Author Archive | David Fauss

Adapting ideas from other fields & industries

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On August 21, 2014

Category: Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Life Outside of Work, Workplace Technology

There are few roadmaps for how to run a business, of any size. And, with both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in business, I can attest that how to actually operate a business, small or large, is not taught in college or graduate school. It comes from doing it, or observing it, and a lot of […]

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Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On August 21, 2014

Category: Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Life Outside of Work, Workplace Technology

This is an interesting topic for me because it is my field of social psychology that has been adapted to many other fields, including organizational behavior, marketing research, health care, law, and many more. There are numerous research techniques, such as focus groups, that were developed by social psychologists that have a large following in […]

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If you say you are detailed oriented, don’t have a typo in your cover letter!

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On August 12, 2014

Category: Business personalities, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Managing Employees

Concerning the “how to get hired” topic, I’ll add this obvious post. Our job in the trial consulting world requires a high level of conscientiousness, a very detailed orientation. As I explain to applicants and new hires, our clients are attorneys. They are paid to find mistakes; we don’t give them any freebies. Undoubtedly, there […]

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Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On August 12, 2014

Category: Business personalities, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Managing Employees

In the most recent round of searching for a new Research Associate, we also received a resume` from someone who, in an attempt to stand out among all of the other job applicants, intentionally built in a typo and noted it with a joking comment. Trust me, this applicant got noticed, but not in a […]

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If you apply for the job, be qualified!

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On August 4, 2014

Category: Business personalities, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Managing Employees

We have recently been trying to fill our Research Associate position. We have what we believe to be a carefully worded job ad which I post at colleges and other places. There are a few, very specific, minimum requirements in the ad, for example, a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology or Sociology and statistical experience. I […]

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Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On August 4, 2014

Category: Business personalities, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Managing Employees

I dislike wasting paper, thereby killing trees. Unfortunately, I have been wasting paper and killing trees, due to the fact David has received numerous resumes from people who should never have applied for the job we are advertising. For example, the job we are currently trying to fill specifies, as its absolute minimum requirement, someone […]

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Connections: Mark Weisser

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On July 29, 2014

Category: Business personalities, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Small Business Success

You never know who you’ll meet or how that person will impact your life.  Mark is the fraternity brother of someone whom I knew professionally.   This person recommended Mark for some printing work I needed.  I’ve worked with printers in the past, especially when working as a photographer, and those connections are not memorable. […]

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Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On July 29, 2014

Category: Business personalities, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Small Business Success

Mark is one of those people who, at least every time I have ever encountered him, is upbeat and full of energy.  He is always ready to help David and me, particularly in our early days of business ownership when we took a long time to pay him for his excellent work.  Mark is one […]

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Connections: Ron Lit

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On July 22, 2014

Category: Business personalities, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Small Business Success

In today’s world we work, we go home and we stay inside.  We often never even meet our neighbors and as a result, we never know what we may be missing.  Fortunately for Melissa and me, we met Ron under unique circumstances which are beyond the scope of this post.  I don’t have a big […]

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Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On July 22, 2014

Category: Business personalities, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Small Business Success

Our dear friend and long time neighbor, Ron, was an amazing person David and I will never forget.  He was smart, resourceful, a curmudgeon, often silly, and a very private person who led a “double life” in many ways, that, as David said, are beyond the scope of this blog.  Ron lived next door to […]

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Connections: Jack Suchocki

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On July 15, 2014

Category: Business personalities, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Small Business Success

Even with college and graduate degrees in business, figuring out how to run a business, with the changes we face on almost a daily basis, but certainly an annual basis, or on a slower evolutionary, basis, is challenging. I could say no one writes a book on how to run a business, but there are […]

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Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On July 15, 2014

Category: Business personalities, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Small Business Success

David met Jack over 20 years ago when they were both members of a networking organization comprised of litigation consultants. The networking organization eventually ran its course, but the friendship between David and Jack remains until the present. Fortunately for Jack, but unfortunately for David and me, Jack moved to California two years ago, but […]

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Benchmarks for Lawyers, part 2

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On June 25, 2014

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

When writing part 1 of the post on benchmarks, it occurred to me that some people might ask if there are other benchmarks for service businesses/practices.  In fact, we have been asked many times over the past 20+ years about our “success rate.”  This is always a difficult question to answer because the answer, as […]

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Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On June 25, 2014

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

David mentioned the benchmark of client satisfaction as an indicator of our success on a particular case. As in any service based business, Magnus’ satisfied clients are the best source of revenue for our business.  The primary way we have always obtained new cases on which to consult is from past clients whom we helped […]

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Benchmarks for Lawyers, part 1

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On June 20, 2014

Category: Getting the Job Done, Litigation Tips, Trial Consulting

In the business world, the concept of benchmarks is well understood.  A benchmark is a way to measure productivity and performance.  A benchmark may take the form of a production or sales quota.  But, when dealing with performance in a service based practice – trial consulting or practicing as a lawyer – conceiving of benchmarks […]

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Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On June 20, 2014

Category: Getting the Job Done, Litigation Tips, Trial Consulting

Many attorneys have asked me to provide a list of cases on which I have worked that proved the case outcome was improved due to my and my company’s involvement.  As David points out, there is are no available means for me to provide this information because I do not know what would have happened […]

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Resource People: Jon W. Peters

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On June 12, 2014

Category: Business personalities, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Small Business Success

There are people in our lives who make a lasting impression or teach a lesson or just help us get through life. Jon W. Peters was one of these people in my life. Jon was a photographer. But, he was also a business person who figured out ways to do things efficiently and in ways […]

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Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On June 12, 2014

Category: Business personalities, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Small Business Success

It is amazing to me that, after all these years, I still see a lot of Jon Peters in the way my spouse/business partner operates our business.  Although the businesses are vastly different, in that Jon’s was a photography business and ours is a trial consulting business, the manner in which David approaches our work […]

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You eat what you kill

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On June 4, 2014

Category: Business Partnerships, Business personalities, Partnerships, Small Business Success, Work-Life

This somewhat crude advice was given to us soon after we started Magnus.  It was probably sometime in 1994 and the advice giver was a consultant in another field.  And, we immediately knew his point; we only make money when we get hired on a case.  Entrepreneurs depend on each client and each sale.  It […]

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Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On June 4, 2014

Category: Business Partnerships, Business personalities, Partnerships, Small Business Success, Work-Life

I like this expression: “You eat what you kill.” It conveys to me that, if I don’t bring in the business, I won’t have any work to do.  As the person in my business who earns most of the revenue, I know that many other people and their families depend on me to do what […]

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