Archive | Entrepreneurship

Cleaning the Closet

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On May 2, 2019

Category: Business Frustrations, Business personalities, Entrepreneurship, Getting the Job Done, Jury Consultants, Jury Research, Litigation Consultants, Litigation Research, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Small Business Success, Trial Consultants, Trial Consulting, Work-Life, Workplace Technology

When we have lulls in “real work,” we have a to do list that keeps us from getting bored. At the top of that list recently was cleaning out the equipment closet. The equipment closet is where we store an array of items required for our work. You might think, by looking in our closet, […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On May 2, 2019

As David mentioned, we have invested many thousands of dollars on equipment since Magnus’ inception in 1993. I have many fond memories of our huge video cameras that reminded me of those used by TV camera crews. Those old cameras, when new, cost a small fortune, at least as far as I was concerned. When […]

Trials and Photography

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On April 18, 2019

Category: Business personalities, Careers, Employment, Entrepreneurship, Getting the Job Done, Jury Consultants, Jury Deliberations, Jury Research, Life Outside of Work, Litigation Consultants, Litigation Research, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Trial Consultants, Trial Consulting

I was writing a report recently and recommended that a client “focus” the jurors’ attention on a certain point. Given my 40+ years of photographic experience, I decided to test myself with this post to see if I can come up with analogies and metaphors between photography and litigation/trials. Focus is the starting point because […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On April 18, 2019

David’s comparisons of photography and trials is an interesting perspective on two, very different, things. I will continue using his analysis with my interpretations of these areas of David’s interest by saying, from the outset, that photography and trials have one thing in common: they are not very interesting to people who are not photographers […]

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 […]

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, […]

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 […]

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 […]

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, […]

People want to be appreciated

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On July 12, 2018

Category: Business Frustrations, Business personalities, Business Relationships, Careers, Common Courtesy, Entrepreneurship, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Jury Consultants, Jury Research, Life Outside of Work, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Marketing your Business

A friend/client recently told Melissa and me that his father, a long time judge in Miami, often told him that “People just want to be appreciated.” We were discussing the frequency with which lawyers often seem not to appreciate the effort that goes into, for example, “free proposals.” (As a digression, while I interact with […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On July 12, 2018

When David and I recently heard this phrase, “People just want to be appreciated,” from our friend, we reflected on this truism. Regardless of who one is, the status one has achieved in life, and other variables, all of us want to believe our contributions have made a difference in someone’s life. I learned this […]

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 […]

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