Archive | Entrepreneurship

Ed Groot

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On January 14, 2021

Category: Business Partnerships, Business personalities, Business Relationships, Careers, Entrepreneurship, Growing Old is Not for Sissies, Life Outside of Work, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Partnerships, Trial Consultants

Way back in 1993, Melissa and I first started contemplating opening our own trial consulting practice. Pretty soon, those discussions included a third individual, Ed Groot. The three of us were working for another trial consultant in what can simply be described as a toxic work environment. The three of us started planning what became […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On January 14, 2021

I’m not sure why I was compelled to search for Ed Groot on my computer today, but something kept nagging me to do it. I immediately came across his obituary and read that he passed away on November 30, 2020. He would have been 80 years old on January 2, 2021. When David and I […]

Entrepreneurial Addiction

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On January 7, 2021

Category: Business personalities, Entrepreneurship, Getting the Job Done, Jury Research, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Marketing your Business, Mental Health, Psychology, Small Business Success

It is well known that gamblers must occasionally win in order to keep playing their games. The easiest example is that slot machines are programmed to give back a penny or a quarter based on some number of pulls of the handle (or, push of the button). I was thinking about this phenomenon recently when […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On January 7, 2021

Interestingly to me, both David and I wrote this post on December 17, 2020, the anniversary of our first retainer check. Although David and I are in two different cities today, we must both be thinking of Magnus’ beginnings and the hope we had for our continued success. As anyone who knows me will verify, […]

Technology simplifies our lives, right?

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On December 10, 2020

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

Another clean out story. In purging the old equipment to prepare for the Magnus’ move to new office, we came across VCRs, VHS tapes, cassette recorders, cassette tapes, DVD duplicators, and more. These are a history of the technology evolution in our lives. Yet, it was also a reminder of simpler times. When we first […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On December 10, 2020

I don’t endorse the premise that technology simplifies our lives. Sometimes, it does, sometimes it doesn’t, and sometimes, there is no noticeable difference between old and new technology within the realm of simplicity. I don’t mind change; in fact, I thrive on it. And, it is relatively easy for me to learn new ways of […]

Putting Technology to Use

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On December 3, 2020

Category: Careers, Entrepreneurship, Getting the Job Done, Jury Behavior, Jury Consultants, Litigation Consultants, Litigation Tips, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Marketing your Business, Small Business Success, Travel, Trial Consultants, Trial Consulting

I was prompted to write this, and the prior post, because of Magnus’ recent move. The move necessitated discarding many tools which have been useful during our careers in trial consulting. When we started Magnus in late 1993, Melissa began to receive invitations to speak to groups of lawyers, insurance adjusters, and law school students. […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On December 3, 2020

Thanks, in large part, to David, Magnus has always been ahead of the curve when it comes to using the most up to date technology. I have been making presentations to large audiences for my entire career. In the old days, when I was Director of Marketing Research at a large urban hospital, an A/V […]

Show Don’t Tell

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On November 26, 2020

Category: Careers, Employment, Entrepreneurship, Getting the Job Done, Jury Consultants, Litigation Consultants, Litigation Tips, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Marketing your Business, Small Business Success, Trial Consultants, Trial Consulting, Workplace Technology

Trial exhibits are a big part of all properly conducted litigation. Most lawyers learned long ago that showing, and not just telling, is important. Some lawyers are more effective than others with this but most of them seem not to think visually. Once again, it’s Rush to the rescue. The first track on their 1989 […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On November 26, 2020

Remember when we, as children, were subjected to “show and tell” by well meaning teachers? I had little use for these trivial displays, finding most of my classmates’ showing and telling dreadfully boring. However, this being said, the “show and tell” experiences from many people’s childhood illustrates the fundamental concept that a visual representation of […]

I’ve Got a Bartender Ear

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On November 3, 2020

Category: Business personalities, Careers, Common Courtesy, Entrepreneurship, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Giving Back, Life Outside of Work, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Mental Health, Psychology, Trial Consulting

