Archive | Trial Consulting

Working on a Roller Coaster

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On June 25, 2015

Category: Business Frustrations, Business Partnerships, Business personalities, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Managing Employees, Marketing your Business, Partnerships, Small Business Success, Trial Consulting, Work-Life

After well over 20 years in the trial consulting business, I hoped the work load would smooth out and there would not be a constant peak and valley cycle of business. Alas, it appears we’re on a perpetual roller coaster. The cycle is such that there are times we are slammed with what seems like […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On June 25, 2015

For the most part, living life on the roller coaster has become easier for me with the passage of time. There used to be a time when, after weeks or months of not having any work to do, I would become convinced we would never work again. Then, just as I had given up all […]

Starting out: Use your connections & contacts

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On June 18, 2015

Category: Careers, Employment, Getting Through Life and Work, Managing Employees, Marketing your Business, Trial Consulting

Sometimes, following the theme of my recent posts, using what you’ve got involves who you know. Again, it may seem unfair, but that is the way of the world. And, it is no secret that who you know is critical to success in getting a job, selling your services/products, and in many other ways. One […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On June 18, 2015

Category: Careers, Employment, Getting Through Life and Work, Managing Employees, Marketing your Business, Trial Consulting

When David and I started Magnus Research Consultants in 1993, we literally knocked on the doors of anyone and everyone who would meet with us. I am lucky to be from a small town, Fort Myers, Florida and my family has been there since the 1920s. In Fort Myers, my last name has always given […]

Eat defensively

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On June 16, 2015

Category: Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Life Outside of Work, Travel, Trial Consulting

When I began my career as a litigation (jury) consultant many years ago, one of the first pieces of advice a more experienced colleague told me was “eat defensively,” meaning eat when there is food to be eaten because it may be the only opportunity that presents itself. When I am traveling far and wide […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On June 16, 2015

Category: Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Life Outside of Work, Travel, Trial Consulting

Today is one of those eating defensively days for me. I’m attending a conference, writing in the morning before the session which starts at 1:00 p.m. With a specific, 1:00 p.m., start time, clearly lunch has to be early and over with to get to the meeting. And, I am in a “strange” town. Not […]

When to keep quiet

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On June 9, 2015

Category: Business personalities, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Managing Employees, Small Business Success, Trial Consulting

As my late mother used to say, “If you can’t say anything nice about someone (or something), don’t say anything at all.” As a very opinionated person, I have often had difficulty following this motto; however, there are times when the reprehensible behavior, outlandish conduct, or unbelievably stupid comment of someone renders me with nothing […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On June 9, 2015

Category: Business personalities, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Managing Employees, Small Business Success, Trial Consulting

Building on what Melissa has written, I am thinking of the old adage, “better to be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt,” except in this analysis, it would “better to avoid a confrontation than to open your mouth and get into one!” It has been interesting to observe over […]

Everyone has a boss. Clients = Many Bosses

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On June 2, 2015

Category: Business Frustrations, Business personalities, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Managing Employees, Small Business Success, Trial Consulting

Almost everyone who works for a living has a boss. Although I am the boss at my workplace, I have many, many bosses, the attorneys, insurance adjusters, and corporate representatives who hire my company and me to help them with their challenging litigation. Often, I must adjust my plans and work schedule to suit one […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On June 2, 2015

Category: Business Frustrations, Business personalities, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Managing Employees, Small Business Success, Trial Consulting

“Be your own boss.” That’s the supposed appeal of owning a business. But, it is a very flawed observation about owning/operating a business. Whether the business is small or large, the customers, or clients in a service business, are the bosses. And in a service business, more than a product based business, the owner(s) must […]

Isn’t this stuff just common sense? Part 2 – Jury Consulting

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On May 28, 2015

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

Misinformation is a dangerous thing. I’m sure it happens in every field, but due to the fact that there are no set standards for qualifications of trial consultants, misinformation abounds. Trial consultant qualifications are a topic for another post, but in this post I want to relate some of the non common sense parts of […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On May 28, 2015

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

Knowing what one doesn’t know is, in my opinion, just as important as knowing anything else. For example, I have no hesitation in obtaining the professional opinion, as well as following the advice of my dentist, who spent many long years in dental school during the time I was studying for my Ph.D. in social […]

Isn’t this stuff just common sense? Part 1 – Small Business

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On May 21, 2015

Category: Business Frustrations, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Managing Employees, Marketing your Business, Small Business Success, Trial Consulting

It occurs to me that some of the topics we are writing about may seem like common sense. But, I can assure you, as someone with an MBA and undergrad degrees in business (marketing and management) that running a small business is, first of all, not taught (or taught well) in school and second, until […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On May 21, 2015

Category: Business Frustrations, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Managing Employees, Marketing your Business, Small Business Success, Trial Consulting

Most people I know have never, ever owned and operated a business. Having worked for other people for 20 years prior to co-owning Magnus Research Consultants, I am well aware of the numerous and vast differences between working for someone else, collecting a paycheck regardless of the company’s (or government agency’s) financial performance, and working […]

“Know” your clients

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On May 7, 2015

Category: Business Relationships, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Small Business Success, Trial Consulting

One interesting aspect of our trial consulting work is that we often work for people whom we do not meet in person until we all show up at a mock jury project or Melissa arrives at the courthouse. We have considerable contact with clients via phone calls and email, but often, there is little face […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On May 7, 2015

Category: Business Relationships, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Small Business Success, Trial Consulting

As a social psychologist, I am what many people describe “a people person.” I like human beings, in general, and I enjoy getting to know people, including learning what makes them who they are. My job, as a litigation consultant, requires me to interact with a variety of attorneys, insurance adjusters, corporate executives, and other […]

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 […]

Employees can/do turn into clients

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On March 31, 2015

Category: Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Managing Employees, Marketing your Business, Small Business Success, Trial Consulting

Almost everyone who works for a living knows not to “burn bridges” with former employers, lest they need a job reference or something else from the former employer in the future. Rarely, however, have I heard this expression applied to former employees. It seems that many employers fail to consider that, one day, when they […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On March 31, 2015

Category: Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Managing Employees, Marketing your Business, Small Business Success, Trial Consulting

The employee turned client is an interesting turn about and, a positive sign in many ways. And, it was also interesting when we had someone who had worked for 2 other trial consulting firms hire us at a firm where he was (once again) practicing law on his cases. He did not hire either of […]

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Archive | Trial Consulting

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

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A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

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