Archive | Small Business Success

Why do we do this anyway?

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On September 6, 2018

Category: Business Partnerships, Business Relationships, Careers, Jury Consultants, Jury Research, Litigation Research, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Small Business Success, Trial Consultants, Trial Consulting

I’ve been writing a number of posts recently that contain quite a bit of negativity. Negative events, negative people, me griping. I realized that some might question why Melissa and I do what we do – why we chase attorneys, why we work in such a contentious world. Some people we know can’t imagine working […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On September 6, 2018

I became a psychologist to help people. Although I am not a clinical psychologist who helps patients overcome various psychological maladies, in my job as a social psychologist who consults with attorneys, 100% of what I do is aimed at helping those in need. I like to help people. I like to make a difference […]

Good deed for the day

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On August 30, 2018

Category: Common Courtesy, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Life Outside of Work, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Small Business Success

A long, increasingly long, time ago, I was a Cub Scout, Webelo, then Boy Scout. I didn’t stick with the Boy Scouts too long, other interests intervened, but I was involved with all of these scouting organizations long enough to hear, and personalize, the good deed of the day philosophy. I thought of this today […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On August 30, 2018

Category: Common Courtesy, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Life Outside of Work, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Small Business Success

David performs more good deeds than anyone I have ever met. That’s one of the reasons I like him! He even suggests good deeds for me to perform, such as reminding me to call a sick friend; ensuring I visit an old friend who is dying while waiting, in vain, on a transplant; buying an […]

Don’t give them a freebie

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On August 9, 2018

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

The title of this blog is a something I tell new Magnus staff when trying to explain the need to do their job with as near perfection as is humanly possible. Don’t give the client anything to complain about – that’s the goal. Not that there won’t be any complaints, but make them about things […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On August 9, 2018

Decades ago, Magnus had an employee who believed she could learn only as a result of making mistakes. She assured David and me, upon making mistake after mistake, that she never made the same mistake twice; rather, she made new mistakes that she truly believed were acceptable. Needless to say, we were quite relieved when […]

The Law of Perpetual Motion

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On July 19, 2018

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

Busy seems to beget busy. And sometimes that “busy” maybe just doing things when time is seemingly available to fill the time. Then, when doing those things, real work happens. For example, a few weeks ago, I attempted to arrange a client meeting in Miami. Nothing happened, the scheduling just didn’t come together and it […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On July 19, 2018

I don’t know if my perception is accurate, but it sure seems like not much happens when David and I are sitting around the office, wondering when our next case will come in. We have countless examples of “the law of perpetual motion” in our business lives, from the time, early in our owning Magnus, […]

Busy is Good!

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On July 5, 2018

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

Being busy is a good thing when you own your own business, law practice, etc. I find it interesting, though, that other people do not share my perspective. From time to time, when speaking with someone who doesn’t quite appreciate that busy is good, I try to understand why. When this happens, the person to […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On July 5, 2018

Busy is good. In fact, being busy is great! As the co-owner of a business, I am keenly aware that the only way we can survive, in the long term, is by being busy more often than not having work to do. Of course, as in most businesses, our work volume ebbs and flows, often […]

Cream & Sugar

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On June 14, 2018

Category: Business personalities, Careers, Common Courtesy, Entrepreneurship, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Life Outside of Work, Marketing your Business, Small Business Success

Recently, I met a client/friend, or perhaps friend/client for “coffee.” Coffee is in quotes because I rarely drink it; I ordered iced tea. Here’s what went down. Robert asked for a coffee, with a little room for cream. The barista dude said “We only provide milk products for our lattes and cappuccinos. Our brewed coffee […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On June 14, 2018

Readers of David’s and my posts often remark to me that they wonder when, or if, we will ever deplete our supply of topics about which to write. I believe this is highly doubtful, due to the colorful lives we live and our unique ways of looking at the world around us. Who would have […]

“You’re Making Me Look Bad” (Because I Didn’t Read the Contract)

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On May 24, 2018

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

More often than one may think, I’ve been told by attorneys, who are the majority of our clients, that they never read our contract. This usually emerges when some detail “surprises” them. Yes, they received and later signed the contract to authorize our work. Yet, they often indicate that they did not see or understand […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On May 24, 2018

It has been my experience, more often than not, when someone says “You’re making me look bad,” it is actually the case that the person saying this is making himself/herself look bad. Think about it. How many times has someone else made you look bad? Looking bad is something most people can do on their […]

The Social Psychology of Etiquette

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On May 15, 2018

Category: Business personalities, Careers, Common Courtesy, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Jury Consultants, Litigation Consultants, Litigation Research, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Managing Employees, Small Business Success

This third post in a series about good manners, courtesy, and kindness combines my education, training, and experience as a social psychologist with something with which I have always been fascinated: etiquette. Unlike almost everyone else I know, I love the rules of etiquette and I try, diligently, to follow them in everything I do. […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On May 15, 2018

Melissa is much more of a student of, and teacher of, etiquette than am I. And she has taught me a thing or two in this regard over the past 30+ years. But, I had some other good teachers, including my mother, and another person about whom I wrote previously, Jon Peters. Jon corrected me […]

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 […]

Return calls, Reply to emails, Be courteous

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On May 1, 2018

Category: Business Frustrations, Business personalities, Careers, Common Courtesy, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Jury Consultants, Jury Research, Litigation Research, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Marketing your Business, Psychology, Small Business Success

Many things in the lives of adults are related to the way in which we were brought up as children. If, for example, someone was taught by his/her parents to prefer Fords over Chevys, or to cheer for the Pittsburgh Pirates instead of the Boston Red Sox, these long standing habits are likely to be […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On May 1, 2018

Melissa approaches the topic of “Return calls, Reply to emails, Be courteous” as an etiquette issue, and it is. Working for and with trial lawyers is challenging, sometimes. The general public’s impression of attorneys is not always the most favorable, to put it simply. The perceived lack of courtesy may explain part of that. And, […]

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Archive | Small Business Success

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

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A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

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A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

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