There are many inspirations for David’s and my posts, but the most common source of my inspirations is music. I love music, more than I love psychology, and the interrelationship of music and psychology is fascinating to me. One of my favorite musicians is Jimmy Buffett, who wrote a song called, “School Boy Heart.” There […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On November 3, 2020

It is fascinating to observe Melissa being approached by friends, and, with some regularity, strangers, with their problems. Sometimes, significant problems. She has told me that it was, in part, because of this frequent occurrence that she studied psychology. But, beyond that bartender ear, listening is a very important skill for business and life – […]

Serendipities

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On October 27, 2020

Category: Common Courtesy, Entrepreneurship, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Giving Back, Life Outside of Work, Magnus Insights, Marketing your Business, Mental Health, RoadWarrior, Travel

Once in a blue moon, things work out better than I had ever hoped they would. I will refer to these events as serendipities. My dear sister-in-law, Jeanette, and I were recipients of a serendipitous surprise last year when we were celebrating her birthday at a lovely beachfront restaurant. In the middle of our fantastic […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On October 27, 2020

I’ve been reading a series of books by Michael Reisig, titled Road to Key West. They are “light reading” about treasure hunting, set in the Florida Keys and in Central and South America; nothing heavy, just fun. Anyway, there is a recurring line in the books “Sometimes the Gods, they get bored and they throw […]

Clipped Wings

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On October 20, 2020

Category: Business Frustrations, Business Travel, Careers, Employment, Entrepreneurship, Getting the Job Done, Jury Consultants, Life Outside of Work, Litigation Consultants, Litigation Research, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Mental Health, RoadWarrior, Travel, Trial Consultants

Due to recent world events, most people’s lives have changed in ways that would, previously, have been unimaginable. Although some of my retired friends and family members tell me that they stayed home, often alone, before the pandemic and thus, haven’t noticed many changes in their daily lives, the rest of us have noticed lots […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On October 20, 2020

Melissa and I have posted much about travel for work or pleasure, including a list of places we’ve been (https://magnusinsights.com/2016/06/ive-been-everywhere/). And, we have generally enjoyed our travels. Sure, it is tiring and stressful, but the rewards are many. Our work requires travel to the trial venue so that our case assessments are conducted based on people […]

I’ve Got a Lot to Learn

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On October 13, 2020

Category: Business personalities, Careers, Entrepreneurship, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Life Outside of Work, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Mental Health, Psychology, Work-Life

I’ve got a lot to learn. In fact, I’ve got more things to learn than time remaining in my life to learn about them. I learn new things every day. The learning process, for me, never stops. In my occupation as a social psychologist, I routinely read about the new research in my area. I […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On October 13, 2020

Thinking one knows everything about everything, or even everything about one thing, is usually a sign that the know it all person is badly mistaken. There are always more things to learn and those at the top of their professions, or specialities, know that. There are people who believe they know just enough to get […]

Online Mock Jury Research

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On October 6, 2020

Category: Business Frustrations, Business personalities, Business Travel, Careers, Entrepreneurship, Getting the Job Done, Jury Consultants, Jury Research, Litigation Consultants, Litigation Research, Magnus, Magnus Research, Marketing your Business, Small Business Success, Trial Consultants, Trial Consulting, Workplace Technology

Magnus Research Consultants has entered the online age and now offers Verdict Perception Research™ among our other services. Verdict Perception Research™ involves recruiting jury eligible citizens from a trial venue who watch pre-recorded presentations (arguments) made by attorneys regarding a lawsuit, then deliberate until they reach a unanimous verdict. While there are many differences between […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On October 6, 2020

For many years, we at Magnus resisted adding online mock jury research to our repertoire, mainly for the limitations Melissa noted in her part of this post. But, necessity drove us to explore the technology options and there were many options! That variation was another of our hesitations in that some of what passes for […]

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Archive | Entrepreneurship

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

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Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

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David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

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Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

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David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

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Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

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Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

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Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

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David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

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David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

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