Author Archive | David Fauss

Know who you are hiring: Vendors

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On April 23, 2015

Category: Business Frustrations, Business Relationships, Getting the Job Done, Small Business Success

Operating a business presents ever evolving challenges. Recently we had a “new to us” experience when we uncovered something about a vendor/service provider that was disturbing and apparently, hidden to the degree possible. Without naming names, what happened is that we hired a company to provide us a specific service. The working relationship was never […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On April 23, 2015

Category: Business Frustrations, Business Relationships, Getting the Job Done, Small Business Success

In today’s business world, the client/vendor relationship is no longer as personal as it once was. Decades ago, it would have been unheard of to hire a vendor sight unseen, but in today’s climate of virtual employees, off shore service providers, and others whom a client has met only on line, the dangers involved in […]

Employee Quitting Costs

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On April 16, 2015

Category: Business Partnerships, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Managing Employees, Small Business Success

Employee turnover is a fact of life in business. Some of it is good; some of it is not good. Employees move on for many reasons, including better jobs, more money, furthering their education, geographic relocation, and other reasons. And, other employees are “encouraged” to leave – i.e., are terminated, for performance or other reasons. […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On April 16, 2015

Category: Business Partnerships, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Managing Employees, Small Business Success

The primary job for which my company needs employees is an entry level position requiring a college degree in psychology or another social science. Because my partner and I hire people soon upon their college graduation, their job at Magnus is often the first professional job they have ever had. Furthermore, because we hire only […]

Pro Bono

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On April 9, 2015

Category: Business Partnerships, Marketing your Business, Small Business Success, Trial Consulting

Pro bono is a term meaning work undertaken for the public good, usually without charge. Our firm, Magnus, has been approached a few times over the past 20 years and asked for input on cases for which there was little or no funding. Though we had a few cases where someone was trying to get […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On April 9, 2015

Category: Business Partnerships, Marketing your Business, Small Business Success, Trial Consulting

Most of the pro bono work Magnus has done in the past 20 years has been for 1 large law firm that has a pro bono section. We have worked with many talented and caring attorneys, including one, in particular, on a variety of high profile criminal matters. The end clients in these cases rarely […]

Ziplocks

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On April 2, 2015

Category: Getting the Job Done, Small Business Success, Travel, Workplace Technology

I don’t know how we survived without ziplock bags (generically speaking, though I know it is a brand name, but Ziplocs or Glad, or whatever). It seems strange writing about them in this blog, but my partner’s and my goal was to write about things related to our small business(es). And, ziplocks have been a […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On April 2, 2015

Category: Getting the Job Done, Small Business Success, Travel, Workplace Technology

As odd as it may seem to be writing in praise of lowly plastic zippered bags, this handy invention has been a tremendous help to me, in many ways. I use plastic zippered bags to contain all of my toiletries inside my suitcase. I double bag the toiletries to prevent the inevitable leaks from permeating […]

Ring the Bell

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On March 26, 2015

Category: Business personalities, Getting the Job Done, Small Business Success, Trial Consulting

I recently wrote about celebrating clients. And, one of the ways we celebrate them at Magnus, or specifically, their bringing a new case to us, is to literally ring a bell when we get a new case. We started this practice a few years ago when someone gave us a bell that is mounted outside […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On March 26, 2015

Category: Business personalities, Getting the Job Done, Small Business Success, Trial Consulting

I am not a fan of disco music, but David’s topic reminds me of a disco song, circa 1979, called “Ring My Bell” and performed by Anita Ward. The catchy song repeatedly urges the listener to “ring my bell, ding-dong-ding, ring my bell, ring-a-ling-a-ling.” And ringing the bell is exactly, literally, what we do each […]

Celebrate clients

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On March 19, 2015

Category: Getting the Job Done, Marketing your Business, Small Business Success

Clients are the reason the lights are on and the doors are open for business. Since beginning Magnus we have looked for ways to say thank you to our clients. We give gifts of books to first time clients, referral gifts, and gifts to clients who win their trials. We know they are working hard […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On March 19, 2015

Category: Getting the Job Done, Marketing your Business, Small Business Success

In addition to the things David mentions, we also hosted an appreciation night for a client who, at the time, was Magnus’ best source of revenue, as well as the source of many referrals to other attorneys. We also give nice travel mugs to paralegals, legal assistants, and other members of our clients’ staffs, to […]

When life gets in the way of work.

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On March 12, 2015

Category: Business Partnerships, Careers, Employment, Growing Old is Not for Sissies, Life Outside of Work, Partnerships, Work-Life

Many Americans tend to be driven to work hard and often put work ahead of everything else. We are unique in the world in this way and, while some of the drive is probably unavoidable to be able to afford to buy food and shelter, even those for whom survival is not an issue are […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On March 12, 2015

Category: Business Partnerships, Careers, Employment, Growing Old is Not for Sissies, Life Outside of Work, Partnerships, Work-Life

As John Lennon famously wrote, “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans” (from “Beautiful Boy”). I interpret this song lyric to mean that, regardless of what I may have planned, sometimes, life will get in the way. There are many dimensions to life, one of which is work. As much […]

Back it up!

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On March 5, 2015

Category: Getting the Job Done, Small Business Success, Workplace Technology

This post is an extension of the post about hurricanes and other disasters in that it discusses what should be a basic business practice in a world where computers dominate our business lives. BACK THEM UP! And back them up in more than 1 way if possible. And, make sure the back ups are not […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On March 5, 2015

Category: Getting the Job Done, Small Business Success, Workplace Technology

Proactivity is the key in preventing many computer nightmares. Recently, due to an unforeseen, extremely negative event concerning Magnus’ long time computer technician, we were compelled to hire a new computer tech. The new computer tech explained his philosophy to my partner and me during our first meeting: constant monitoring of our system, to prevent […]

Dealing with Hurricanes: Disaster Planning

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On February 26, 2015

Category: Business Frustrations, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Life Outside of Work, Managing Employees, Small Business Success, Workplace Technology

Floridians, at least we natives, know that hurricanes are a fact of life (some newcomers have to experience one to understand such storms). And while we are all sometimes a bit complacent about hurricanes or the other disasters that befall others who live in other locations (as I write this, Boston is suffering record snow […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On February 26, 2015

Category: Business Frustrations, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Life Outside of Work, Managing Employees, Small Business Success, Workplace Technology

Several years before David and I owned our business, Magnus, I worked at a large litigation consulting firm that had offices in every major city in the U.S.A. One of the offices was located in Philadelphia, in a large downtown building that burned to the ground one night. Unfortunately for my employer, no one had […]

Intervene – get involved

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On February 19, 2015

Category: Business Partnerships, Life Outside of Work, Partnerships, Work-Life

You never know what will happen right in front of your eyes, or ears. Sometimes you have to, or should, get involved in something, even if you do not know what you are in for or are not completely sure what is going on. Melissa and I went home for lunch one day, a fairly […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On February 19, 2015

Category: Business Partnerships, Life Outside of Work, Partnerships, Work-Life

I am a social psychologist who is well versed on research pertaining to bystander apathy and bystander intervention. Because of my psychological training and expertise, I intervene in ambiguous situations more often than the average person. Sometimes, however, a situation rises to a level well beyond ambiguity, to the point that failing to render aid, […]

← Previous 1 … 39 40 41 … 47 Next →

Author Archive | David Fauss

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

About Magnus