on the inside of my well worn briefcase I carry on research days that says, “If anything can go well, it will.” Notice that it says “well,” not “wrong.” I have found that, by focusing my energy on positive forces, instead of fretting about all of the negatives in life, […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On November 27, 2018

Being positive beats its alternative – pessimism – in many ways. Though, in other posts I’ve noted having one or more “Plan B.” For me, that is not because I think something is going to go wrong. I know it may, but I’m positive that we can overcome most obstacles if we approach them with […]

Is your consultant qualified? How do you know?

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On November 15, 2018

Category: Business Frustrations, Careers, Jury Research, Litigation Consultants, Litigation Research, Litigation Tips, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Psychology, Small Business Success, Trial Consultants

A story in the news this election season reminded me of the relevance of this topic. A candidate for the Florida House of Representatives was “outed” for reporting she had a college degree that she could not have had – the university she reported having attended never offered the degree shown on her (fake) diploma, […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On November 15, 2018

I have decided to adopt the writing style of the famous author, Carl Hiaassen, for my part of David’s post. For those readers of our blogs who aren’t familiar with Carl Hiaassen, I will provide a brief introduction. Carl Hiaassen is an author who has written more than 20 books, as well as a long […]

The problem isn’t the problem. The problem is the response.

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On November 1, 2018

Category: Business Frustrations, Getting the Job Done, Managing Employees, Small Business Success

Stuff happens (you may have seen this phrase as a bumper sticker with a different “S” word). That’s right, things happen. Lightning strikes. Gremlins materialize. In our trial consulting work, there are frequent technical issues that lead to problems. With competent staff, they are kept to a minimum, but there are times when, for example, […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On November 1, 2018

Category: Business Frustrations, Getting the Job Done, Managing Employees, Small Business Success

Things can, and do, go wrong. People have bad days. Machines break (particularly, my computer, when I seem to need it the most!). Glitches happen to supposedly “foolproof” plans. Living life according to Plan B, and sometimes, Plan C, is part of most people’s everyday existence. What differentiates us is the way in which we […]

When a Client’s Focus is Cost, Beware

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On October 9, 2018

Category: Business Frustrations, Common Courtesy, Getting the Job Done, Jury Consultants, Litigation Research, Magnus, Marketing your Business, Small Business Success

Some people, including attorneys and insurance adjusters who are potential clients of Magnus, are more focused on obtaining the lowest price for whatever they are buying than the quality of what they are buying. Other people, in contrast, want the very best products or services money can buy. Most people, of course, fall somewhere between […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On October 9, 2018

Category: Business Frustrations, Common Courtesy, Getting the Job Done, Jury Consultants, Litigation Research, Magnus, Marketing your Business, Small Business Success

I don’t worry too much about whether we’re seen as a Mercedes, Cadillac or Buick. But I know we aren’t a Hyundai or, for heaven’s sake, a Yugo (for those who remember those eastern European beaters). What is most frustrating is when a prospective client seems to be shopping price, and price only. A problem […]

RESPECT, addenda

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On October 4, 2018

Category: Business Frustrations, Business Relationships, Careers, Common Courtesy, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Jury Consultants, Jury Research, Litigation Research, Litigation Tips, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Psychology, Small Business Success, Trial Consultants, Trial Consulting

We recently posted about RESPECT and used a couple of examples of how we were shown disrespect by our clients – “dissed” may be the current term for this. A friend (thanks Al) pointed out that the post might backfire if potential clients of ours were to think we’d post something negative about working with […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On October 4, 2018

Many thanks to my dear friend, Al Weigand, for pointing out that there are sometimes multiple interpretations, including some that are unintended, of things we write. Al is a thoughtful, deliberative person who, upon reading the post about RESPECT, cautioned me that it could be interpreted by potential clients of Magnus as having the intent […]

Act like the cat

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On October 2, 2018

Category: Careers, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Jury Consultants, Life Outside of Work, Litigation Consultants, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Managing Employees, Small Business Success, Trial Consultants

As everyone who knows me will confirm, I love cats! I have spent a lot of time with a lot of cats, including my own cats, other people’s cats, and the cats who were available for adoption when I worked at the Humane Society in Miami during college. Cats, unlike humans, rarely appear to make […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On October 2, 2018

I kicked our cat the other night. It was an accident, really it was. One thing about many cats, ours included, is that they can be stealthy when they want to be – it’s all about survival. Rex sneaked up behind me when I was packing – an activity he has learned to dislike because […]

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On September 13, 2018

Category: Business Frustrations, Business Relationships, Careers, Common Courtesy, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Jury Consultants, Litigation Tips, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Psychology, Small Business Success, Trial Consultants, Trial Consulting

A few years ago, we had a case involving lawyers from Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. We knew the Florida lawyers, who brought us into the case. The California lawyers were unknown to us; they were with a huge firm with a strong reputation. Our primary contact there was a Sr. Associate, […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On September 13, 2018

Otis Redding wrote “Respect” in 1965. When sung by Otis Redding, the song was about a man who is willing to work hard all day, as long as he receives respect from his woman when he gets home. Aretha Franklin’s cover of “Respect,” released in 1967, has a different tone. Instead of begging for her […]

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Archive | Small Business Success

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

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Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

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