Archive | Getting the Job Done

Fiction Imitating Life: “Vigilante Justice”

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On July 21, 2016

Category: Business personalities, Getting the Job Done, Life Outside of Work, Marketing your Business, Partnerships, Trial Consulting

Dr. Melissa Pigott of Magnus Research Consultants is featured as a character in a book by Dr. Linda Foley, Vigilante Justice. Dr. Foley is a social psychologist who, now retired from the University of North Florida, writes murder mysteries set in Gainesville, Florida, in and around the University of Florida. Vigilante Justice is Dr. Foley’s […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On July 21, 2016

Category: Business personalities, Getting the Job Done, Life Outside of Work, Marketing your Business, Partnerships, Trial Consulting

At the time of this writing, I have known Dr. Linda Foley for 36 years. I met her when I was a psychology graduate student at F.S.U. and she was the Chairperson of the psychology department at U.N.F. At the time I met Dr. Foley, she was well established in her career, while mine had […]

Educating clients, without alienating them

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On July 14, 2016

Category: Business Frustrations, Business Partnerships, Business personalities, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Marketing your Business, Small Business Success, Trial Consulting, Work-Life, Workplace Technology

An aspect of our trial consulting business that is sometimes difficult to address is that, as noted in other posts, we have competitors with a wide variety of qualifications, from those like us, with extensive educational backgrounds and degrees, to those with no education beyond high school. Further, some of our competitors are so uneducated […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On July 14, 2016

The title of this post is “Educating Clients, without Alienating Them,” however, there are some clients who, in my opinion, have no hope of becoming educated about the reasons why they should hire my company over one of our unqualified competitors, such that I wish the title could be, “Alienating Clients without Educating them.” Some […]

Hiring Expertise

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On July 7, 2016

Category: Business Frustrations, Business personalities, Business Relationships, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Marketing your Business, Small Business Success, Trial Consulting

A recent client encounter prompts this post. The client was requesting what we refer to as a “proposal” for mock jury research. She repeatedly called it a “bid” and I guess it is. It is (unfortunately) increasingly common that clients seek competitive bids. And, while I understand this, and do the same for some minor […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On July 7, 2016

Category: Business Frustrations, Business personalities, Business Relationships, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Marketing your Business, Small Business Success, Trial Consulting

From the earliest days of co-owning Magnus with David, it has never been our desire to be the cheapest provider of any research or consulting service we provide. It is acceptable, in my view, to provide high quality work at a reasonable/fair price, but being the low cost bidder is not something to which I […]

The more the merrier

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On June 30, 2016

Category: Business Frustrations, Getting the Job Done, Trial Consulting, Work-Life, Workplace Technology

I have recently been working with a client to explain some concepts that are part of our work. These concepts are some of the fundamentals of social science research, concepts which are so well understood by those educated in this area that they are second nature. This particular concept is easily explained by the adage, […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On June 30, 2016

Category: Business Frustrations, Getting the Job Done, Trial Consulting, Work-Life, Workplace Technology

One of the most challenging, not to mention frustrating, aspects of my career has been explaining scientific research methods, statistical principles, and other complex aspects of the work I perform to people who lack the education, knowledge, and experience to understand what I am talking about. There is only so much “dumbing down” that is […]

I’ve Been Everywhere

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On June 16, 2016

Category: Business Travel, Careers, Getting the Job Done, Marketing your Business, Small Business Success, Travel, Trial Consulting, Work-Life, Workplace Technology

Driving on I-95 from Jacksonville to south Florida for the second time in about 10 days, I happened to hear Johnny Cash’s version of the song, “I’ve Been Everywhere” (released in 1996) and did the song ever ring true! In our trial consulting work, we go where the clients and cases are. This has taken […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On June 16, 2016

Category: Business Travel, Careers, Getting the Job Done, Marketing your Business, Small Business Success, Travel, Trial Consulting, Work-Life, Workplace Technology

Although I haven’t been everywhere, I’ve been almost everywhere, at least in the U.S.A. My traveling days began in childhood, when my parents and I took long road trips every summer for our vacation. All of my teachers knew about my dad’s penchant for traveling, thus, when school began each fall, I was asked to […]

I am the Greatest

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On June 14, 2016

Category: Business Frustrations, Careers, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Marketing your Business, Small Business Success

At the time of this writing, Muhammad Ali passed away less than one week ago. Everyone who knows me well knows Muhammad Ali has been one of my heroes since I was a child. I grew up reading the Miami Herald and, because Muhammad Ali had close ties to Miami Beach and its 5th Street […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On June 14, 2016

Category: Business Frustrations, Careers, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Marketing your Business, Small Business Success

Though I have always been aware of Muhammad Ali and have known some of the history, I have not had the long connection with his legacy as Melissa has. But, having watched documentaries about him, like the movie about the Rumble in the Jungle, I recognized how impressive he was, in and out of the […]

Optimism is Hard Work

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On June 9, 2016

Category: Business personalities, Careers, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Managing Employees, Small Business Success

I recently attended a 99th birthday celebration for a wonderful woman who has blazed trails her entire life. Her name is Dr. Frances Bartlett Kinne; she is Chancellor Emeritus of Jacksonville University, my alma mater. I have written about Fran in the past, probably more than once. But, a point made during the celebration of […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On June 9, 2016

Category: Business personalities, Careers, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Managing Employees, Small Business Success

My late mother, who lived until the age of 93, frequently said, “You can choose to be happy or you can choose not to be happy.” She also had a scrap of paper, attached to her refrigerator door, on which she had written, “I am alive. Life is good. God is with me. I am […]

What if client isn’t ready; good; prepared; is drunk

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On May 26, 2016

Category: Business Frustrations, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Litigation Tips, Trial Consulting

In a quarter century of working with attorneys as our clients, while conducting mock trials and other forms of research, we have observed some great attorney presentations, some average ones, and occasionally, fortunately rarely, some very poor presentations. One of the worst things that can happen in our world of conducting mock trials is that […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On May 26, 2016

Category: Business Frustrations, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Litigation Tips, Trial Consulting

Fortunately, the majority of attorneys who retain Magnus for one or more research services are professional in their conduct, including taking our role in their case seriously. These attorneys are the backbone of our existence and without them, we would not be in business. There are many more attorneys, of course, who are “average” in […]

Are our Posts Negative? It is a matter of perspective.

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On May 19, 2016

Category: Business Frustrations, Business Partnerships, Business personalities, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Managing Employees, Small Business Success

Someone mentioned to me recently that, based on reading our posts, it seems like Melissa and I have had lots of negative experiences. My friend mentioned this out of a concern that it might reflect poorly on us that we have these difficulties. I see her point, but, in discussions with other small business owners, […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On May 19, 2016

Category: Business Frustrations, Business Partnerships, Business personalities, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Managing Employees, Small Business Success

No one has ever accused me of being a Pollyanna. (For those readers who don’t know the meaning of this expression, it means someone who thinks good things will always happen and finds something good in all experiences. It originated in 1913, in a novel of the same name by Eleanor Porter.) I believe some […]

Roger & Gizmo’s passing

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On May 17, 2016

Category: Business Frustrations, Business Travel, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Life Outside of Work, Partnerships, Work-Life

I have no explanation for why some things work out the way they do. I am a scientist, a person who thrives on cold, hard data and facts. But, there are some things that cannot be explained by data and facts. As readers of these posts know, I love cats, a lot. I have had […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On May 17, 2016

Category: Business Frustrations, Business Travel, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Life Outside of Work, Partnerships, Work-Life

As of this writing, just a few weeks after Gizmo’s untimely death, Melissa and I are still very sad. We adopted him, after getting his full approval, from the Humane Society, under very unusual circumstances. We saw his photo in the newspaper as “cat of the week” and were drawn to him. We were not, […]

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Archive | Getting the Job Done

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

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

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

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

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